Although often neglected in the long shadows cast by such contemporaries as Led Zeppelin, Cream and Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck was every bit as influential in propelling rock music "one louder" back in the day and 1968's Truth - his first solo(-ish) outing after leaving the Yardbirds - provides perhaps the best argument for the firebrand guitarist's place in history. Truth genuinely rips, not least because Beck surrounded himself with a band worthy of his in-the-red six-string heroics here: Rod Stewart on vocals, Ron Wood on bass and Micky Waller on drums, with cameos from Led Zep's John Paul Jones and keyboardist Nicky Hopkins to sweeten the deal. 

First listen: