Musical chameleon Beck Hansen, a 36-year-old Los Angeles native, has an unusual definition of "hip-hop." With little resemblance to the recently developed conventions pioneered by the genre's modern day-juggernauts, such as Kanye West or Jay-Z, Beck treats us to his own version of the genre with his newest release, "The Information."
Don't worry, tried and true indie-Beck-loving-hip-hop-hating-scenesters will still appreciate Beck's latest recording. His combination of old and new, experimental and traditional, surprisingly proves that he hasn't lost it just yet.
Beck's critically acclaimed 2005 release, "Guero," garnered much criticism among longtime Beck fans who felt that it straddled the many fences constructed by his past work. This release awkwardly melded Beck's lovesick and existential wailing with his rock-pop aesthetics into a single album that not only lacked heart, but direction, as well. Luckily, this time it looks like he has changed his ways, making a more cohesive-sounding album.
Collaborating with Beck for the third time, Nigel Godrich, longtime Radiohead producer, manages to deviate from his past involvements with the traditionally folksy and emotional Beck. Although Godrich produced some of Beck's lesser known albums, such as "Mutations" (1998) and "Sea Change" (2002), his familiarity with Beck's personality and style has obviously proven useful in allowing this album to be arguably one of his best.
"The Information" exposes the duo's talents in a different light, exploring Beck's penchant for collages of samples and sounds, as well as Nigel Godrich's trademark otherworldly electronics - this time void of Thom Yorke's dystopian moaning. Even in this "hip-hop" album, Beck's delivery is consistent with his past flirtations in the genre, best characterized by Beck merely talking over music and beats accompanied by very sparse singing.
Those still nostalgic for the days of Beck's lyrically complicated songs like 1994's "Loser" - which features lines like, "And my time is a piece of wax/ Fallin' on a termite that's chokin' on the splinters" - are still in luck with "The Information," as Beck's lyrical sensibility is very much present on this album.
"The Information" is dense with Beck-isms at their best, recalling the rhyming style of albums past, particularly that of "Odelay" (1996) and "Midnite Vultures" (1999).
This lyrical mayhem is evidenced by the radio single and instant party hit, "Nausea," where Beck describes to his listeners a "truth-blown gutter," a "black-out room," and the act of "push[ing] a shopping cart over in an Aztec ruin." While the album has its share of hits, tracks like "Dark Star" and "Movie Theme" employ a foundation of spacey ambiance against Beck's dreamy vocals and cryptic crooning, yielding a soundscape suited for a relaxed and introspective journey. Finally, an artist has created the perfect album for every bi-polar teenager vacillating back and forth between a chill lifestyle and being the life of the party.
The album concludes with a 10-minute three-part piece which culminates in a spoken-word track over drones and spaceship noises. Two voices discuss the desire and logistics of space traveling, alluding to Scientologist ideologies. Beck, although classified as a Scientologist, has never explicitly stated his views on the religion itself. It is possible - but speculation at best - that Beck's rumored Scientology involvement influenced some of the tracks on "The Information."
Following his tradition of expanding the realms of various genres, Beck pioneers his own combination of sound and lyrics certain to please old and new fans alike. Whether "The Information" is hip-hop, pop or electronica, it is certainly all Beck. Pick up Beck's newest endeavor today and dance, chill and even hear unforgettably quirky lyrics with America's favorite loser.
