Morphing Beck

Everyone has a favorite Beck album and of course everyone has a story too. Like myself I find his music a quite refreshing breath every time I hear him. All his music is so good and he does so many different styles and really knows what he is doing even though some of the music sounds a bit too odd. Beck is a person I admire for his world he lives in. He knows what is great and mentions it to us listeners or through his web site. The Beck Record club is a great way to hear albums that he think are quite important. That is why he copies them from front to back and really gives the people a new listen of a classic. I say this loosely because the last one he did is music that my mother loves. It might be a novelty thing but sure was a bit messed up for my taste.

I am not sure how many readers remember when Beck debuted to mainstream audiences back in late 1993 and 1994. I mean i still in some way cringe when I hear "Loser" mind you it's an okay song, but MTV played it 20 times a day. Way to much for this person to really love it. I even can remember the video. It was good for it's day. I mean we really did not hear anything like it at the time. I remember putting in the tape in my car and pulling in my driveway and my dad asking me what is this Beck. Is he a rapper or is he a real musician. I did not have a defense and I just said dad he is just a musician. If you dived into the album a bit further he was full of great musical eclectic taste. The "Loser" song had a Dr. John sample. Who finds stuff like that. I like the Beastie Boys because of their unique samples too.



Beck did a lot of this musical influence on Odelay. Again MTV did it's best to ruin the album for most of us. It turned out to be an anthem to many people. I did play it a ton, but my moment of the album was "Ramshakle." That song even though it really did not fit with any other Beck song on the album had a guest appearance then none other then Charlie Haden. Charlie Haden was Ornette Coleman's go to bass player. I think the introduction by Charlie's daughters who are great musicians themselves led to this little bit of magic for me. Beck asking Haden really did it for me. He was a musician now that should not be played with. Everyone loved Odelay too and I remember being asked the question what I thought of the Beck and Charlie Haden collaboration and praising it's great idea.

I surely did listen to Odelay a lot, but around the same time I really started dismissing popular music for a while. I mentioned this in previous posts. It got to much and over played made great songs ruined. It's like my Doors experience and that scared me for a long time. I have it a rest. I really wanted to see Beck play stuff that just made people think a bit more then him being a one hit wonder. One day that dream came true. After all the time away from rock I picked up his next album Mutations. The album that proved to me that Beck was someone to talk about. It's my favorite album in his cannon of music.



The album with a full band makes a difference to me. It seems like he did something like what Neil Young did in the early 70's. You get popular or commercial and then you turn your back on it and make something that makes you happy. This album really does it. From the first song "Cold Brains" to the hidden track at the end of the album it really is a marvel. The mix of musical genres he crosses are great too. The performances are natural, relaxed, and laid-back, without ever sounding complacent. It's what makes this album great and fresh. I listened to it the other day and really understand what he was doing. The song about Tropicalia is breathtaking and so much a great tribute to the genre that I love. Not many artists can do this and with Beck he was at the top of his game here.

I would think my loyal readers already have this album. If you do then take it out and really listen to it all the way through and say to yourself; This album is twelve years old. No way could have this been that long ago. He put it out today I am sure he would have been praised for a great album. Damn' right it is and this one to keep for a long, long time. I love it every time my shuffle on my Ipod plays one of the songs. Enjoy and renew your listen to this one and tell me what you think. It's a great new journey in the story of Beck! All the songs here have more character then anything out now! Classic!!! and enjoy!!