Beck Teams Up with Danger Mouse for Some Modern Guilt

Ever since emerging to the mainstream with his 1994 hit single Loser, Beck has remained one of alternative music's most prolific and adventurous artists with such landmark albums as 1996's Odelay and 2002's Sea Change. While Beck has managed to succeed in the mainstream, the artist still likes to remain independent as even after the success of Odelay. Beck also chooses to make records for an independent label that often puts him in conflict with his label bosses at Universal. 2005 saw the release Guero that received mixed reviews from fans and critics despite the fact that it reunited Beck with his Odelay producers in the Dust Brothers. 2006's The Information was also released to better acclaim as Beck once again, changed gears and style. In 2008, Beck returns with another record that is a collaboration with reknowned hip-hop producer and one-half of the group Gnarls Barkley in Danger Mouse.

The album entitled Modern Guilt is an album that fuses Beck's versatile style of music that's often sample-driven and a mix of rock, soul, and electronic music as he collaborates with Danger Mouse. Produced by Beck and Danger Mouse, the album is a more stripped-down record of sorts that takes Beck's musical style with Danger Mouse's more minimalist, hip-hop style with an array of beats and sound collages. With guest appearance from Cat Power on a couple of songs, the album is a more simplistic, to-the-point record that times at under thirty-four minutes with only ten songs. The result is one of Beck's finest albums of his long, prolific career.

The album opener Orphans is a smooth, electro-folk track led by Danger Mouse's hypnotic, eerie production of beats and synthesizers that is later accompanied by an acoustic guitar with Beck singing. With Cat Power joining him in the chorus, the song's mix of folk and hip-hop rhythms is unique with Beck's raspy yet serene vocals as he sings about death and despair through his complex lyrics. The second single Gamma Ray is an upbeat track filled with sputtering bass and guitar riffs along with thumping beats as Beck sings the song's spacey, whimsical lyrics. With pianos and synthesizers in the background, it's one of Beck's most unique singles with wonderful contributions from Danger Mouse's production.

The first single Chemtrails is a hypnotic yet atmospheric track led by Danger Mouse's electronic production and eerie vocal mix on Beck's dreamy vocals. The song then becomes more lively with live instruments as it has a full sound in its attacking chorus as it's one of Beck's dreamy yet ominous songs filled with cosmic lyrics. The album's title track is a wonderful R&B inspired song driven by its rhythms and Beck's raspy yet crooning vocal styles as he's accompanied by melodic guitar riffs and soft synthesizers. Yet, it's Danger Mouse's presentation and production that makes it stand out by mixing R&B rhythms and dashes of electronic music. Youthless is a rhythmic, dance-driven song led by its sputtering beats and low-sounding bass and guitar riffs with Beck singing in a smooth yet soulful vocal style. Filled with cosmic, imagery-laden lyrics and swooning electronic backgrounds, it's one of Beck's finest songs.

Walls, written by Beck, Danger Mouse, Paul Giuot, and Paul Piot, is a mid-tempo number with swooning string arrangements and trash-can banging beats as Beck sings in a smooth croon where in the chorus, he's accompanied by Cat Power. Led by its eerie arrangements and Danger Mouse's beats and electronic accompaniment, it's a wonderful mix of minimalism and soul led by Beck's vocals. Replica is an electronic-laden track led by stark piano strikes and distorted backgrounds with synthesizer melodies as Beck sings smoothly as he sings dark lyrics filled with spacey imagery through its layered, atmospheric production. Soul Of A Man is a grinding yet hypnotic mix of blues and electronics with Beck playing blues-laden guitar riffs and Danger Mouse providing ominous yet thumping rhythms with his beats. The mix of blues and electronic work well through Beck and Danger Mouse's production as Beck reaches for the blues.

Profanity Prayers is thundering yet hypnotic number with fast-hitting beats, eerie electronic squeals, and driving guitars as Beck sings through a soft yet smooth vocal style. The upbeat yet fast-driving song is one of Beck's most intense tracks with Danger Mouse providing eerie electronics to add atmosphere that includes a break of country-inspired acoustic lap-steel performance. The album closer Volcano is slow yet ominous track led by Danger Mouse's atmospheric production and smooth beats and Beck's acoustic presentation. The song is an eerie one with Beck singing dark lyrics that are filled with whimsical imagery that is supported by the production that Beck and Danger Mouse provided for atmosphere as it's a fitting closer.

While the album is more consistent than Beck's last two albums, it doesn't reach the heights that Odelay and Sea Change has. Still, Modern Guilt is one of Beck's finest recordings as it's also his final album for his longtime affiliation with Geffen music and the Universal Music Group. Thanks to the contributions of Danger Mouse and Cat Power, Modern Guilt is definitely one of Beck's best albums as he relies on simplicity and strong songs to create this album. In the end, Modern Guilt shows that Beck has still got it while letting a unique talent like Danger Mouse to open new doors for his prolific style of music.

Related Review:

Sea Change (2002):

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