Modern Guilt by Beck - An Album Review

Modern Guilt
Beck



Overview:

Two years ago, today (not from today, but it sounds better) I fell in love with Beck. I got Midnite Vultures and its hilarity and quirkiness drew me in. I them sort of got into Odelay and Guero. Then, in 2006, The Information came along. It's a good album, yet packed too much with pointless, boring songs, suffocating the gems (like Cellphone's Dead or Soldier Jane). So The Information was a disappointment. Through all those, and Sea Change, and those infectiously ridiculous remixes, I would always come back to Midnite Vultures. Ah.

Fast forward to now, and I can safely say I haven't listened to Beck in quite some time. I've gotten immersed in Arcade Fire (..and it's oh so hot! See that play on words? See it?) and then I fell in love with Broken Social Scene. Then TV On The Radio. And some many others along the way. After Beck, music, in my life, has blossomed into something very important. It all started with Beck. You could say he's been ridiculously important and influential in terms of my musical taste. So, here it comes, Modern Guilt, the next thing to get me back into Beck.

And it has.

Not dramatically. But for me, inevitably, Beck is relevent and that's comforting. It's a very good album, I've come to see after some time to play around with it (as in listen to it..). The first listen: not good. Wasn't very impressed. I had it on as background music as I sifted through some blogs I religiously check. That's how I know a good song. It's not, like, this big method, but if I'm occupied with something else, and the music in the background distracts me, takes me away from what I'm doing, I know the songs are unusually good. The unusual goodness wasn't coming with Modern Guilt.

I didn't here the funky Beck beats. It was all moody lyrics that didn't do much for me. I listened through it again the next day. A tad better. I heard some stuff I liked, but nothing worth loving.

Then, subconciously, I would hear the beats to the songs in my head. I couldn't quite place them, but they kept coming up and then I realized: Beck. I was at the beach, and I listened to the album and it was great. Not as involved, weird-o sounds like his older work, but more vocally focused songs. They had nice beats, and Beck vocals shined, surprisingly. It's definitely a good album. Better than I expected after that first listen.

Song by Song:

Orphans- B+, A good introduction to the album

Gamma Ray- A-, Simple, fun lyrics and some cool synth in the background

Chemtrails- A, The best song on the album, plain and simple; Beck's vocals shine

Modern Guilt- B+, A light song in terms of sound, deep in terms of meaning

Youthless- B, Nice guitar riffs, but nothing much more

Walls- A-, A steady, addictive drum fill in the background makes this song

Replica- B-, Nothing much; soft and dull, in blunt terms

Soul of a Man- B, The rock n' rolliest song on the album (which is a good thing)

Profanity Prayers- C+, Forgettable and pointless

Volcano- B+, A good, heartfelt finale to a good album

Listen to:

Chemtrails



Gamma Ray



Walls



A-