It's been seven long years, but the guitar legend is back with a brand new release, titled Emotion and Commotion, a name given to the CD that perfectly portrays everything that you are going to hear on this one from Jeff Beck.
There's a combination of fiery instrumental rockers here, as well as some mellower vocal pieces, hence the 'emotion & commotion' title. Opening up with the gorgeous "Corpus Christi Carol ", where Beck is matched up with an orchestra, things then get down & dirty on the raucous "Hammerhead", one of the hardest rocking songs the guitarist has done in years. Complete with wah-wah & whammy bar twists, this is an exciting tune that shows Beck at his best and most unique. He's one of a kind folks!
"Never Alone" has more of a jazz-funk-R&B feel, the rhythm section of Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Jason Rebello (keyboards), and Tal Wilkenfeld (bass) laying down some deep grooves and atmosphere while Beck's yearning guitar melodies stream through the heavens. His take on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is magical and sure to stir your deepest emotions, as Jeff shows that tone and sense of restraint that has always been one of his strong points. "I Put a Spell On You", featuring vocals from Joss Stone, as well as the other vocal numbers, "Lilac Wine", "There's No Other Me", and "Elegy For Dunkirk", give the album a pop/R&B twist, and in a way might remind of what Santana did with Supernatural a few years back. Whether these tunes will find the singles charts is another story, but they are certainly well done, though a bit odd for a Jeff Beck record. The other two remaining instrumentals, the atmospheric, almost Weather Report-ish "Serene" and the stunningly beautiful "Nessun Dorma" offer even more varied sounds from the guitar master. The latter is sure to send a chill up and down your spine, as Beck's yearning, stinging guitar lines backed by the soaring orchestra is simply amazing.
Though the few vocal pieces might not be favorites of the loyal Jeff Beck followers, he still lends some tasty licks on those numbers (especially the upbeat "There's No Other Me" alongside a fiesty Stone), and the remaining instrumental songs do not disappoint one bit. An extra heavy rocker or two might have been nice, but there's enough solid material here to please any guitar aficionado. If you needed further proof of why this guy is in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, here you go.
Track Listing
1. Corpus Christi Carol
2. Hammerhead
3. Never Alone
4. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
5. I Put A Spell On You featuring Joss Stone
6. Serene
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
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