Mark’s Pick of the Week: Mellow Gold by Beck

          Do you know how much of a trash genre alternative is?  I’m going to casually peruse the wiki article on it in order to have some sort of intro to this article.  It includes bands like Public Image Limited (Post-Punk), The Cure (Goth), My Bloody Valentine (Shoegaze), Nirvana (Grunge), Violent Femmes (Folk Punk), Reel Big Fish (Ska), Pavement (lo-fi), Oasis (Britpop), The Melvins (Sludge Metal), The White Stripes (Garage Rock), Alanis Morissette (pop-rock), Modest Mouse (Indie Rock), NIN (industrial), The Cramps (Psychobilly), Cold Play (Post-Britpop), Fall Out Boy (Emo), The Jesus Lizard (Noise Rock), Muse (Either Space Rock, Prog Rock, or Post-Radiohead?), Owl City (Post-Emo), Green River (Pre-gruge (Thrash Metalish)) Every crappy post grunge band (post grunge), also I think rap-rock and nu-metal…but…ya.

            As Eric mentioned most people will probably skip this list, but if it proved the point I was making then whatever, there are some good/interesting bands in there.  Anyway, I know I won’t be changing the institution or anything.  A lot of people casually listen to music, and calling Weezer alternative then power-punk-pop.

            Calling someone “alternative music” is literally calling them “different music,” and lets face it, no band is totally unique. If they were then a genre springs up around them, and we have a name for it.  The only artists who can really deserve this title are artists who truly make “different music,” There are only 2 artists that I can think of off the top of my head that really deserve that description: Tom Waits, and Beck. 

            The fact that I haven’t written about Beck yet is just laughable.  I have almost all his albums, and almost every one has a different genre to it.  Albums that are very folky, albums that are very anti-folky, hip-hop, electronic, post-punky, lo-fi, dance, sampling like crazy, and always so funky. 

            The opening track of this song is a flagship number for slackers, punks, hangabouts, stoners, the young, hipsters, artists, the tired..etc. 

            Not only did that song introduce me to Beck, but also it begins a phenomenal album that contains a lot of different tracks from even more different genres.  After that alternative hip-hop number we have an anti-folk song.  There are also lo-fi, post-punk, neo-psychedelic, funk, rock and maybe even a bit of pop in there.  The music he makes is mot only intricate and different, but objectively, and critcally really good.  He can take almost any genre and make a good song out of it.  How awesome is that!?!  I’d recommend picking up any of Beck’s releases if one’s not your cup of tea then there’s 10 more to try. Also both these music videos are awesome!!!!!

Classic/Modern influence of the Week: The Beach Boys vs. Beck

Time for the disclaimers! First of all both of these acts are FANTASTIC. The Beach Boys are arguably one of the most talented, and influential acts of all time, making music in an array of different styles, but always held together by their out of this world vocal work and harmonies. A lot of the same can be said about Beck. Through his carrier he has made some of the most interesting, innovative, and influential music of my lifetime.

That being said, both these bands have A LOT of differences when it comes to their varying styles of music. Looking at Becks anti-folk, low-fi…(I’m not even going to try and list everything he has under his belt) against the Beach Boy’s Poppy, rock-and-roll love songs you would be right to throw that brick you’ve been palming since you started reading this article, but here me out first. (ouch, I said here me out first.)

What I’m comparing is tracks from the 1966 album Pet Sounds, and Becks 2002 album Sea of Change. Both of these albums are EXTREMLY critically acclaimed, the magnum opus of their respective carriers. Also both of these albums seem to have been influenced by pivotal events in the artist’s lives. Pet sounds came at a time when Brian Wilson began to experiment with LSD and other drugs, leading to the band’s, as well as his own personal, downward slide. Beck on the other hand recorded this album after his long standing relationship with Leigh Limon ended on bad terms.

I’ll start with the song from Pet Sounds:

“Caroline, No” was released as a Brain Wilson solo single before the album was released. It doesn’t take very long to figure out what this song’s about. The word No and a girl’s name in a pop song…some sort of break up or falling out with a girl. As far as a Beach Boys song goes it’s pretty simple. Really only piano, violin, hand drum and Wilsons layered singing throughout the whole song (with the exception of a few other instruments here and there.) It’s slow, it’s sad, it’s short, but my God is it pretty. Wilson has stated himself it’s his favorite song on the album, and “the prettiest ballad I've ever sung.” It’s very real and very relatable to me. He’s hurting, and he truly misses what he had with this girl. If you’ve never felt that then you’ve certainly never been in love.

Now for Beck:

“Guess I’m Doing Fine” is a bit longer, and perhaps a bit fuller sounding at first. The song is more complex, using his usual wordmanship Beck is able to paint a picture instead of saying being more outright. The singer is certainly in a similar situation. He’s lost a girl, and now life seems bleak, beautiful things have lost their beauty and meaningful things now feel meaningless…see the last sentence from the last paragraph.

To suggest Beck wasn’t in any way influenced by the Beach Boy’s is kind of laughable. They are one of the most influential bands of all time. On the opposite end of the spectrum I think if I could interview Beck (I can dream can’t I?) he wouldn’t mention the Beach Boy’s at the top of his list of influences. Both these artist used these turbulent times in their lives to put out some of the greatest music of their decade…but don’t take my word for it. Just push PLAY!