Beck - Modern Guilt (2008)

A brief history of my musical relationship with Beck over the years: I got my hands on a copy of "Odelay" in the summer of 1996 and, like many others, fell in love. With all subsequent releases after that idolized album, I have placed Beck in the category of ‘musician who makes consistently great music, but never really matches that which ignited the initial love.’ I’ll look forward to a new album assuming it will be enjoyed, but I never expect to feel that adolescent affection again.

"Modern Guilt" may finally change that perception. I wouldn’t say that his most recent release is better than "Odelay" (it’s not), but it holds its own with a consistent, cohesive feel that I haven’t found since ‘96. The album’s length, 34 minutes, is his shortest yet by far, which lends itself to the belief that Beck took the time to taper and trim until he was certain he had a solid set. It worked. It's also a great example of Beck finding balance between two of his appealing aspects: quirky production and serious song-writing.

Streamable Track: "Chemtrails"


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