Not a guilty pleasure: Beck outdoes himself

Beck has done it again with Modern Guilt, teaming up with Danger Mouse and Cat Power to… Beck has done it again with Modern Guilt, teaming up with Danger Mouse and Cat Power to create a sound that is all about creative expression and tunes that hit the right note every time. The sound is unmistakably Beck, and fans would expect nothing less from this music industry institution.

Modern Guilt is a bit off at first glance. These songs should not go together. There is little that binds them in the traditional sense, little that combines them into one cohesive piece of an artist’s music with a single stylistic theme capturing the feelings of the artist at the time. Still, there is no doubt that each song embodies Beck’s distinct style. The essence of it pervades every track to its core, binding the stylistic rivals together and creating a wonderfully grotesque monster of off-kilter music that finds a home anywhere it can.

Every song is worthy of a second listen, a lean in, a fully appreciative, closed-eyed absorption of every element comprising the music, lyrics and tone.

Beck exceeds expectations by meeting needs listeners never knew they had until they heard the final product. This album works. The perceived incongruity of style, whether deliberate or unintentional, will do no less than blow your mind.

‘Gamma Ray’ succeeds in this area, being equal parts ’60s-era musical tribute and modern, environmental awareness song.

While the video clearly captures the artistic movement of the ’60s, complete with kaleidoscope faces and a fusion of fashion and art, the music speaks for itself. The keys alone conjure up these characteristic images without the blatant illustration. The phrase ‘icecaps melting down’ brings to mind the threat of global warming in a subtle, lyrical reminder. If nothing else, ‘Gamma Ray’ has a bass line that knocks you over the head and an effortlessly cool chorus that will send the song to the top of your playlist every time.

The instrumentals of ‘Chemtrails’ visit another, more recent era, with its hard-edged rock style reminiscent of the ’90s alt-rock scene. The far-off, wispy and echoing vocals blend seamlessly with the crashing percussion and electric guitar, proving that opposite decibels attract. The melancholy lyrics are a bit disturbing, especially with the repetitive images of drowning, as in: ‘But all I can see in this night is boats sinking / Down by the sea swallowed by evil / We’ve already drowned.’

The music and lyrics are no less moving because they are not about happy times with friends and fluffy woodland creatures. It is better to use words to paint a picture that stretches the mind to a strange place rather than to continually revisit the same themes.

‘Volcano’ is the perfect end to a perfect album, with pacing that allows listeners to hear every last meaningful word. It is difficult to distract oneself from the lyrics long enough to appreciate the music. There is no lack of talent here. Few musicians are so in tune and introspective that they can capture the exact emotions of an event and translate them into a song that leaves nothing to be desired. There is just an undeniable feeling of, ‘This is right.’

Can anyone else compare to this? After all, who sounds like Beck?

He has an ever-evolving sound all his own, so far beyond that any comparisons would be empty, ultimately leading back to a comparison of his own, earlier works. Modern Guilt is Beck, and there is no other way to accurately portray the fact. The many shades of the artist are reflected in each track. A different mood, a different sentiment, but the same poetic, intelligent, avant-garde music is present at every turn.

The key to long-term survival is holding onto oneself and defining one’s own boundaries and conventions. Music cannot get lost in the scuffle of changing times if it never really belonged there to begin with. Such is the music of Beck. It is always a class apart, never quite matching the status quo of popular music but finding a home there anyway.

‘ Modern Guilt is the perfect harmony of the artist’s self and the outside world. It is the perfect expression of unadulterated creative energy. There are no simple rhymes to be found, if not set to music, each song could stand alone as a notable piece of writing. The imagery is often strange, but it no less poignant. It is the kind of unfiltered poetry that will always ring true, no matter where or when it is heard because it means something to the person who created it.