I have to admit that for me, Beck Hansen can do no wrong. Every album he has ever put out has its own distinctive sound and intent, from the grinding, haunting Mellow Gold to dirty, gritty Midnite Vultures to the mellow, lonely and transcendent vibe of Sea Change. Hell, he even gave you groovy stickers to design your own album cover with The Information. (It did sound a bit like, “Yes, I know you can buy it online, but do you get stickers that way?!? I think not.)

My loyalty having been declared, I actually wasn’t sure how I felt about the first single I heard, “Gamma Ray” from this month’s Modern Guilt. Did it seem all that fresh? Different from the albums that came before it? Creepy? Boppy? Sappy? Snappy? I’ve come to expect a lot from Beck…maybe because I never know quite what to expect. (But I’ve been disappointed before, even in artists I fiercely believe in.) I snagged the album the next day and gave it a solid listen, to get the point of view, the theme, the style, the new invention. And…it fit just right *whew* - this new, modern Beck, somewhere right between Guero and The Information.

I don’t know if he’ll ever make another album with the raw energy of Mellow Gold, Mutations, and a few tracks from Odelay – there’s just something about those first albums that’s uniquely emotional and forcefully creative. Then again, I’ve been listening for what, 15 years now? He may not have quite the same edge to him now, but he makes up for it with sincerity and unfailing artistry. With albums as diverse as his influences, he’ll have my attention for as many as he cares to put out.

One last thing….have you ever seen the man move?!

*sigh*

He’s absolutely precious.

The Bees are a UK band, also known in the U.S. as A Band of Bees (for reasons which I have not yet found…). With 2007’s Octopus, they released the most upbeat, cohesive collection of tunes I’ve heard in a while. It’s downright pleasant. And though it expresses itself in a rich retro style, it also manages to be very refreshing. Basically, I can’t stop playing it. (Note: A few years ago, I would have been able to describe it as “a cd that will have a perpetual slot in the cd player for quite some time.” Now, in the age of mp3s and shuffling, I guess I’d have to call it “an album I actually listen to straight through - no shuffling - over and over again. So I guess I’d have to say that’s a pretty nice compliment.)

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