Jeff Beck - You Had It Coming

At an age when fellow ex-Yardbirds guitar gods Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page are polishing their legend and trying to recapture it, respectively, Jeff Beck has produced one of his most challenging and rewarding albums. An edgy, metallic maelstrom with a distinctly postmodern slant (thanks largely to the tense, digitized rhythms of producer Andy Wright and drummer/programmer Aiden Love), You Had It Coming is the kind of album his fraternal fretmeisters might scarcely understand, let alone attempt. Already the guitar's unparalleled master of feedback, distortion, harmonic sorcery, and microtonal manipulation, Beck here pushes the envelope yet again. From the manic thrash-metal of "Earthquake" to the hot-rod sampled "Roy's Toy" and especially "Loose Cannon," Beck's soloing is all haunting howls and jagged corners, a nervy dance along the razor's edge of dissonance and melody. The emotionally charged changes of pace are as surprising as they are compelling: Beck exploring Eastern modalities while showcasing his arsenal of technique in a stunning take on Indian pop musician Nitin Sawhney's "Nadia"; the techno revamp of the blues staple "Rollin' and Tumblin'," fronted by the urgent vocals of Imogene Heap; Jeff literally jamming with a chirping feathered friend on "Blackbird" (while plying the frets with a table fork!); the fingerpicking funk of "Rosebud"; and the graceful, lyrical resolve of "Suspension." This is one of Beck's best and a worthy companion to Blow by Blow, Wired, and Guitar Shop. --Jerry McCulley Amazon.com

Will make your hair stand up - Just so hot.

This is classic Jeff beck. I could listen to this albumn all day long. Roy's Toy and Nadia show off Jeff's great skills at playing the guitar. And Loose Cannon and Rosebud have compelling driving force behind the melody. This is NOT TRANCE - just great ROCK. Watch out for Left Hook, because you will get hooked. Oh, how I wish for another like this. September 26, 2007

Mediocre

I was somewhat disappointed by this CD. When I heard Beck's rendition of "Rollin' and Tumblin'" with Imogen Heap, I thought this CD would be fantastic. Instead, I found a CD that was more electronic rock than rock or blues with heavy use of the drum kit. Most of the songs didn't have any melody. January 27, 2007

Creativity all over

Jeff Beck is far from the typical rock guitarist. He never took the easy path of showing how fast or virtuoso he is. Instead, he is full of intriguing and explosive ideas that make you want to listen to this CD over and over again. That's what musicianship is all about, and Jeff has plenty of it. September 14, 2006

A league of his own

Quite simply: Mind-blowing. This guy has it all -- feel, edge, risk, dynamics, and damn big balls if this album is anything to go by! He's continued the theme of "Who Else?" with his experimentation of live-meets-electro backing, but this time the playing seems even more inspired. 'Earthquake' sets the bar pretty high from the outset, sounding a bit like a revved up Nine Inch Nails tune. Then we're into a stellar roll of four songs with 'Nadia' possibly hitting an all time Beck high -- fantastic beats and a touch on the geetar that sends shivers down the spine. 'Loose Cannon' has an almost elastic riff that sprawls and grooves whilst 'Left hook' wouldn't be out of place at an underground drum 'n' bass club in Brixton -- super-aggressive backing matched with super-aggressive chops. The album then rides out on a high, but toned down, note. A genius album by a genius man. Highly, highly recommended for musos and non-musos alike. June 5, 2006

Wild

You have got to love Dirty Mind and Loose Cannon; totally wild. It's amazing how a well established artist can put together a new sound and just rock into the future.........it does sound like Beck has been spending some time under the hood of his car. November 4, 2005

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