Part of the reasons I brought this up is because I'm thoroughly excited about his next album, <i>Sea Change</i>, being released on Tuesday! I was excited to begin with, but I just read the RS review which just added to my excitement, especially when I heard Nigel Godrich is producing. RS gave the album 5 stars and called it the best album Beck has ever made (which is saying A LOT)! It even says quote, "This is <i>his</i> Blood on the Tracks." The album is supposed to be much slower and darker than anything he's ever done. Anyways, as far as artist of the past 10 years...he gets my vote! I don't think it's even a contest. He's tackled and conquered nearly every genre imaginable. He's CONSISTENTLY(key word) produced the most original, ambitious, and innovative music of the past decade. And he's done it all while maintaining a pretty high level of popularity. Below, I give some of my thoughts on each one of his major-label albums just because I'm bored. Anyone care to nominate someone else for Artist of the Past 10 Years? I dare ya! <b>Beck Discography</b> <b><i>Mellow Gold</i></b> - First album that came from nowhere. And whether you like the song or not, "Loser" just may have been THE song of the 90's. Basically, the album is what you would get if you crossed the Beastie Boys with Bob Dylan. The lyrics make little to no sense, but the way he oddly strings together words in such a smooth, flowing way is one of things that makes him so great. A modern day classic that immediately made Beck one of the most innovative artists around. <b><i>Odelay</i></b> - Beck is no longer "one of the most" innovative artist, he is now THE MOST innovative artist currently going. This album has been called the best of the entire decade by some. Beck, smartly brought on the Dust Brothers to produce, giving it a much grander, and better-quality sound than Mellow Gold. It's about twice as ambitious as the previous album. The songs are so strangely constructed and varied that if someone were to ask you what the album sounded like you wouldn't be able to answer. And on top of all that, the album was widely accepted by the public, got tons of radio airplay, and went multi-platinum. In a time when popular music was becoming more and more generic, this album was like a breath of fresh air. And in my opinion, after maybe <i>Nevermind</i>, it IS the best album of the 90's. <b><i>Mutations</i></b> - A much smaller scale production than Odelay that pretty much returned Beck to some of his folk roots. Every song on this album would have been great if it was just Beck and his acoustic guitar. Instead, Beck gets Nigel Godrich of Radiohead-fame to produce the album and make it into some weird electronic version of folk and country songs. Even with all the spacey soundscapes and noises that Godrich packs into the songs it still manages to be very mellow and soothing. This is the first album where all the metaphors and seemingly arbitrary references Beck sings about begin to make sense and exude some sort of feeling. In my opinion, lyrically, this is his best album. <b><i>Midnite Vultures</i></b> - I think this is his most ambitious album, and this time he produces it all by himself. It sounds like Beck was just having fun on this one and cramming as many different sounds, instruments, and hooks into it as he could. There is never a dull moment. His singing has seemed to develop over the years, because he's now hitting high notes and singing in falsetto. At times it sound like Prince singing in front of a barrage of heavy hip-hop beats, techno keyboards, brass instruments, and crashing guitars...while occasionaly going into rap mode. I would call this Beck's "Party Record." It's extremely entertaining and the lyrics are absolutely hilarious!
I'll answer for Manny: It was Kidrock before he found the wonder that was Moby. Me: I really like Beck, but best artist in the past 10 years? I dunno. I like Reznor's stuff too. Nothing else really screams out at me beside those 2 right now though. Maybe Hanson or lil Bow-wow. btw, Mutations is one of my fav albums. Between Odelay and Mellow Gold, eh it's a toss up for me. They're both good in their own ways. Midnite Vultures I haven't picked up for some reason. Probly cuz I detested the only single I heard from it.
I'm not sure about best artist, but Beck is a damn genius. I love all of his stuff but "Midnite Vultures" is my favorite -- I'm on my second copy. I'm can't wait for Tuesday!
