JEFF BECK — Flash (review)

JEFF BECK — Flash album cover Album · 1985 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
1/5 ·
Sean Trane
Simply one of the most atrocious albums I can remember buying and probably one of the shortest stay in my collection too, since this got sold top an ex-friend, which became “ex” on the moment I sold him this crap. The major selling point of this album was of course the reunion of Stewart and Beck for the People Get Ready track, which happens to work semi-convincingly, as if it seemed Rod was doing a payback to Beck for his original stardom. Don’t be fooled by the cover of the album, where it seems that the guitar is still king, as this is sooooo much less the case as his previous albums. For this album, Beck doesn’t have a solid band, but different musicians playing on specific tracks, including the "hit single", which gained of course much “unfair” attention (I mean the track is barely more than correct) more on the accompanying videoclip on regular rotation on MTV.

Most of the album is actually Jeff experimenting with Jan Hammer-style of electronic effects and other new instruments (his Gibson is not new), sometimes going as far as sounding new-wavey. I mean generally going experimental on this site means going more progressive, and somehow I’m sure Jeff thought he was progressing experimentally or even experimenting progressively, but all in all, you’ve got another 70’s giant getting lost in the 80’s, trying to stay afloat or survive, by following the “technology path” and ending almost on Ridicule Lane. Even Carmine Appice's drumming is 80's-sounding. It’s hard of course to say this about the giant of guitar Jeff is, but let’s face it, you’d better avoid this stinker, which is about as bad as his “trendy” suit on the cover. Not the only one of his blunder (BBA was the first one really, but Flash easily crushed that low, making it average), but the first real one, and probably his worst too. Best avoided.
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