Review: “Modern Guilt,” Beck
Gotta hand it to Beck, at least he’s consistent in his inconsistency. His newest, Modern Guilt, isn’t what one would expected to follow the generally well-received Guero and The Information. Moody, backward-looking, trippy … Modern Guilt is all of these things, but it still kinda drags even though the whole album is little more than a half hour long. Producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) puts a retro sheen on the proceedings, and occasionally the result is engaging. “Volcano,” which closes the album, is Beck’s most personal song to date and is genuinely affecting. “Gamma Ray,’ with its B-52s-like surf beat, picks up the tempo and would make a nice single. “Orphans,” a rocker, and “Chemtrails” sound like they might be visiting from some of Beck’s other, better albums. If you are not already a Beck fan, Modern Guilt is probably not the introduction that will hook you on this artist’s music.
30 Days Out 
July 9, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Thanks for the word on this one. I gotta wonder what Beck is thinking with some of his recent albums. It sometimes seems as if he’s meeting a release schedule rather than letting loose a bunch of songs that are bottled up inside of him.
That said, I’m definitely picking this one up…