Anybody else who likes both sides of Beck?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Beck sort of has two sides to him. One is this ironic groove-oriented guy who is heavily into hip-hop and borrows a little here and there in a very post modernist way.

The other side is the very song-oriented melancholic, usually working in a rather acoustic-oriented sound, clearly influenced by Nick Drake.

Those two are very different, and I find that very few people like both. Here on ILM, it seems people tend to prefer Beck's more groovy side, which is no surprise given ILM's background. Personally, I am more song oriented, and as such I would prefer his acoustic side and dislike his groove oriented side. And, after "Sea Change", I do like his song oriented side better, but indeed, before that one, I preferred his more groovy albums.

So, am I the only one that loves what he comes up with regardless of it being a groovy post modern album or a melancholic, acoustic and melodic one?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 25 March 2005 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I like both, but when they mix (i.e. Guero) it's a big no-no.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Friday, 25 March 2005 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I would love them to mix, but I don't hear that mix on "Guero".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 25 March 2005 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm gonna say both for songs like 'flavor pt2' and then back to 'puttin it down'. sway over to 'discobox' and back around to 'asshole'.
then you get some like 'feather in yr cap (both versions)' and you just wanna hug him and tell him, "it's ok, you don't have to".

then, he jumps up, tears off the worn threads to reveal his blindingly white suit and he struts like mick jagger in the midst of a funk-fit.

he's better tasting and more filling.
right?
right.

― eedd, Friday, 25 March 2005 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I would love them to mix, but I don't hear that mix on "Guero".

Missing? Broken Drum? Quite a few Guero songs song like a mixture of the two sides of beck, IMO.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Friday, 25 March 2005 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Steropathic Soulmanure and One Foot In the Grave notwithstanding, I think each of Beck's albums contains mostly one of those elements with spots bleeding through from the other, but not one album has a significant coexistence of both (probably best that way). Examples: "Pay no Mind" on Mellow Gold; "Jack-Ass" from Odelay; "Tropicalia" from Mutations; "Beautiful Way" from Midnite Vultures; "Little One" from Sea Change - I haven't heard Guero in its entirety yet, but the songs I heard sounded sufficiently party-friendly.

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Friday, 25 March 2005 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I like both angles, definitely. I do have a hard time when he's just blatantly ripping off other people's songs tho (cf. "beautiful way" vs. "countess from hong kong"). I think his best is still "One Foot in the Grave", but that doesn't lessen my appreciation of "Odelay" or "Midnight Vultures" (or "Mutations", perhaps his most underrated and his most satisfyingly morose/morbid)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Friday, 25 March 2005 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Sea Change is the only one of his albums that really feels melancholic, staid-folkie, Nick Drake-ish to me at all. Mutations may have been acoustic-oriented, but it was still a pretty goofy album lyrically (all to the good I say).

Guero does have some songs that stray in that mopey direction, but usually they've got really blissful hooks and melodies to pull them back from the abyss.

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Friday, 25 March 2005 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The sides appear to be blending a bit, I think. It's probably a good thing. He can't work up the energy to be cuh-RAZY anymore since he's gotta compete with cuh-RUNK. Pop is weirder than him now (if not then!) and unless he gets satirical like he did on "Hollywood Freakz" and "Debra" he's best off making pretty sounds and mumbling, preferably with a bit of a pulse.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 25 March 2005 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

And it could be argued the sides aren't as distinct as people make it out. I mean "Lord Only Knows" was a sad little song, no?

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 25 March 2005 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I loved Mutations and Midnite Vultures- does that mean I'm down with both sides of Beck? Seriously, those are both so flawless from a production point of view . .. that hidden track on Mutations is stone cold.

― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Monday, 28 March 2005 07:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Grooves aren't songs?

But seriously, I think it's more apt to divide Beck into the reluctant wise-ass and the introspective chanteur, and sometimes he's both. I'll take "Mutations" over "Sea Change" anytime; "Mutations" is oblique, pretty, thoughtful, and whimsical (not a compliment) while SC is just pretty (and pretty dull).

I guess these days he annoys me as often as he entertains me. For my money my favorite album is still "Mellow Gold."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 28 March 2005 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

i love both. for a really long time i only listened to midnight vultures, and then one day a few years ago i went on a huge beck binge, and now i absoultely love sea change and mutations. i do agree that mutations does show a little bit of goofiness, but it's a great mix. i haven't heard any of guero yet, i think it's definitely possible to love all sides of beck (i dont know if you could even limit to just two!).

― tehresa (tehresa), Monday, 28 March 2005 13:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree, tehresa. It's possible that we'll regard Beck as rock fans did Bowie in the late '70s: an annoying genius who releases albums that annoy at least a 1/3 of his fanbase.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 28 March 2005 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I've always liked the ones where he sorta has a foot on both sides of the line, and he's really been doing that since the very get go. The pretty/heavy acoustic Beck with the cosmic joke ("Mexico") or the big silly hip-hop Beck with the heartfelt emotion tears ("Soul Suckin Jerk").

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 28 March 2005 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

i like both sides of beck about equally, but i absolutely hated sea change. what a boring album that was. but Midnight Vultures and Mutations are just about equal to me.

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 28 March 2005 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I absolutely love "Sea Change", which is a beautiful album with beautiful songs. And, yes, it is pretty. Just like I love Keane for being pretty, I love "Sea Change" the same way. I guess, if you hate Keane, Travis and Coldplay, there is nothing for you on "Sea Change" though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 28 March 2005 20:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the best of both, and these days his more rhytmic tracks get over just as much due to "prettiness."

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 28 March 2005 20:30 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.