Jeff Beck, legendary Grammy-winning guitar virtuoso, has captivated rock n’ roll fans since the time of The Yardbirds in the 1960s. It was also the time that saw the likes of Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page rise to guitar hero status. Over 50 years later, Jeff Beck still delivers with his first studio album in seven years, Emotion & Commotion.

While Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page have both aged considerably, Jeff Beck hardly looks different from the old days. On the contrary, his music has been constantly evolving, showing his incredibly diverse music tastes and innovative sound. Emotion & Commotion sees him explore classical works, with covers of old classics such as “Over The Rainbow”, “Corpus Christi Carol” and “Lilac Wine”, infused with his own touch and complemented by a 64-piece orchestra. The album also features a trio of guest vocalists including Grammy winner soul and R&B singer Joss Stone, Imelda May and opera singer Olivia Safe.

Emotion & Commotion gets off to a slow start with Beck’s rendition of the old English hymn Corpus Christi Carol. Despite being absent in the recording studio for seven years, Beck’s technique is as amazing as ever. The volume swells he creates with his guitar and his finger plucking technique, along with the soft orchestral strings make the instrumental a calm and soothing one.

The pace picks up as Beck steps on the wah pedal with the intro to “Hammerhead”, reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile”. The full band and orchestra then come in, with Beck’s distorted guitar riffs searing through. The expressive guitar solo showcases Beck’s raw talent perfectly as his blues, rock, fusion and jazz influences are clearly heard. Unfortunately, this is as far as the heavy riffs go, as it is the only real rock song in the album.

“Never Alone”is a sublime melody, as the electric guitar and orchestra blend together to create a wonderful soundstage. It is followed by “Over The Rainbow”, a familiar classic, but Beck puts his own spin on it. Made possible with his signature open string harmonic bends and volume swells, his fluid but sparse playing gives it an almost ethereal feel.

In the vocal department, Beck uses the talented voices of his guest vocalists to great effect. Joss Stone provides her powerful vocals for I ”Put A Spell On You” and “There’s No Other Me”, Imelda May gracefully opens “Lilac Wine” with her melodious alto, and Olivia Safe lends her almost synth-like voice to the backgrounds of “Serene” and “Elegy For Dunkirk”.

Emotion & Commotion is largely slow paced and easy on the ears, as Jeff Beck gives himself space to fully express his new musical direction. The array of sounds he coaxes from his Fender Stratocaster is incredible. His dynamic playing style really suits the mood of the songs, as he builds it up from a smooth, almost violin-sounding tone to a piercing overdriven one. Beck’s new sound may not be for everyone, though. Some may find it a breath of fresh air, while others may feel that it lacks the drive and pace of Beck’s previous works.

Jeff Beck’s is a constantly changing guitarist, but his sheer talent remains undisputed. The things he does with a guitar never ceases to blow listeners away, fan or stranger alike.

The UrbanWire gives Jeff Beck’s Emotion & Commotion 3.5/5 stars.

Artiste: Jeff Beck

Album Title: Emotion & Commotion

Label: Rhino Records

Track List:

1. Corpus Christi Carol

2. Hammerhead

3. Never Alone

4. Over The Rainbow

5. I Put A Spell On You (Featuring Joss Stone)

6. Serene (Featuring Olivia Safe)

7. Lilac Wine (Featuring Imelda May)

8. Nessun Dorma

9. There’s No Other Me (Featuring Joss Stone)

10. Elegy for Dunkirk (Featuring Olivia Safe)