Jeff Beck - Wired

I bought this LP because I felt that Jeff Beck could lend some cred to my vinyl collection. I don't know who I think I'm impressing, but given my criteria they are either the strangest woman ever or a 40 year old man. Anyway, these are not the sorts of things you think about when the cashier at the record store (a 40 year old man) tells you you made a good choice. Mission accomplished?

So Jeff Beck is one of the all-time great guitar gods. He ably filled Clapton's shoes in The Yardbirds, which says something of the man's status. I have no qualms with his status. He's definitely better than most when it comes to all things six strings. But what do you do for the guy when you genuinely don't like the actual songs he's noodling with on an album? That's what Wired is for me. I just don't like the whole jazz fusion thing. I like jazz just fine, but somehow the fusion part always kills it for me.

Anyway, Wired features some very vibrant playing by Jeff Beck in which he explores the full range of his instrument, but it ultimately goes nowhere for me because I genuinely don't like the songs. There are much better Jeff Beck outings (I'm reviewing one of them next). Wired just falls flat with me. I know that most of the 40 year old record store employees of the world would tend to disagree, but I hear what I hear.