Customer Reviews

Wired

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own everything Jeff Beck has ever recorded that I can obtain, many bootleg recordings included. This album Wired is still and probably always will be my all-time favorite among them. Many reviewers have mentioned his jaw-dropping technical prowess and passion and commitment he brings to every song, solo and note he plays. But IMO Jeff Beck's most overlooked talent is his lyrical lilt and melodic mastery. He is the modern incarnation of J.S. Bach in his absolute mastery of melody and harmony, less contrapunctally expressed than by the baroque composer, but still conveying a tremendously profound understanding and feel for what note and chord combinations would sound perfect where and when, never a note out of place, and his resolution of multiple developed themes within a piece is always richly satisfying. That is a large part of what makes this album so listenable again and again as the decades roll by.

It is inconceivable that this man can get these sounds to come out of six wires and NO PICK. His speed is unrivaled even by the many neck tappers of the 90s, though some of his most effective playing is when he takes it slow. Nowhere is this more elegantly proven than on Goodbye Porkpie Hat, the classic by Charles Mingus. This track contains a 150-second slice of euphonic heaven that is in my mind one of the best slow guitar solos ever recorded by anyone. It may simply not be possible to play the electric guitar any better than this; time will tell. It eclipses Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of Little Wing; it eclipses Beck's own miraculous playing on Blow By Blow. And his scorching, searing, vicious soloing on Head for Backstage Pass and especially the opener Led Boots stacks its raw power against such titans as Johnny Winter's soloing on Still Alive and Well, Edward Van Halen, Hendrix and Santana. For pure musicianship, technical wizardry and soaring, transcendent melodies, Jeff Beck is the unparalleled genius of our modern age. We are all fortunate to live at the same time as Jeff Beck, to witness his live performances, and to live in the age of electronic recording so that we can reset our minds at the end of a trying day with this fantastic music, again and again.

But this. It never gets old.

I had the great fortune of seeing Mr. Beck live, when THERE and BACK was released in '80. It was, and remains to this day, the best live show I have ever seen, and I have seen many in the last thirty years of my 48 years here on this marble. I had followed his career with gusto, since seeing him destroy his guitar in the cult movie classic "Blow Up" (the original) as an original member of the Yardbirds. He is probably the most under-rated guitarist of his generation, overshadowed by guys like Clapton, Hendrix, Townshend, Page, to name a few. We should all be thankful we didn't lose him after a serious car wreck during the earlier part of his solo career, the post Rod Stewart days. The monster release BLOW by BLOW will always be the standard to which his work and many others, will be held, with WIRED running a close second IMHO. WIRED made jazz/fusion, highly marketable- sorry to Miles (Davis), and Frank (Zappa), THE pioneers. BLOW by BLOW only set the standard for all guitarists, WIRED raised the bar, just ask Steve Morse, Alan Holdsworth, Al DiMeola, etc. Beck will ALWAYS be in the top five of best rock axemen ever, with his music ever evolving, testing the limits of our and his imagination. He is probably one of the more humble of axemen, taking a backseat in many recent collaborations like those with the late SRV, and the never tiring, B.B. Of note on WIRED, is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat", a fitting tribute to the great jazz bassist/composer Charles Mingus. For me, re-buying this disc was a no-brainer, with the advent of the CD. Somehow, it still manages to raise the hair on the back of my neck every time I listen to it, some 28 years after it's initial release. Holy cow! Peace.

It's a shame how overlooked Jeff Beck has been throughout the 60's, 70's, and so on. While the other great guitarists of the Yardbirds, Clapton and Page, became household names in the 60's and throughout the 70's, Beck was left out to dry merely because he wasn't in one of the most popular groups of the time (Page - Led Zeppelin, Clapton - Cream, Derek and the Dominoes, Solo). It remains a mystery to me as to why he isn't as recognized as the other two. He definitely has more skill (hell, he has more skill than 98% of guitarists in the genre of rock), has successfully conquered more genres, and was more innovate. Anyways, enough of my angry dribble, and on to the review

Wired is most likely my favorite of the Jeff Beck cd's I own, which would be of 7. Like on Blow by Blow, he incorporates elements of Jazz, Funk, and a little bit of Rock into his repetoire. This IS Jeff Beck at his full playing capabilities, at his time of complete mastery over the instrument known as the guitar.

The Drum work on this album is great. Both Narada Michael Walden and Richard Bailey contribute. Former Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboardist, Jan Hammer, joins for most of this record as well.

The album starts off with the explosive "Led Boots", which contains a great riff and a solo that makes you feel like you aren't worthy enough to be in this mans presence. Come Dancing is a great jazz song throughout. Next up is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" which is a great jazz standard, originally done by Charles Mingus (I think). Beck demonstrates various techniques on the guitar in one of his finest solos. "Head for Backstage Pass" begins with some funky bass work, then goes into some more great guitar work. At this point you must be thinking, "Wow, this pwnage of my ears has to end sometime, I am totally blown away." Well, you are mistaken. "Blue Wind" displays some of Jeff Becks finest chops as a guitarist. Stunning change of tone and sound. Sophie starts off with a slow-tempo, and then BOOM! Sudden change of tempo, and you're ears are taken off into the magical world of fusion. Ah, what a treat this record is. One more funk track, then a Beautiful jazz song, "Love is Green" on which Beck plays acoustic guitar on.

