andyman91 said:

'sea change' always reminds me of an album sting would make if he'd stayed as cool as he was on his first two or three solo albums. maybe it's because beck's vocals sound very sting-like in several places on that record. i remember hearing 'sea change' for the first time and thinking to myself, 'who's that singing on the beck album?'

Anxiety said:

Hmm, never made that connection. It is a bit like a more subdued Nothing Like the Sun. Actually I've never really heard an album like Sea Change-- it's a downer the whole way through. It actually reminds me a bit of Gordon Lightfoot!

Sting can sing with passion, though.

I'm not knocking Beck. I'd much rather listen to him than Sting these days. I feel the same about Zappa's singing, but it doesn't lower him in my eyes.

Anxiety said:

also dig the Residents and Laurie Anderson. My favorite cut by Laurie is Hey Superman .

andyman91 said:

That song Deborah is a trip for real but its cool . If I am not mistaken, this is the cut that where Beck tries pull off a little Prince vocal action. He really off the chain on this cut.

andyman91 said:

I agree w/ you 100%.

andyman91 said:

Great! When vocalists feel obligated to sound passionate, you end up with Jessica Simpson, moving her neck, waving her arms and breathing all funny in an attempt to convey some kind of emotion. Watch her sing live, it's painful.

Dean Martin didn't need to be emotionally connected to every songs (or any of them, actually). Sometimes just singin' 'cause it sounds good is OK.
[Edited 3/31/05 15:56pm]

Anxiety said:

I got it. But it was 20 bucks. Who said it was supposed to be $15?

Thunderbird said:

I agree. And to the people who say his vocals sound horrible, I never even noticed.

Anxiety said:

I agree, but there are also artists who actually have very little to say, they just do so in such a great way that even their banal lives sound amazing

RocknRollDave said:

like who?

and like i said earlier, "interesting" doesn't mean that they're layin' down some kind of political manifesto or creating a concept album about the meaning of life, or getting all deep with every note they produce. i don't know when 'interesting' and 'profound' got mixed up, but that's not my meaning at all. scroll up - when i said 'a flower can be interesting', that's what i meant. you can write a song about pouring a glass of water and make it the most fascinating song ever, if you have the chops to make it happen.

Thunderbird said:

That's exactly what I was saying. Jessica Simpson is way better than Beck!
[Edited 4/1/05 10:15am]

How anybody could read the lyrics on such albums like 'Sea Change' or 'Mutations' and not give Beck credit for talent is beyond me. His ability to write poetic, beautiful lyrics is amazing.

Also Beck's music has such range, imo. Some of it can just be pure fun, you can just lose yourself in a mindless landscape of sound, and in unique and interesting textures and instrumentation, yet some of his music is truly meaningful (if you bother to actually LISTEN and/or take the time to really hear the lyrics) and very emotional. He's proven over the years he is not a one-note, boring artist whose music basically all sounds the same - unlike lots of other artists out there.

Lastly Beck isn't a pretentious poseur nor does he take himself too seriously and strut around like he's God's gift, or that he's above the rest of the masses. He also doesnt' need to rely on cheap gimmicks or trashy image or phony posturing to sell his music like so many others on today's music scene who'd be lost if they didn't have "the look" or big boobs or major PR working to keep them afloat and in the public's face.

Beck's music is so diverse in scope you can't listen to a song here or there and make a judgement on his entire cataloge, imo, or on whether or not he's any "good".

you know, the funny thing about beck is that he doesn't really present himself as anything at all, other than perhaps weird and silly. and there's nothing at all wrong with that. but seriously, after reading interviews and after reading the blog he (sometimes) keeps on his site, i don't get an impression of him as pretentious or egotistical or vulgar or patronizing or especially nice or warm or generous or warm/fuzzy, either. he just comes off very professional - he talks about his music, about touring, about music he likes, and sometimes about what's going on in the world. he never talks about his scientology - i hear journalists aren't allowed to talk to him about it. i admire artists who shun a sensationalist persona or who whore out their celebrity to stay in the headlines. not that there's anything wrong with doing that necessarily, but if you can get attention just from being a good artist, then that's pretty cool by me.

Anxiety said:

Beck's personal life doesn't get much discussion at all, not even really on the message boards at Beck.com, at least from what I could see the times I've visited there. (granted I haven't been there in awhile)

Even his marriage and the birth of his son pretty much went by with minimal fanfare anywhere, and don't seem to get more than incidental mentions when I've seen them even BE mentioned.

The MUSIC is why Beck seems to be in the business in the first place - not for much more than that. Like you said, he's very businesslike and professional when discussing his career in interviews and seems honest about things when questioned but he stays on track and only talks about the music and his experiences in the business. When his emotion comes out or he gives glimpses into his personal life, it's through his music.

I like that about him and think it speaks volumes about him. And look at all he's achieved WITHOUT all that other stuff, but just solely on what he offers his fans in terms of his talent.

Anxiety said:

This is news to me. John Travolta, Tom Cruise, & Beck. One of these things is not like the others.

andyman91 said:

beck's brother-in-law is giovanni ribisi. does that help clear things up a bit?

though i've read that beck was a scientologist for quite some time before he met his wife.

Anxiety said:

Anxiety, you know about the Connster too? Isn't he the shit! I've also seen him in concert and he kicks major ass! He is so tiny too just like Prince. I told him he rocked, after the show and he was really cool and said thanks, and thanks for coming! The Golden Age is a great record. Do you have the Homeland? I think it's good but not as good as the golden age. By the way, he blows Beck away, in my opinion.

dancerella said:

yeah, bobby conn is kind of an institution here in chicago. i saw him open for chicks on speed at the empty bottle a few years back, and he and his band put on a fantastic show. they were all dressed like medieval peasants, like they all stepped out of the 'safety dance' video or something, and they were FUNKY.

i don't know if i'd say the connster is better than beck - i've yet to hear an entire album by bobby conn that's grabbed me as much as several of beck's albums have - but the man has some great talent,

Anxiety said:

I wonder if it's just Scientology's physical prescence in Hollywood that accounts for it's spiritual prescence in Hollywood, or if there's actually something to it that it can attract intelligent, successful people. It's always seemed like a cult to me. Maybe that's no different that any other religion. The name is a little funny--Scientology--the science of science.

andyman91 said:

it's disguised satanism with elements of pseudo theosophy, but that's a discussion for another forum.

lilgish said:

I thought it had something to do with aliens.

Anxiety said:

I just wish he would get a bit more recognition for his work but then again, he may not want it. Which is something else that makes him cool. I think he might be a just a tad bit too freaky for main stream radio.

andyman91 said:

no, they eat goats and virgins. hence kirstie alley's involvement.

Becks proven his grounds in the music industry.. as well as musical history. He has been around more than a decade, and proven with each album there's a new musical view from the eye of his heart.

Overrated.

But, he's not bad.

Its pretty bad when I make sure peoples hands are clean when they touch my white book (Guero Delux)

I guess you could say I went there


Masterpiece I tell ya.. Mastapeace

I gave it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars..

Delux version is 4.5 out of 5


I could've used some major transition songs to go along with these beautiful structures he has on the album.. but this is what its about.. this is BECK..


truely his own style.
[Edited 4/1/05 16:29pm]

And BTW- I saw the mention of tom cruise..

anyone interested, Tom thinks Sea Change is amazing.


Just a tid bit of nonsense info

Sdldawn said:

i luuuuv luv luv LUUUUV my guero delux play kit. the only thing that would have improved it would have been marcel dzama colorforms.

O Maria! 'Nuff said, thread closed.