Beck

[sanpaku_backup]

You can listen to all of the new Beck album being streamed online at Beck.com. As usual, it sounds like a weird takeoff of some of his early stuff and has nothing to do with his last album. Except that they both sound like they date from about 1973; where the last was funkadelic, this one is country-ish, constantly reminding me of that song "The Weight" by The Band. (Yes, you know it: "Take a load off, Fanny/And you put the load right on me." Although apparently the song came out in 1968, it sits amid a lot of early-to-mid 1970s-sounding stuff in my mind.) Also large helpings of Gordon Lightfoot. How come I have heard nothing about this album anywhere?

Comments

[librarygrrl.livejournal.com]

My alt.adult station keeps playing one of the songs, which I like, and I've read about three good reviews, but I have a mission to find some cheerier music. I don't need any help feeling melancholy. This is a pretty tall order, actually. Any requests would be appreciated.

[sanpaku.livejournal.com]

IMHO, good is good, and sad good is often some of my favorite music. Go to the site and check out "Already Dead" on this album and you'll know what I mean. I dunno. I often feel better after hearing sad music and sadder after hearing "happy" music.

Thus I can't give too much guidance in the upbeat music department. Looking at my music collection, I see that most of it is pretty depressing. Though I am fond of listening to Stereolab's Refried Ectoplasm or some of their driving stuff (as opposed to the lounge stuff) when I am in need of refreshment. Actually, I think I tend not to listen to music at all when I am in a good mood, or I listen to things like classical or 1940s music or whatever. Rawk and moodiness go together in my mind, I think.

I'm sorry to hear that you're so melancholy -- hope what we talked about is not weighing you down too much. I'd also have thought that the new job would help, a little. Not every day that you get to live out one's dreams, job-wise. Hope you feel better.

Re:

[librarygrrl.livejournal.com]

oh no, I'm fine. I just tend to go that way, and my music collection tends to go that way, so sometimes I feel like I want stuff that's a little happier. The "tall order" I referred to above is that cheery music is often boring after a few listens. I think I used to like to listen to Unrest on days like this, but maybe that was a little melancholy too. Today I was listening to Neko Case's new CD in the car, beautiful day, good day at work, no traffic, home early...but suddenly I had an urge to go on a bender and start smoking cigarettes. Well, it was more of a fleeting thougt than a full blown urge, but you get the picture. Anyway, thanks for asking.

[(Anonymous)]

I - personally - would be much cheered to hear a song called "Take a load off, Fanny". Because I think it's actually "Benny". Or at least I always have thought that it was. But I like your idea much, much better - some real comic potential there. A big hippo lady with a gargantuan ass ...don't think I'll ever hear that song quite the same way again. - "mrs. s."

[sanpaku.livejournal.com]

http://www.lyricscafe.com/t/travis/theweight.html (http://www.lyricscafe.com/t/travis/theweight.html)

Yeah, it's one of those 1970s classic rock songs with no real lyrics. (I.e.: "Blinded by the Light" skit -- "Wrapped up like a douche, oh the owner in the light" etc.)

The Hippo lady -- would that be our next-door neighbor?