Beck-Ola – THE JEFF BECK GROUP****

All Shook Up/Spanish Boots/Girl From Mill Valley/Jailhouse Rock/Plynth (Water Down The Drain)/The Hangman’s Knee/Rice Pudding

Beck-Ola was the second outing from guitar hero Jeff Beck, again aided and abetted by Rod Stewart on vocals. He never quite achieved the acclaim of his Yardbirds contemporaries Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. (US:15 UK:39)

"As a sequel to his first metal album this is a bit of a let down. It's more of the same (though less diverse) with less obviously strong material. And the Nicky Hopkins piece is a very odd inclusion. This may be the best 60s blues rock guitar performance outside of Hendrix and the first Zep albums. Beck is much more forward thinking than Clapton ever was with Cream and, though he lacks the imagination of Hendrix, he does do all sorts of neat things that sound unusual even now. It's worth it for the guitar playing alone."

"An album of superb hard rock by the original Jeff Beck Group. Beck-Ola is a far more even, and less adventurous album than the debut Truth, and that's the reason why it works so well. When they concentrate on playing down and dirty rock this band just cooks, and here the entire group perform at 110%. Jeff Beck's guitar burns and screams. Ronnie Wood's bass is just primal thump. Aynsley Dunbar's drumming is an avalanche, and a very young Rod Stewart has rarely sung better. Nicky Hopkin's piano is a revelation at times, especially on his signature piece, the gorgeous Girl From Mill Valley. But the highlights here are many, and include the wonderfully driving Spanish Boots, the heavy thudder Plynth (Water Down The Drain) and the ripping The Hangman's Knee."

"Absolutely brilliant from start to finish, with exceptional performances by Beck and Stewart, combining raw energies and great talent, this is a masterpiece of the era. This album includes some originals, as well as superb arrangements of classic blues songs, and other no less inspiring material pays off in this case. The sound is even heavier than on the debut album. This is classic rock with an early definition of what hard rock would be like a few years later."

"Those casually checking out this album may be disappointed. I certainly was at first. But after sticking with it, I have easily discovered its magic, and recommend it to fans of the late 60s British axemeister triumvirate (Clapton, Beck and Page)."