Track Listing

1. Orphans
2. Gamma Ray
3. Chemtrails
4. Modern Guilt
5. Youthless
6. Walls
7. Replica
8. Soul of A Man
9. Profanity Prayers
10. Volcano

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17 in Music
• Released on: 2008-07-08
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Beck's new album Modern Guilt, produced with Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton, will be released July 8, 2008.

The new album contains 10 new songs, and with the exception of last year's Grammy-nominated, digital-only single "Timebomb", Modern Guilt is the first new material Beck has written since the prolific stretch that produced 2005's platinum Guero and 2006's universally acclaimed The Information.

Modern Guilt is a tightly assembled group of songs that range in lyrical tone from introspection and social commentary to off the cuff wordplay and lighthearted humor. Musically, the album's ten tracks vacillate between economy and experimentation, hybrid and pop classicism, while consistently manifesting Beck and Danger Mouse's shared interest in psych-rock, folk, electronic minimalism and orchestration.

Beck is about to embark on a tour of the UK and Europe, followed by a number of US headline and festival appearances, culminating in Beck's biggest hometown headline show to date, September 20, 2008 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Beck Photos

Customer Reviews

The Slump Continues
Beck's musical slump continues. It's really a tragedy because he was on such a prolific ride with every album he released from 1994 and 1996's modern classics "Mellow Gold" and "Odelay," respectively, to 1998's stunning off-roader "Mutations," on to 1999's eclectic grower "Midnite Vultures," and finally to his career's pinnacle, 2002's depressingly beautiful "Sea Change". The gossip around "Sea Change" was the love of his life broke his heart and out came his most raw, honest and ingenious work of art. It also drained him of everything he had left. Since then, Beck has struggled to create anything that can touch the greatness of any of his previous work.

This year's "Modern Guilt" continues to see the decline of Beck and it really saddens me. I saw Beck on his "Sea Change" tour at Wolf Trap and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. He was ON and his band really helped carry him. Fast-forward a few years later to 2005's "Guero" tour at The Patriot Center and it was like night and day. Beck could barely perform the last half of his set. He didn't even MOVE. His stage hands had to switch his guitars on and off him, step on his effects pedals for him, and basically act as his crutch just to get him through. There was no encore which is unheard of for a headliner. That's the feeling and impression I get with Beck's latest albums and now with "Modern Guilt"...he's just barely getting by and simply fulfilling his contractual obligations.

Not that there aren't some diamonds in the rough here (certainly not his best songs ever, but they're relatively good), such as "Orphans," "Gamma Ray" and title track "Modern Guilt," but the bus stops there. The remaining seven tracks meander off into cruise control, letting producer DJ Danger Mouse seemingly take full control thereby giving "Modern Guilt" a disappointingly un-Beck feel. What is the Beck feel you ask? Listen to the range of experimentation going on with every album before "Guero": boldly diving into multiple genres with a keen ear for melody, funk, folk, and mischievousness. Beck doesn't seem to be having fun anymore, not that "Sea Change" was a fun album...far from it, but it had soul. That's what's lacking from post-Sea Change Beck for me and I really want him back. Snap out of it, buddy. Please.

Highlight tracks: 1) Orphans, 2) Gamma Ray, and 4) Modern Guilt

The Future Sound of Rock
The word "modern" in the title is fitting for this album cause I think Beck has created a new style in rock music which is new and a style that I percieve will try to be duplicated again and again . The album is just a little over 30 minutes, but I don' t want to focus on its length, but rather its unique style and sound. Songs like Replica, Chemtrials, Walls, and Gamma Rays sound like songs well ahead of their time. Modern Guilt somewhat reminds me of The Velvet Underground and Nico album from the 60's which created a unique sound and feel in the world of rock which greatly influenced bands and artist for years. Beck is one of those artist which seems to always be outside of the mainstream rock music tread but is always setting a new pace for others to follow. Modern Guilt is a great album, even though I don't think its as soild as Guero, its still one of his best albums and dosn't sound like a duplicate of any of his past albums, but a new sound worth checking out.

Beck's Experiments Leave Mixed Ruselts Sometimes
Seems a very mixed CD to me. I would have put the tracks In another progression. But does have a few awesome tracks. I had an Idea what to expect and I should never do that with Beck he changes too much.
Another reason for 3 Instead of 4 stars Is the CD Is very short like 35 minutes. Should be EP priced almost. No not almost 1 less song and It's an EP