Thursday, August 1, 2013

Beck Is NOT Dead
























In honor of Beck's upcoming mini-tour (and the fact that it, hopefully, indicates new Beck music is incoming within the next five years or so), I've put together an album's worth of random Beck tracks that have cropped up in the past few years. Some are b-sides, some are internet exclusives, some are random leaked tracks and so on.
I'll be seeing this son of a bitch in Prospect Park on Sunday, August 4th...maybe I'll ask him why he's been so reticent...

1. Defriended
The first of two(?) songs Beck released as singles on 12". He's said it has nothing to do with any potential upcoming album. It's just...a song. I don't love it, but it's new Beck and it proves, sort of, that...say it with me...Beck is not dead.

2. I Just Started Hating Some People Today
Recorded and released on a limited edition 7" along with another song on his last day in Nashville, this is...weird. It's fucking pure country and then kind of metal and then smooth jazz.
Guys.
It's Beck.

3. Bonfire Blondes
A b-side from 2008's Modern Guilt. Quite frankly, I think it could have replaced "Walls" or "Volcano". Solid, boppy, beach rock Beck.

4. I Won't Be Long
The second of two(?) brand new out of fucking nowhere Beck songs. This one is a lot better than "Defriended" (or so think I) and, although it is also completely unconnected to any upcoming releases by Beck, hopefully it indicates that he's gearing up to do fucking something that doesn't involved producing or screenwriting or fucking basket weaving or other shit that isn't writing and recording and releasing his own god damn music.

5. Bloodless
This one...just kind fo popped up out of nowhere; no attached to any album or release and Beck never said anything about it. If this is what his next album sounds like, I'm fucking in.

6. Looking Out For A Sign
A sweet little song Beck did for the Jeff, Who Lives At Home soundtrack. For some reason, fans seemed to dislike this, saying it was commercial crap and so on and so forth. Fuck them, it's a solid Sea Change-esque song and I think it's nice.

7. Feel Good Time
This is a great Beck cover of the Pink song, right? WRONG. This was originally written and recorded by Beck and, when Pink wanted to cover it, he gave it to her. The silly bastard.

8. Vampire Voltage No. 6
Another b-side from Modern Guilt. A bit moody; I love what's going on here. The ending is just as filthy and grungy as the 60's. I also feel that this could have replaced "Wals" or "Volcano".

9. Sound + Vision
Sadly, the audio quality of this does not do it justice, so here's the original performance.
Just because it's mono doesn't mean it isn't amazing.
This is the second Bowie song covered by Beck, if you can tell me the first, I'll give you a candy, if you can tell me which Bowie song Beck remixed, I'll give you another...

10. Bad Blood
Dirty Beck sex in a swamp. And the swamp is full of sweat. In the South.
Grind on this.

11. Half & Half
The last b-side from Modern Guilt worth listening to. This has a kind of electro-doo wop feel to it. The chorus has something that I enjoy but can't put my finger on.

12. Ramona
A fully orchestrated version of Scott Pilgrim's song for Ramona Flowers. Thing is, it would be funny if it weren't so vulnerable and beautiful. The strings and harmonies are just perfect.

13. I Only Have Eyes For You
The final song of my wedding. Just as beautiful as the original, but four thousand times as creepy. When Beck reverbs the words "I only have eyes for yooooou", you can picture him wandering through the fog, holding out a pair of eyeballs in your general direction.
His eyeballs.
Or yours.
Whatever is creepier, that's what it is.

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