Wow, fantastic album. Fan of Jazz or not, this album should be in your possession. If not, you are missing out on one of the finest guitarists this century has had to offer. Enjoy.

This is one of Jeff Beck's best albums. It is often compared to Blow by Blow, but don't do that because while they are similar, they are also very different albums.

This album is a masterpiece. It is funky, it is melodic....it is Jeff Beck. Even today it is futuristic, and I still listen to it today. This album is what really sparked the Jeff Beck fan inside of me. Led Boots is funky and Goodbye Pork Pie Hat displays more of Jeff's emotional playing.

I can't believe the average customer rating is not 5 stars. People are trying to compare this to Blow by Blow. Anyone with good taste would label both of these 5 stars! This is a great album. But you probably already know that.

I'm 47 years old. I bought this album when I was in High School. It rocked then and it rocks now.

this is a masterpiece. i'm more a fan of (i guess you'd say) "typical" fusion stuff, sans guitar. but jeff beck is a guitar god and you can't go wrong with this one. if you like mahavishnu orchestra, check this one out if you haven't yet!

Wired is the first album that really got me into Jeff Beck, and it seems to still hold up well today. It is one of Jeff's best, and I slightly prefer it to Blow by Blow.

I was pulled into Wired by the high powered stomp of "Led Boots," which is still one of the coolest opening tracks of an album (the only better one is "Earthquake" from Jeff's You Had It Coming). Max Middleton pens another classic here (his other was "Freeway Jam" off of Blow by Blow) and Jeff executes it perfectly. Jeff's soloing is impressive here, as always, and the whole band delivers the song perfectly. "Come Dancing" is definately for the groove oriented, and once again the playing here is great. The emotional highpoint of Wired is "Goodbye Porkpie Hat." Here Jeff covers a Charles Mingus classic, and I actually prefer it to the original. Great emotion, technique, and solo here. The drummer's seamless switch from brushses to sticks is also noteworthy. "Head For Backstage Pass" is also worth honorable mention, as it has a great intro and remarkable playing by Mr. Beck that proved to be the initial inspiration behind other guitarists like Eric Johnson and Steve Vai. "Blue Wind" has since become a Beck staple, and probably Hammer's finest work. "Sophie" also features some very emotional playing and very effective changes throughout. Wired contains something no other post 70s Beck album has... acoustic guitar (played by Jeff). "Love is Green," a take on Jeff's earlier "Love is Blue" is probably the biggest surprise on the album, as Jeff tickles a nylon string guitar. Perfect for the closer of the album.

Wired is among Jeff's best and should definately be in any music lover's collection. Also recommended: Jeff Beck's You Had It Coming.

After the untoppable Blow by Blow, Beckola releases this intrumental masterpiece. His tone is dripping with emotion and the songs are better.
This is the best instrumental album of all time, and that's no mean feat.

I think this is Jeff Beck's finest recording. A notch better than its predecessor and a more comfortable fit than many of the other formats this experimental guitar hero has tried, Wired seems to fit his frantic guitar runs, his sonic bends, his unique phrasing, and his sweet-hot tone like a glove. It is doubtless due in part to the instrumental nature that this album stands above the rest. Beck doesn't have to battle a vocalist; he simply steps into the spotlight and wails. Rod Stewart came close, but in the end, none of those singers could keep up with him or give him the Plant to the Page that so many other musical acts have. He was simply too good for anyone to sing along with him. Rather than play tired pop songs or try to make something work within that formula, he chose to move into the world that best suited him - instrumental music.
There are some of his better known songs such as Led Boots and Blue Wind, but it is the quieter moments, such as Love is Green or Charles Mingus' Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, that I enjoy equally as much. Another feather in the cap for this cd is the stellar backing musicians that make these songs leap out of your speakers. This cd is pure listening pleasure.
In an outtake included in the re-issue of Beck-Ola, Beck does his take on B.B. King's "Sweet Little Angel." Therein, he plays with such fury that it literally sounds as if he is strangling his guitar; choking notes out of it that are far from the pentatonic parameters that most blues guitar work stays within. In that showcase number, it is clear that the blues is far too limited for him, as was the soul/r & b flavored phase that followed it. It was with this foray into the free-form of jazz that Beck shines brightest. I see in Beck's career arc the same route that Jimi Hendrix might have taken, and Wired is arguably the apex. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise that Beck never achieved the popularity of his peers, for in so doing, they painted themselves into corners which were difficult to escape from. No one will ever accuse Beck of selling out in his career or falling into a rut because he has always been more of a restless genius than a disciple of a genre.
If there is one Jeff Beck album to own or start with, I recommend this one. If your jaw doesn't drop after a few songs, I don't really know when it would.

"Wired" is a great album. It's better than I expected. I was hoping for a fusion album, and I got it. I like this album !!!