Beck 'Modern Guilt'

To some, Beck Hansen's output since 1996's classic 'Odelay' has been inconsistent but to me, it has been consistent in terms of quality whilst being wildly diverse in terms of style. Each album, from the lo-fi, downbeat tunes of 'Mutations' and 'Sea Change' to the Prince-esque 'Midnite Vultures' has had plenty to recommend it and 2006's 'The Information' came closest to mixing all of the styles together. Maybe only 'Guero' saw Beck needing to call on the goodwill he had built up with the amazing run of excellent albums he made in the 90s.

One of the few criticisms that could be aimed at 'The Information' is that it was a bit too long at sixty minutes and there were inevitably a couple of fillers. Well, 'Modern Guilt' is only 34 minutes long and was recorded very quickly, along the same lines as 'Mutations' where Beck wrote one song a day for two weeks. It is produced by Brian 'Danger Mouse' Burton and it is a blast to listen to.

Musically the album is full of beats, basslines and rhythms with some piano over the top. The songs are mainly short bursts of energy, never outstaying their welcome. Over the top of all this, Beck's voice sounds detatched and ghostly, creating a fabulous mix of sounds. 'Chemtrails' is the standout track, a mix of an awe-inspiring drum sound, surf guitar and a haunting vocal from Beck ("so many people....where do they go"), just when you think it has gone as far as it can, it ends with an electric guitar coda that almost (but not quite) overshadows the drumming. This is brilliant and the best single song Beck has recorded for many years.

Its tough to beat this but he gives it a go. 'Walls' has an old-school synth sound that will be spinning round your head all day and the title track is similarly catchy. Ultimately though, the individual tracks come and go very quickly and the album works best as a whole, you won't find yourself skipping tracks on your ipod. Although, you may want to give the astonishing final song repeated listens. 'Volcano' is dark and brooding and Beck's words and singing make this something like his very own 'Not Dark Yet'. You could enjoy the song very easily without even listening to the words but once you have listened, the song shows itself to be both terrifying and searingly beautiful. Reflecting on his relationship with his craft and with people in general as well, this is a sad but soothing song and another career highlight.

"I don't know if I'm sane / But there's a ghost in my heart/ Who's trying to see in the dark/ I'm tired of people who only want to be pleased /But I still want to please you"

For me, this album isn't a return to form because Beck never lost form but it is one of his best albums to date. Mixing the exciting sounds of 'Odelay' with the reflection of 'Sea Change' and creating something genuinely new and exciting.

9.0

['Modern Guilt' is out now on XL]