[royboy2k]

Anyone else pick this up today? I really like this album because well, I dunno, the songs just seem very good. Vague enough for you?

Well, if you don't know anything about this album, it's basically Beck's follow-up to Mutations, which means it's sorta slow, somber music with depressing lyrics. I personally like this a lot more than his "party music" on Midnite Vultures, although I still like Odelay of course, whatever you want to call that. Comment? Questions?

 

[RickG]

The "critics" are raving about this album. I guess that can be good or bad depending on one's perspective. I'll have to pick up a copy because I'm curious now...

 

[DarkAngel]

A while back I tried Odelay + Mellow Gold, just because they were so cheap at half.com. I would describe this style as "trippy slacker lounge" music, interesting but ultimately for me not a keeper and sold both of these, got tired of hanging at the Beck Lounge.

He also appeals to the "lo-fi" crowd because of his causual, home made experimental approach to music making, and at least initially rejection of the usual corporate made star image.

 

[royboy2k]

DarkAngel,

If you want to try the "other" Beck, pick up Mutations + Sea Change because they're very different from Odelay, Mellow Gold (though I don't have this), and Midnite Vultures. Dunno if you'll like it, but if you're curious.

 

[acs236]

For my taste, Beck's recent albums have been getting worse and worse, but I know I'm in the minority here.

My favorite Beck album, and the only one I listen to is the not yet mentioned One Foot in the Grave.

 

[AdamK]

I've been a Beck fan from the get-go and have all of his albums and a number of B-sides and imports. My fave is Odelay but I like a lot of the stuff on Stereopathetic Soulmanure.

I think the new album is fantastic. It's strange to hear him get so personal in his lyrics. Very depressing album - he'd just broken up with his girlfriend of 9 years when he wrote the songs.

Definitely not something that's gonna get a lot of radio play. I personally would like just a couple upbeat songs. It'll be interesting to see how it plays over time.

If you've just broken up with somebody, you'll love it, I think. I'm in fantastic relationship right now and can't relate so much.

 

[royboy2k]

acs326,

I know it's weird to think that most people picture Mellow Gold as Beck's first album, when actually his roots are in acoustic folk stuff like One Foot in the Grave. Yeah I borrowed that CD a few years back and I really like it. Right now I have some tracks on my computer from it such as "*******," "Cyanide Breath Mint," "He's a Mighty Good Leader," and I can't remember them all but those are really cool. Anyways, why don't you like this new album or Mutations? Too overproduced?

AdamK,

I have a song called "Satan Gave Me a Taco" off Steropathic Soulmanure. Are all the songs that good?

 

[AdamK]

Stereopathetic Manure is definitely Beck's most diverse album so I really can't say that "Satan Gave Me A Taco" is representative of the whole thing. There's some noisy rock, some nice acoustic ballads, some gorgeous pedal steel, some live stuff some weird skit type stuff, interviews with a homeless guy - quite an eclectic mix. "Satan Gave Me A Taco" is fantastic though.

Here's my rundown on Beck's albums:

Mellow Gold - The album that came out with Loser. Nice introduction to Beck. Basically, he's a folk/rock/noise musician on this one. Kinda low-fi.

Stereopathetic Soulmanure - Came out shortly after Mellow Gold and consisted of random recordings he had made. See comments above.

One Foot In The Grave - Also came out shortly after Mellow Gold and also consisted of low-fi recordings he made. Mostly acoustic stuff. You can really pick up on his folk influences on this one.

Odelay - His big hit album. Contains "Where It's At" Once read an interview with him where he said that the first three albums were really like demos and this could be considered his first "real" album. Similar to Mellow Gold but higher quality.

Mutations - Mellow pop-y stuff on this one. It's probably my least favorite due to the production - too much instrumentation- he uses harpsichord (yuck). The only real hit on this album was "Tropicalia." Best song on album is "Nobody's Fault But My Own" (which is most reminiscent of the stuff on Sea Change).

Midnite Vultures - A tribute to new school R&B and electronica. Not bad stuff. Essentially, it's Beck's version of a party album. Hit song: Sexx Laws. Best song: the slow-jam Debra.

Sea Change - Too new to rate.

The thing to remember about Beck is that he's got tons and tons of various influences - from Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams to Kraftwerk and other German bands. From Woody Guthrie to Afrika Bambaataa. And lately it's been mid-70's folk stuff.

Check out his website: beck.com It's pretty good.

 

[acs236]

I guess I just liked his raw sound better. I also really enjoyed the lyrics of One Foot... I feel that Beck's -- how to put this, umm -- lack of musicanship really worked on One Foot. It sometimes feels like your listening to improvisational, yet undeniably catchy tunes.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

bought it at best buy today, first beck album I own, noticed that it comes in several different covers, for all you collectors out there.

 

[neil]

I listened to it earlier this week (cousin had a bootleg copy I was listening to over vacation) and I enjoyed it very much. It is different from the other Beck tunes I've heard in the past. I guess one thing to consider is that a song writer that's as creative as him probably has so much just waiting to bust out of his brain, he just has to pump out an album that might completely flip out his normal fan-base.

I dig it, definitely.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

If I have to go by the first two songs on the album (which is all I have gotten through because I keep getting interrupted) I would have to say this is probably my favorite album of the year, unless the rest of the album is just crap it ranks right up there with the best......

 

[neil]

I picked up the CD this evening. Damn good album. First Jude and I listened to it in his car and we both agreed it sounded swell; however, now that I'm home and listening to it on the HD-600s -- its even better. (duh, right?) I've got a couple older Beck albums, and this is definitely my favorite of his -- and you know what? It's a sweet album to work to. I'm a programmer -- so maybe if you're a physical trainer or drill sergeant, that may not apply.

 

[royboy2k]

Yeah I was working on math problems the other day while listening to Sea Change. Good call neil.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

finally got a chance to listen to the whole thing and I have to say it's definately album of the year candidate for me, up there with flaming lips. I can't say that theres a bad song on the album and you can't say that about many albums these days.