Beck: Modern Guilt

Beck: Modern Guilt On hid Eighth studio album Modern Guilt, Beck teams up with the producer-du-jour DangerMouse. The album is released today on Beck's 38th birthday, and sees the performer once again stretching his musical boundaries in unseen directions. With this record Beck fulfills his recording contract with Interscope records, so you can bet he wants to make this a hit to get another big contract. The album really seems to hit and miss the mark simultaneously. There is no obvious single on the album. The first single released was "Chemtrails", a confusing choice to say the least. The songs shoegazing attitude and relative drone makes it neither catchy nor immediately eye-catching, two things you want from a lead single. Overall, Modern Guilt seems to combine elements of Odelay and Sea Change. The songs are for the most part somber and lack that ironic punch that made Beck a star in the 90s. Fancy production from DangerMouse's end saves some tracks, but there is only so much he can do on songs like "Chemtrails" and "Youthless". Rating: 5.3/10 MP3: Beck "Walls" Buy: iTunes, Insouns