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Beck: make or break?

Posted at 9:39 PM on July 7, 2008 by Mac Wilson (1 Comments)

Beck's new album Modern Guilt has been one of my most-anticipated releases of the summer. All it took was hearing the words 'Beck' and 'Danger Mouse' together for me to start drooling over this project. Danger Mouse's retro quasi-psychedelia seems like a perfect fit for Beck's '60s-style classic pop songwriting. Based on Beck's past career trajectories, it would also lead one to believe this is will be a softer record, a la Mutations or Sea Change (which also happen to be my 2 favorite Beck albums). So here's what worries me:

Modern Guilt is ostensibly a can't-miss record. With a pedigree like this, there's almost no reason this shouldn't wind up in everyone's Top 10 at the end of the year. But if this record doesn't take off, I think it raises a very uncomfortable question: where does Beck go from here? Guero and The Information were both decent records, but neither of them were exactly blockbusters, commercially or critically. What happens if a can't-miss album....misses? I'm not trying to be a doomsayer (I'll only be listening to the album for the first time tomorrow!) but I found it interesting that it's quite possible that the anticipation for this album has created unreasonable expectations. Am I the only one who feels this way?

Beck's Modern Guilt is also the Current's CD of the Week. We'll be playing tracks from it all week long, so you can listen for yourself and see what you think! Here's hoping for the very best.

Comments (1)

Beck is established enough that he can do what ever he wants. It will sell. His ability to change up styles is one of the reason we all love and respect him. What will he do if this doesn't hit? make another album that does.

Posted by SoBeTB | July 9, 2008 9:04 AM

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