Jeff Beck / Johnny Depp – ‘Isolation’
If you ever wondered what would happen if you got the best guitar player on the planet together with a huge Hollywood star then wonder no more.
Jeff Beck has been at the top of the tree for his entire working life but Johnny Depp’s reputation as a great musician has been more of a slow burn but, like his career in film, has seen him steadily rise up through the ranks and gaining great acclaim, particularly with supergroup The Hollywood Vampires.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma-149FnSN4?start=1&w=560&h=315]
What do you get? Well, there’s the tasteful licks from Beck and a very strong and characterful vocal from Depp on this track that covers this classic John Lennon track that, for the uninitiated, sounds like something the later period Beatles might have brewed up if they had been soaked in the blues.
The guitarwork is immense of course, building to a stunning solo and along with some gutsy singing backed by Vinnie Colaiutas superb drumming, this track, which actually predates the current lockdown despite the title, shows what happens when two worlds collide to staggering effect. Beyond sublime and a total masterclass by the best in the business.
Review by Paul Monkhouse for MPM