In the Yardbirds Jeff Beck had played some of the greatest and most innovative lead guitar lines of the 1960s. He left the band after recording just three tracks as part of a dual-lead guitar attack with Jimmy Page. While Page formed the New Yardbirds that was later Led Zeppelin, Beck put together the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart on vocals, Ronnie Wood, ex-Birds and Creation, on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on drums. Also on the album are Led Zeppelin's John-Paul Jones, piano session man Nicky Hopkins while the timpani is played by "you know who," a reference to Keith Moon.

The opening track is a reworking of the Yardbirds' classic Shapes of Things and it sounds nothing like the original. Much slower and "heavier," Shapes of Things is well-suited to Rod Stewart's voice. One of the features of the album is the lack of original tracks. Apart from the opener there are numerous cover versions including Tim Rose's Morning Dew, Greensleeves (written by Henry VIII?), Ol' Man River and Jeff's Beck's version of Bolero that had been the b-side of the debut single. There is no doubt that the Jeff Beck Group tackled a wide repertoire!

Beck's Bolero was not recorded by the Jeff Beck Group as credited. Recorded earlier, it featured John-Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins, Jimmy Page and Keith Moon and this was almost the original line-up of Led Zeppelin!

Rock My Plimsoul was a staple of the band's live set. This is not only a superb guitar track but Rod Stewart's throaty vocals are a superb fit.

Truth was produced by the legendary Mickie Most. He was best-known as a pure pop producer and the Yardbirds Little Games (post-Beck) proved how he could turn an innovative groups such as the Yardbirds into a simple pop band. However, on Truth the music remains hard-hitting R&B, possibly not what Most was best-known for.

The remastered version of the album contains seven additional tracks including the hit single Hi Ho Silver Lining. The track features the vocals of Beck himself with Rod Stewart on backing vocals. For those who are familiar with the single only, which has become a staple of parties, it is totally unrepresentative of the sound of the Jeff Beck Group. Nevertheless, it does feature a blinding Jeff Beck guitar solo. Hi Ho Silver Lining took Jeff Beck back into the singles charts, reaching 14 in the UK. The follow-up singles, Tallyman and Love is Blue are also included. The former was composed by Graham Gouldman who had also written hits for the Yardbirds such as For Your Love. Love is Blue is an instrumental and, like Tallyman, reached the charts despite not being really representative of the Jeff Beck Group at its best. Both Love is Blue and Hi Ho Silver Lining were recorded with session musicians and, consequently, were not really the Jeff Beck Group.

Truth established Jeff Beck as a star in his own right and brought Rod Stewart to a wider audience. It also established the group in the US and had a major impact on Jimmy Page who was in the process of putting together Led Zeppelin and developing the sound.

Release Date: 1968

CD release: 2000 (Epic EK 66085)

Re-mastered CD release: 2005 (EMI 8737492)

Essential Tracks:

• Rock My Plimsoul
• Beck's Bolero
• Morning Dew

Track Listing:

1. Shapes of Things
2. Let Me Love You
3. Morning Dew
4. You Shook Me
5. Ol' Man River
6. Greensleeves
7. Rock My Plimsoul
8. Beck's Bolero
9. Blues Deluxe
10. I Ain't Superstitious

Additional tracks

1. You Shook Me (Take 1)
2. Rock My Plimsoul (Stereo)
3. Beck's Bolero (Mono single version)
4. Blues Deluxe (Take 1)
5. Tallyman
6. Love is Blue
7. Hi Ho Silver Lining (Stereo)