Beck: Classic Or Dud

I'm there, dude.

If you want to hear a weird stylistic evolution, listen to the way he attempts to sing folk on some of his 1991-92 demos (thinking Don't Get Bent Out of Shape and/or Fresh Meat and Old Slabs here) -- he does just fine as a screaming anti-folk Fluxus psycho ("Fume") but some of the songs which seem to be geared more towards a straight-faced folk/blues/roots sound are almost unbearable; stuff like "Why Can't I Believe In You" are halfway competent but just croaky and nasal enough to make it somewhat grating. It's a voice more suited for singing weird songs about getting cut in half than it is for Woody Guthrie-style folk. Fortunately he got his shit together around '93 or so, when he recorded parts of Stereopathetic Soulmanure and One Foot in the Grave and sung those sorts of songs with a more subdued and controlled voice. (All you have to do is compare his '92 recording of "Hollow Log" from Fresh Meat with the one from One Foot -- though maybe it's part in the recording technique.) Now compare that '93/'94 stuff -- and songs like "Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997" and "Ramshackle" (recorded in '94, tacked onto the end of Odelay) -- to "Jack-Ass"... and then compare "Jack-Ass" to anything from Sea Change.

anyone dare argue?

...well founded criticism more than welcome..

So did he, apparently.

purist.
i say 'odelay', of course. 'sea change' is a great record, too, despite the fact that some critics couldn't manage that he was being serious all of a sudden. it didn't fit in with their preconceptions of him so they slagged it with the usual "he's just wearing another mask" type of bla bla.

looking forward to the next one. i hear it's a really upbeat, messed-up record. great!

1.) I'm trying to figure out what song I recently saw Beck perform on an old SNL. It was with a backing band of about 5 or 6 people (with female vocalist(s)) and was really funky-like. My guess is that it was definitely post-Odelay but pre-Sea Change. It was very good.

2.) Does anyone remember that NY Times Magazine article a few years back that had a graphic of what songs were on Beck's iPod? By chance does anyone know if it is posted somewhere online?

I thank you.

Beck's 198-Track Mind
Published: March 17, 2002, Sunday

His appearance on MTV's 120 Minutes. The one where he and Thurston Moore smash up a phone.

No, that's not being ironic. That's being retarded.

uh, he was pretty much born into scientology

Candycane Shim-sham

by Beck

Candy-cane shimsham
love to make the door jam
up until the sun rise
thinking 'bout fruit pies

planning for the end days
taking in some heat rays
making all the girls cry
waiting til the pearls dry

ETC. WHATEVA

and the remix album? yipes.

making all the girls cry
waiting til the pearls dry

no one's ever heard of a pearl necklace? it does take some time to dry.

A generation of kids embracing a song whose refrain is "I'm a loser" seems pretty ironic to me. And I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm pretty sure Beck is not calling himself a loser in this song, but rather he's being "tongue in cheek," which some people like to refer to as "irony." However I don't think Beck's music has ever strived specifically for irony. But yeah, you asked for one thing, and there it is.

Mutations remains one of the most beautiful and perfect records I've ever heard.

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/663/threeboobs0xr.jpg

i guess sarcasm doesn't transfer in print gear

!
I'm gonna have to hear that. Here is Information thread:

is the new Beck album "The Information" going under the radar?

Liking the new album a lot.

there is a whole thread for that album:

Beck - Modern Guilt

his remake of diamond dogs with timbo is one of the best things either have ever done. shame they didnt do more together.

Never saw the pants-wetting deal about this schmuck. Ween is far better and funnier. Mixing genres of music is nothing new and it's NOT an indication of genius.