I don't particularly care for his music but I can not deny that the guy has incredible talent. I have always found that his music is very innovative and unique. I like dark music so I will defiantly have to check out the new album. As far as best artist of the last 10 years go, I would have to go with Tool or Radiohead.
Yeah, I really messed up on the title. I meant <b>Music</b> Artist; however, naming any type of artist works as well.
DCkid, I think you are on to something here. I think the new album puts him over the top. With the exception of parts of "Mutations," I think the last barrier to greatness for Beck was a certain distance that he always maintained with the listener. Whether his sheer musical exuberence and creativity overshadowed everything else, or that he often came off a bit too arch, I am not sure. "Sea Change" is something different for Beck. It is one of the saddest and most intimate albums I have ever heard. It is not depressing, though, just moving. Beck did a cover of a Hank Williams song recently and I hear his influence all over the album. This is one of those albums that you can just completely inhabit for months and still get new things out of it. I have a bootleg of his recent acoustic show and he performs these sad, sad songs beautifully. The good news is that he is still one very funny MF'er. With the help of some effects box he played a version of "Tropicalia" that included a long monologue about being on a plane to Rio with Axl Rose and waking up just before landing to find Axl glaring at him and telling him "you're in the jungle, baby...and YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!", etc. What do you guys think about PJ Harvey, Bjork and Missy Elliot being added to the best artist of the last ten years sweepstakes?
Gee, thanks CK for speaking for me. Actually, Moby is not in my top 4 artists, but he is my top 10 as is Beck (I have Mellow Gold, Odelay, and Mutations). My top 4 are as follows: 1) Radiohead - just a tremendous band that has never been afraid to continue to do what they want to do and not what their fans or the critics want them to do. "The Bends" and "OK Computer" are considered by many people to be 2 of the greatest albums ever in the '90s; however, "Kid A" may be my favorite one of them all. Unbelievable soundscapes and their albums always take several listens to really appreciate. Yet you will hear something new and exciting every time you listen or at least that is what happens for me. 2) Smashing Pumpkins - yes, Billy Corgan is a pompous ass, but damn, he is a genius to say the least. "Siamese Dream" is still one of the best guitar rock albums that I have ever heard and definitely of the '90s. "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" is awesome as is the box set of the B-sides, "The Aeroplane Flies High". Yet, they would continue to surprise...just look at "Adore", a great and misunderstood album. It is a shame they have broken up, but I heavily anticipate the day when Zwan (Corgan's new band that also has the old drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin) releases their debut album. 3) Nine Inch Nails - Trent Reznor is a volatile person to say the least. His songs are ones that have lyrics that are not for the faint of heart. However, I look past the lyrics and focus on how incredible he is in sculpting a complete sound. "The Downward Spiral" is one of the most complex and challenging albums I have ever listened to and one like Radiohead's stuff in that I hear something new every time I listen. "Pretty Hate Machine" pretty much was the breakthrough album for Industrial music, and it still holds up well today with classic tracks like "Head Like a Hole", "Terrible Lie", and "Sin". "The Fragile" was an album that I was lukewarm to compared to Trent's other stuff, but it has a great balance of slow and soft to fast and loud. However, "Broken" is the best CD/EP to listen to when you are so pissed off at the world. It is 30 minutes of uncompromising brutality. 4) Massive Attack - a band that many people might not be familiar with but they pretty much shaped "Trip-Hop" music along with Portishead and Tricky (who ironically was a member of their group a long time ago). "Blue Lines" is a great mellow CD to listen to to just chill out to. "Protection" is classic trip-hop, and "Mezzanine" is just a f*cking brilliant dark masterpiece. A lot of the tracks on "Mezzanine" are ones that if you hear them, you will instantly not forget them and they lend an atmosphere of intense brooding and darkness. I had heard that they had broken up, but are now back together again. I eagerly anticipate the follow-up to "Mezzanine". Of course, all-time, I would have to include The Clash, Kraftwerk, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, etc. because each were major players in influencing future artists in their respective genres.
