But the effect appears to have reined in Beck’s more experimental predilections – ‘Modern Guilt’ is certainly one of his more conventional albums, especially given the last two wonderfully oddball releases of ‘Guero’ and ‘The Information’.
At only 33mins playing time ‘Modern Guilt’ has been shorn of any of the progressive excesses of ‘The Information’ and this is perhaps one of the few weaknesses of a generally excellent album. Where previous efforts have had a sense of indulgent mischief about them, ‘Modern Guilt’ gets straight down to business. The sun-drenched sweetness of opener Orphans (featuring Cat Power’s Chan Marshall) and chugging funkiness of Gamma Ray are cut brutally short as is the otherwise brilliant Chemtrails where an emergent guitar solo is killed off before having the opportunity to offset the phenomenal drumming virtuoso of long-time Beck collaborator Joey Waronker. Brevity is the name of the game and Beck seems to lack the conviction of his previous releases, unwilling to revel in his own creations. As such the album has the feel of an extended E.P, a transitional piece between ‘The Information’ and something more significant, where musical paths are speculated but not fully realised. Nevertheless there is enough going on here to keep everyone satisfied if not sated. A decent Beck album is, after all, creative light years ahead of most of his contemporary’s efforts. Chemtrails is the outstanding track of the album, its paranoid, conspiratorial lyrics matched perfectly by its brooding, haunting sound.
Replica’s ambient, skittering drum ‘n’ bass suggests promise if he were to ever go down that particular generic path while Profanity Prayer’s apocalyptic disco thump is a gloriously invigorating listen. A sublime starter but we await our main course expectantly.
ROBERT DAVINSON
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