#21

i’m afraid I have too :frowning:

#22

kinda amazed by the largely popular reaction to the singles here, personally, I think this is the first time he’s ever sounded kinda lame, hard as that is to admit. Still good he’ll survive hacks like me I guess

2 Likes
#24

No, you’re not alone. I’ve been pretty underwhelmed but i’ve heard so far. ‘Wow’ didn’t do a lot for me, and that new one just sounded so generic. It took me a while to work it out that it was even him. I’m not feeling massively hopeful here… Which is a bummer, because I usually LOVE Happy Beck.

2 Likes
#25

phew, thought I was going a bit mad there. Don’t enjoy giving out about one of my favourite and most important artists in the musical life (Loser was one of the first singles I ever bought) but this album does kinda suck.

There are a couple good songs, including one that sounds like Minus the Bear, but overall this literally could be any generic pop star, which while has its place and can be well written/produced, doesn’t really suit 47-year-old Beck.

Interestingly it was co-produced/written by Greg Kurstin who is a very notable pop producer, he wrote parts of Adele’s ‘Hello’ ffs.

#26

Ah, well I trust you a lot more than I do Stereogum!

#27

I mean, if you or anyone can overcome Beck doing a pure-pop record, then there’s a good chance you will enjoy it, it just feels rather generic to me for such an interesting artist. It’s not like he hasn’t done interesting pop music before, and this is well-produced/written at least, it just feels weird to hear Beck performing something so… basic?

#28

I’ll give it a try, but will probably set my main hopes for new St Vincent this week. I do like Greg Kurstin’s work on the last two Tegan and Sara albums but they are a rather different act to Beck to start with.

And Stereogum just annoys me in general, especially how all the commenters just clap along like seals with whatever the writers say in their reviews

1 Like
#29

yeah for sure, that horrendous Fleet Foxes “review” this year really turned me off them

#30

This is a big shame…but then I haven’t heard it so maybe I’ll disagree.

I enjoy Up All Night…but it could literally be anyone. An album of that would get tired. Morning Phase, even if it’s style doesn’t appeal, was very obviously a ‘Beck’ album

1 Like
#31

On stage last night he said he had tried to write a Michael Jackson album (but with Keith Moon drumming on it, and loads of ‘weird shit’ on top). I think he said something like ‘you might all hate it though.’

Surprised he only played 2 tracks from it though. Dreams went down really well.

#32

yeah I can kinda see what he means by that.

#33

yeah that feeling of it “being anyone” is the big problem. There are a couple of tracks which has more of a classic Beck feel but the majority is, sadly, quite generic (imo)

#34

Bugger.

1 Like
#35

Greg Kurstin also to note is 1/2 of the duo The Bird & the Bee.

Kind of reminds me of people who when they work with someone largely more famous (or have a new band with new people that gets way bigger than their previous band), the fan base should, but still seems to rarely if ever check out that great previous band.

I.e.
Anathallo -> fun. (Andrew Dost)
Aereogramme -> Chvches (Iain Cook)

1 Like
#36

I may check this album out, but also am wondering if the Jellyfish guys (Roger Manning and Jason Falkner) played or even WROTE any of the music on this album.

Because while Beck was a big influence on Apes and Androids and Matt Mahaffey (aka sElf) played with him (like Roger and Jason are now), I have never been fully won over by him. Largely per his sort of whiny vocal style. Although I feel a little similarly about Thom Yorke, Beck I guess doesn’t have quite as much of a nasal problem that Yorke does.

I used to always and still do feel Jeff Beck > Beck.

But with enough Jellyfish-elements on this album, this might be an exception.

#37

I would say he’s better than an average Mitchell and Webb vehicle.

#38

Absolutely adored Beck growing up, but never been able to quite click with Sea Change or anything onwards. Used to love the way he’d throw anything and everything together and make it work, but that was the first album where I felt like he was trying to dilute the things that made him stand out a bit. He’d clearly started having singing lessons and his voice isn’t a naturally strong one, it highlighted his weaknesses in my opinion.

So all this talk about how this is Beck being a generic medium for songs that could be by pretty much anyone feels like what he’s been striving for and couldn’t put me off listening to the album more.

1 Like
#39

I was there, and it was incredible! Such a brilliant set, and am loving the new material!

1 Like
#40

Playing Electric Ballroom on Thursday, its over £50 though.

#41

Yep. £60.50 to be precise. Still tickets available 45 minutes after they went on sale as well. I’m gonna suggest the price has put a lot of people off (me included…)