I really enjoyed the album. Everyone keeps yelling that it's a sequel or a redux of Sea Change, and while it's in a similar vein, it's absolutely it's own entity and definitely modern and new. I feel like people seem to be upset that Beck didn't do some wild, brand new sound, but it's definitely an emotional, personal piece that seems to me more a reflection on the man, looking between himself in 2002 and in 2014, feeling similarly at two very different points in his life, and seeing a way to portray that part of himself as someone that may even see Sea Change as his own masterpiece. This comes close for me even. It doesn't feel derivative, it feels like Vilgot Sjöman's I Am Curious Blue and Yellow; that is, they come from the same place in a psyche, they come from the same constituents, but they each are separate pieces. Morning Phase is musically grown a lot. It's very soft with brilliant harmonization throughout. I'm very much a fan of drone and post-rock, and I feel parts of that vibe within this album. I can't say I've given enough attention to the lyrics yet to be able to compare with Sea Change, but I'd wager they're on par at the least. I can't say it's better, but that may change over time. There's a lot of personal emotion for everyone wrapped up in that album from the course of 12 years, so this may do the same with time. Also, as a note about the article, I think the author sells Beck short. He keeps referring to that real Beck and that you have to choose one or the other as if you can't possibly really enjoy both sides of his music, and it's pretty clear that if he believes that, he doesn't really care for the more low-key albums, especially given this line: along with throwing little backhanded compliments at Sea Change throughout, despite saying he's a Sea Change guy, because even in saying that, he throws in he's that because So it's not really a shining appraisal of Beck. There's really not any real love for Beck anywhere in this article. I wouldn't call anything Beck's done 'glum', nor would I use 'numbness' as a derogatory term, as if that isn't a legitimate emotion, and I wouldn't treat 'alienation' as something that only arises in downbeat songs of his, or something that's a trait of 'mysterious' songwriters, which he seems to strangely acknowledge then tear about in a single bizarre sentence In fact, many of Beck’s best songs (“Asshole,” “Rowboat,” “Pay No Mind,” and “Jack-Ass” in whatever order are my personal favorites) have balanced a pained heart with sardonically arched eyebrows, a skilled application of numbness in the service of suggesting heartbreak as subdued by a snarky shrug. [6] (Again, I’m not suggesting there’s actual emotion there, just the suggestion of emotion.)| The whole thing stinks of his opinion that Beck is a fake, and any emotion he puts forward is fake, and any attempt to put himself forward is fake, and therefore terrible, despite what the album may actually be. I could see him just as easily have written this 12 years ago when Sea Change was released, and he seems equally incapable of separating 'good music' from 'deep lyrics', as if lyrics are a vital piece of any music being 'good'. Don't get me wrong, very good lyrics can make or break an album, but Morning Phase is very clearly about the instrumentation doing the speaking for him, ignoring that is ignoring the piece as a whole. I will have to check out the new Sun Kil Moon album, however. I'm glad he suggested that.Is Odelay now underrated? At the time it was treated like a masterpiece, but I feel like it’s become fashionable to describe it as dated or shticky. Still, it’s my favorite, if only because it was everywhere the year I graduated high school and started college. When Beck dies, I assume his legacy will be boiled down to “Loser” and this record. It’s easily the music that matters the most to the most people.
It’s just that, in my estimation, “glum” suits Beck’s limited emotional skill set better than “hump-hungry extraterrestrial horniness.”
I'd like to underline that statement about beck being fake. I was pretty confused by this article, I'm really not sure what he's trying to say. It seems to me that he may be saying in the end, Beck's downfall is his inauthenticity. But if that's true then the article is self-defeating. He admits pretty early on that authenticity in music is a sham, and that's so true. ESPECIALLY in Beck's case. I talked with thenewgreen a few days ago about Bob Dylan, who's one of my favorites regarding what it means to be genuine and whether or not we should care. "Bob Dylan" is an artificial identity, his voice is the source of a lot of criticism but it's also a conscious choice by Zimmerman. But his audience doesn't give a shit. Thenewgreen believes him, I and countless other people believe him, and his name (Dylan, not Zimmerman) is listed along with Guthrie, Seeger, etc. So I guess what I'm saying is that authenticity as an analytical framework is useless. It's a question that comes up so often, but why should we care as long as we find value in the music for our own identities... Whether beck is a sad guy who's sometimes funny or a funny guy capable of sadness doesn't really matter. We have no way of knowing which is genuine and even if we did it wouldn't change our understanding of the music enough to matter.
I've been listening to this album more and I agree with Meriadoc that this is its own album. At first I definitely felt it was Sea Change part 2 -mostly because the intro tracks are so blatantly similar but upon a deeper listen there are new things here for Beck. New vocal styling sand some new sounds too. It's funny to me that the similarities in sounds should dissuade anyone from listening. It's cool when a musician or band carves out their own sound, we don't knock other bands for having a continuity of sound in their body of work, why do we with Beck? I'm digging the album and feeling inspired by it. -I need a banjo.
I'm going to pick up a banjo and start learning as soon as I'm able. We can learn it together. I'm glad that post had you listen to it again. It was actually a battle with hubski's markup for a few days to get ittthrough without 502'ing, so I'm glad it was worth it in the end. Beck's a really fantastic musician that always seems to get the shaft for reasons unknown.
Beck won album of the year tonight. Apparently Kanye didn't approve. I just vowed to not buy any more of kanye's music.
It was just his code for "Black people should get more grammies." They didn't even televise the hiphop/rap awards this year. But as usual Kanye went about it his Kanye way. Though I think he's doing it on purpose at this point. Can't wait six months from now when someone instagram's Kanye and Beck in the studio together.
He needs a new "code," his current one is tired and lame. I can't imagine working as hard as someone like Beck must have on a piece of artwork, that frankly is a deserving piece of artwork, and having it culminate in a moment like that to be stolen by a jackass like Kanye. You think it's about justice/race? I think it's about Kanye. He's done one hell of a job cultivating his brand, that's all this was. But yeah, they'll likely work together now.
Naaaah. #1 Kanye stan here, I can say that what he said was stupid, but it wasn't "planned" (I know I said I think he's doing it on purpose, but I was just being obnoxious). Dude was drunk as fuck, for starters. He considers Beyonce to be his sister, is another. He takes it as a Rap/R&B vs. the World sort of scenario, which puts him even more on the defensive. People think everything Kanye does is some sort of publicity-stunt, including marrying his fucking wife, it's really creepy. I do think he thinks it's about race, yeah, he just picked the wrong time to do it. Fucking Eminem won an award based on name recognition and skin color, because his album in 2014 was shit. Had he commented on that, people wouldn't have been as up in arms about it. ...Or they still would have, because Kanye is Kanye, and he provides views because people hate on him even though they don't really know why they're supposed to through clickbait articles about the guy. The dude has straight up referenced a Beck song in one of his albums, it's not like he's ignorant to the guy's body of work. That being said, he did apologize, and I think he's allowed to speak his mind if it's what he thinks, even if it's super stupid for him to do so, especially in terms of timing. Dude keeps it real. I respect that.He's done one hell of a job cultivating his brand, that's all this was.
Dude, everyone is allowed to speak their minds, there is a way to do it that isn't being an asshole though. I like his music, I think he's an ass. I've seen a number of interviews with the guy, he's a solid artist, no doubt but he comes across as very self important and his actions at the award show reinforce as much. But there's a reason they put him in the front row, they want him to do this shit. It gets us all talking and tweeting etc and helps the Grammys become "must see" live tv again. The powers that be at the Grammys that he is railing against, must be drinking champagne and toasting his name right about now.