Album Review: Beck - Modern Guilt

Beck emerged from the 90’s alternative rock scene as the prodigy of postmodern eclecticism. After his first two releases, Beck was quickly deemed the poster-boy for creating intelligent, genre-blending music that became something ultimately original and profound. Throughout the years, he has essentially played hop scotch with a range of styles, jumping around and mixing genres like pop, psychedelia, jazz, folk, blues, funk, and experimental rock to create a kaleidoscope of incredible music. And so Modern Guilt marks the 9th LP release from one of this generation’s most prolific and versatile singer/songwriters.

This time around Beck has chosen to mash minds with producer Danger Mouse who, after the brilliant production exhibited on the first LP from his band Gnarls Barkley, seems to be the new go-to-guy for smart musicians looking for producer that could add a little kick to their sound (e.g. The Black Keys, Gorillaz). Danger Mouse’s touch to this album is definitely noticeable, from his wiry, descending strings on “Walls” to his canny drum machine mixed with light, ethereal piano flourishes on “Replica”.

Nevertheless, we know that Beck is the real mind behind the project. After his last two affairs (2005’s Guero and 2006’s The Information), it’s immediately apparent that Beck has chosen to head down the darker road this time around, harking back to the somber tone of his much-lauded and introspective Sea Change (2002). However, rather than personalize his unrest, he’s instead expanded this sense of dread onto the world spectrum. Whether it’s references to icecaps melting, people drowning, or walls falling down on us, there's constant feeling of entrapment and crisis that permeates throughout the entire album.

While we listen to Beck on this album, the image of Charlie Chaplin passing through the machine gears in the classic film Modern Times comes to mind. He seems to be caught up in a giant, brooding machine with no escape. Songs like "Youthless” and “Soul of a Man” exhibit this best, during which Beck’s somber vocals are surrounded by swelling and pulsating technological sounds that almost overtake him. Again much to the credit of Danger Mouse’s production, songs often sound very crunchy and calculated with a collage of backing sounds that constantly interject and threaten Beck’s defeated vocal sound.

Ultimately, Beck has created a sophisticated album that attempts to capture the dread and despair that many Americans feel today with so many pressures (both global and local) falling down on us. So in capturing this sense of despair Beck succeeds. However, the album lacks the hook and draw that we so often find in his previous efforts. Part of this is because, as the listener, we always feel a sense of distance from the music. It feels as if we’re always a block or two away from the dark, murky alley from which the music is being played. The inherent likeability of his past efforts stemmed from his formula of incredibly original sound that was simultaneously gripping and addictive. As a result we were drawn in to the music rather than distanced from it.

Don’t get me wrong, Modern Guilt has some very strong tracks debatably some of the best of his career (“Chemtrails”, “Profanity Prayers”). However, it also has its fair share of songs that struggle to flourish to their full potential, leaving us flat-footed and admiring rather than moved and inspired. Perhaps this is what Beck was going for, an album that wishes to encapsulate the stand-still world many of us feel we live in. But as far as music-listening goes, it’s much more of a struggle to come back to Modern Guilt for a second or third listen compared our desire to return to albums like Odelay or Midnite Vultures. Hopefully next time around Beck will feel that the times they are a’changin’ and get back to his swinging, exciting, and bombastic roots.

Key Tracks:
Gamma Ray
Chemtrails
Profanity Prayers

Final Verdict: 7.2

Beck - Gamma Ray