Truth＜限定盤＞

68年1STがナンバリング入り限定盤ハイブリッドSACD仕様で登場!!


言わずと知れた最強グループYARDBIRDSを抜けたJEFF BECKを中心に、クラブに入り浸って意気投合したというまだ無名に近い元SHOTGUN EXPRESSのシンガーROD STEWART、元BIRDSのベーシストRONNIE WOOD、BRIAN AUGER AND THE TRINITY他のドラマーMICKY WALLERで構成された第1.5期JBGによる記念すべきデビュー作。ほか、THE WHOのKEITH MOON、LED ZEPPELINのJIMMY PAGEにJOHN PAUL-JONESや、後のJBG正規メンバーNICKY HOPKINS、オリジナル・ドラマーAYNSLEY DUNBAR等々盟友たちが大挙参加しています。

YARDBIRDSの66年ヒット"SHAPES OF THINGS"の最新アレンジ再演に、ZEPPとの論争の火種ともなるMUDDY WATERSカヴァー"YOU SHOOK ME"、スロウ・エレクトリック・ブルースに仕上がったJEROME KERNの"OL' MAN RIVER"、ソロ・アコースティック・ギターが光るフォーキーな"GREENSLEEVES"、JIMMY PAGEが捧げたプログレッシヴ・ブルース"BECK'S BOLERO"にWILLIE DIXONクラシック"I AIN'T SUSPICIOUS"などなど、ほとんどがライヴでのレパートリーから選ばれた全10曲。けたたましいリズム・セクションに支えられながら 互角の戦いを繰り広げるドラマティックなヴォーカルと歪んだギターが縦横に駆け巡り、のちのヘヴィ・メタルさながらの音を展開するハード・ロック・ブルース名盤です。

Despite being the premiere of heavy metal, Jeff Beck's Truth has never quite carried its reputation the way the early albums by Led Zeppelin did, or even Cream's two most popular LPs, mostly as a result of the erratic nature of the guitarist's subsequent work. Time has muted some of its daring, radical nature, elements of which were appropriated by practically every metal band (and most arena rock bands) that followed. Truth was almost as groundbreaking and influential a record as the first Beatles, Rolling Stones, or Who albums. Its attributes weren't all new -- Cream and Jimi Hendrix had been moving in similar directions -- but the combination was: the wailing, heart-stoppingly dramatic vocalizing by Rod Stewart, the thunderous rhythm section of Ron Wood's bass and Mickey Waller's drums, and Beck's blistering lead guitar, which sounds like his amp is turned up to 13 and ready to short out. Beck opens the proceedings in a strikingly bold manner, using his old Yardbirds hit "Shapes of Things" as a jumping-off point, deliberately rebuilding the song from the ground up so it sounds closer to Howlin' Wolf. There are lots of unexpected moments on this record: a bone-pounding version of Willie Dixon's "You Shook Me"; a version of Jerome Kern's "Ol' Man River" done as a slow electric blues; a brief plunge into folk territory with a solo acoustic guitar version of "Greensleeves" (which was intended as filler but audiences loved); the progressive blues of "Beck's Bolero"; the extended live "Blues Deluxe"; and "I Ain't Superstitious," a blazing reworking of another Willie Dixon song. It was a triumph -- a number 15 album in America, astoundingly good for a band that had been utterly unknown in the U.S. just six months earlier -- and a very improbable success. ~ Bruce Eder