Words on Records: Beck, The Offspring
Not only does Monday suck because it’s the start of another work week, but this particular Monday has been bone dry of anything news related. On the bright side of things, we can look forward with hope (how Obama of me) that the remainder of the week will offer something else. Today, we’ll just have to act accordingly. So shall we?
This morning, both Beck and Dexter Holland of The Offspring spoke on each of their respected upcoming releases. I don’t know about you, but there’s a warm, fuzzy place in my heart for the whitest kid to ever rap… and no, I don’t mean Holland.
Rolling Stone managed to snag some words from the former “Loser”, who’s currently working with Danger Mouse on the follow up to 2006’s The Information, which is currently called Modern Guilt. What’s this? Beck channeling the Kinks? My God, I’m salivating.
The resulting album, tentatively titled Modern Guilt, is full of off-kilter rhythms and left-field breakdowns, with an overall 1960s British vibe. Beck’s vocals float over the music as if he’s singing along to some mystical radio station in the next room. The title track has the groove of a good Zombies single, while the twangy guitar and uptempo beat of “Beggars Shoes” make it sound like Beck’s cruising at maximum speed down Route 66.
The original vision for Modern Guilt was 10 short tracks. “I was hoping all the songs would be two minutes long,” Beck says, “but then I got rid of all the short songs.” There were just a few guests: Joey Waronker added drums to the epic “Chem Trails,” which would have fit in nicely on an early Pink Floyd record. And Cat Power’s Chan Marshall added backing vocals to a few tracks, including the melancholy “Walls,” which includes the lyric “Some days are worse than you can imagine.”
Someone in the music “biz” really needs to bleed some of that new June material over into May because things are
looking a little desolate lately. Here’s keeping my fingers crossed that Beck decides to throw it on the internet next week! Oh, let’s not forget about Holland and his punk crew…
After a gruelling 18 months in the studio, Dexter Holland and co have surfaced, with what they believe to be, “the best record we’ve made yet.”
“Sometimes it’s great to bash things out,” Holland tells K!. “And you can make songs that sound very fresh and energetic that way, but this time around it just felt right to sit back and take our time. I think that really helped the songs.”
“Honestly, with every year that passes I’m amazed that we’re still here,” he reveals. “We definitely still have fun doing what we do, and maybe that’s the key to it. When it’s not fun it shows, and the way to keep things fun is to take breaks sometimes. I think it was just time for us to do that and to spend a little more time working on songs, and I think that the decision will prove to be the right one when people hear it.”
[Kerrang]
Based on the single, “Hammerhead”, my interest is peaking a bit, but I’m still a little weary. After all, this is the band last responsible for a song like “Hit That.” Sigh, let’s just hope the five reclusive years have been spent maturing some.
Either way, with Weezer, Coldplay, Beck, and The Offspring… June is bringing in the summer days the right way. Now if someone could explain why it’s still cold in Chicago…
Check Out:
Beck - “Girl”
The Offspring - “Hammerhead”
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