I got the new Beck album, Modern Guilt in the mail Monday and pretty much immediately started listening to it. My first reaction was, "Meh, it's okay." But the more I listen, the more I'm beginning to realize that Beck + Danger Mouse = Genius.Danger Mouse (né Brian Burton) hasn't produced anything for someone as high profile as Beck to this point. Everyone knows Gnarls Barkley, of course, but the average person couldn't name a single other thing Danger Mouse has done. That may or may not change with this Beck collaboration. While Beck continues to be the most original artist alive today, he doesn't exactly make hits anymore. So this album may end up like his last two, admired by geeks (like yours truly) and critics, but mostly ignored by the mass audience. And that's a shame, because there really are some good songs on this album.
Just to kind of summarize how I feel about this album, and Beck's career in general. After Odelay! He jumped ship to Mutations and his career arc followed that move (Midnight Vultures, Sea Change). Then in 2004 he returned to his previous arc with Guero which very much sounded like a natural followup to Odelay! Since then, he has followed this new arc and continued the progression that was originally started by Odelay! and continued with Guero.
If you're at all a fan of Beck you'll enjoy this album as you have those in past.
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3 comments:
black keys feat danger mouse:attack and release, gorillaz: demon days or how about THE GREY ALBUM????? bro, dont tell us we dont know danger mouse......
The Average Person.
Do you really think a typical listener of your radio station, or mine, could tell you anything DM has done? Do you think they even know who the members of Gnarls Barkley are? Most people think Gnarls Barkley is one dude, not a duo!
I thought Gnarls Barkley was a basketball player...aw, that was weak. Sorry.
As for Modern Guilt, you can see Danger Mouse's fingerprints all over it from start to finish.
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