Music review: Jeff Beck 鈥� 鈥楲oud Hailer鈥�
Throughout his stellar career, Jeff Beck has awed, amazed and electrified fans with his guitar brilliance. I can fondly remember my oldest brother frequently playing the Willie Dixon track 鈥淚 Ain鈥檛 Superstitious鈥� from Beck鈥檚 1968 debut album 鈥淭ruth,鈥� featuring Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.
On his first new release in six years, the guitar legend continues to adapt to the times by cranking out 11 tracks of blunt commentary highlighting the many injustices leeching off the world today that possess various elements of rock, blues, funk and punk.
For 鈥淟oud Hailer,鈥� Beck collaborates with singer Rosie Bones and guitarist Carmen Vandenberg of the London band Bones to orchestrate a guitar-driven message for the masses to cease casually observing events from the comforts of home and to actively start making a difference.
鈥淭he revolution will be televised/You can choose to watch or not/But if we all just talk from the safety of our sofas/There won鈥檛 be much revolution to watch,鈥� warns Bones on the gritty opener 鈥淭he Revolution Will Be Televised.鈥�
The two-time Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductee follows with the fiery 鈥淟ive in the Dark鈥� as Bones declares the need for unity singing, 鈥淲e鈥檒l hold hands in the dark/鈥機ause when you hold hands in the dark/You don鈥檛 know whose hand you hold/We鈥檙e just humans letting the love flow.鈥�
Beck sets his sights on crooked political leaders and the selfish influence of the rich on 鈥淭hugs Club鈥� and explores today鈥檚 insatiable need for instant gratification and the growth of greed with 鈥淩ight Now.鈥�
The 72-year-old guitar god offers a little Hendrix-like guitar work on 鈥淪cared for the Children.鈥� The powerful ballad examines the loss of innocence as well as the dumbing down of today鈥檚 youth by the endless hours of meaningless programming found on television.
鈥淥.I.L.鈥� finds Beck playing an oil can guitar given to him as a gift from ZZ Top鈥檚 Billy Gibbons to deliver a funky groove that helps punctuate how our dependence on oil has had devastating consequences for people and the environment.
Through all the dire warnings and the stern call to action, Beck concludes the set with a promising ballad. 鈥淪hrine鈥� radiates a sense of hope and offers a promising light that exposes, and ultimately, eliminates the darkness hiding in the world and in our souls.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.