You ever here teardrop Manny? I saw them live in Austin four years ago. Bad ass rave. Oh yeah, talking about massive.
Teardrop was the first Massive Attack song I heard, and it was on, of all things, "Pure Moods II"...lol I immediately went to find out the name of the CD, read some reviews, and ordered it. BTW - Liz Fraser from the band the Cocteau Twins sings "Teardrop" and her band, the Cocteau Twins, are a great ethereal band in their own right. "Treasure" and "Heaven or Las Vegas" are their 2 best CDs, IMO. They are a great group to get into, and I would suggest listening to (or downloading) some of the tracks off those 2 CDs to see if you would like them.
Damn good songwriter/musician. Not the best in Ten years, but hey if you're a hard core Beck fan, sure why not! BTW, I've heard Sea Change and its very, very, very mellow. Kinda like that one track Beck did "Nobodies Fault but my own"...along those mellow lines. Also reminds me alot of Nick Drake. I like it alot, you will too!
Thanks for the comments about the new Beck album. I would definitely agree with PJ Harvey and Bjork. In fact, they would probably be two and three on my list. But, I just never have been able to get into Missy Elliot's music. And even if I did like like it, I don't quite understand what her role is in the production of it all. In the liner notes it says "all songs produced by Timbaland" and "all songs mixed by Timbaland." I think her vocal capabilities are terrible, so I just don't understand what the heck she even does. It then says she is "Executive Producer," which I guess means she just goes around and gets other MC's to rap on her album. That's all I can think of. But to be honest, I've never been a fan of women rappers, or as I like to call them, yappers (with exception of the great Lauryn Hill of course ). The lyrics and vocals on Missy's albums make me sick. However, I do like the production of a lot of her songs, but like I said, I think that's more Timbaland's doing than Missy Elliot's.
Okay, a little off topic here, but he had a resurgence in the past 10 years Has anyone heard Santana's new song? Its okay, but I just think they could have found someone a little better and with a little more cred than Michelle Branch to sing on the lead single... Its not even close to being as catchy as "Smooth" (and the greatness that is known as Rob Thomas isn't singing...), but it should be a fairly decent hit...
Best new artist in the past 10 years? Dunno...that's a tough one. But I do like his stuff, and he is wonderfully original.
Just for completeness <b>Debra </b> i met you at JC Penney i think your nametag said "Jenny" i coldstep to you with a fresh pack of gum somehow i knew you were lookin' for some like a fruit that's ripe for a pickin' i wanna do you like that Zankou Chicken 'cos only you've got a thing that i just got to get with i just got to get with you and you know what we're gonna do i wanna get with you and your sister i think her name's Debra i wanna get with you and your sister i think her name's Debra i pick you up late at night after work i said "lady, step inside my Hyundai" i'm gonna take you up to Glendale gonna take you for a real good meal cos when our eyes did meet girl you knew i was packin' heat ain't no use in wastin' no time gettin' to know each other cos only you got a thing that i just got to get with i wanna get with you and your sister i think her name's Debra i wanna get with you and your sister i think her name's Debra lovely lady girl you drive me crazy
There's a destination a little up the road From the habitations and the towns we know A place we saw the lights turn low The jig-saw jazz and the get-fresh flow Pulling out jives and jamboree handouts Two turntables and a microphone Bottles and cans and just clap your hands just clap your hands Thank you, DC, for inspiring my new sig...I almost forgot just how cool that song is...
Honestly, the only song I have ever heard from him was "Loser" and I hated it. So, I cannot really comment on him. This is hard for me...but the name that first pops into my head is MC Solaar. His music is a great mixture between American rap, jazz, and chanson francaise. His creative wordplay is in the tradition of Marcel Duchamp and Tristan Tzara (the only other wordplay that comes close is De La Soul's, but it isn't as informed). Additionally, his references are ridiculously varied - from pop culture (movies, commercials, etc) to high art (and it's history), to theory. I don't really know of any other music artist to do such things. That is really all I can think of on a consistent pop-like basis.
