Although he is 72 years old, Jeff Beck still does not think he should retire his guitar, which he proves with his newest release titled Loud Haller.
The album comes after six years break, and it is a megaphone, an instrument that you will use whenever you want to say something to a large group of people. Knowing that some of Beck’s albums have no words, it is plausible to question his decision to utilize them now. The good old days and life experience gave Beck the right to note what is wrong with today’s society, its deteriorating axiology and crave for instant pleasure. Politics, media, people…everything is subjected to critic.
It’s not that Beck is lonely. His latest collaborators include young singers Rosie Bones and guitarist Carmen Vandenberg, aggressive girls who dare to fight against awful capitalism surrounding all of us. The two of them are angry enough to fight for whatever they stand for, and the old Beck is here to protect them.
Gill Scott Heron said that revolution will not be televised, but Beck negates that in the first song of the album. Today, it is hard to differentiate what is reality and what is fiction. Society lead by a paradigm pics or it didn’t happen is limited to virtual life, making the reality more difficult to bare.
Contrary to many of his peers who play it safe, Beck is willing to take the risk and step out of his comfort zone. He dares to try something new, and sometimes it works out. Curiosity is an evidence of intelligence, so Beck decided to play with loops and electronic on Loud Hailer. Experimentation did not make him forget what he does best. Just listen to Scared for the Children and Little Wing, and you will hear that the man is loyal to his lifelong craft.
On the other hand, it is not difficult to notice that Beck is struggling with inspiration. The record is not his best, but it still provokes your mind. If you scratch under the surface, you can find a lot of stories you will not buy, but overall the album is not an embarrassment. As the time goes by, I am pretty sure I will consider this a great record.
