4 Play

April 13, 2005

Beck - Guero - Geffen Records
Beck’s Mutations and Sea Change showed off the non-Odelay side of Beck Hansen - a more personal, introspective, even acoustic side that the Beckster pulled off brilliantly. Now that he’s proved his range, he is, for this album, at least, re-sampling much of the initial sound that he first became known for - the quirky, SFX-laden, challenging tracks with equally mind-bending lyrics. Diverse and fun but still intelligent, the disc kicks off with “E-Pro” (also the disc’s first single), with its catchy “na-na” refrain and funky feel, and continues onward through a thirteen-song set that, while mostly low-key, still manages to range up and down like a spray-painted ‘70s rollercoaster. Several of the songs showcase the Latin influences that Beck has occasionally flirted with, including “Que Onda Guero” and “Missing,” and there’s even a power ballad (“Broken Drum”) for good measure - it’s nice to see Beck back with another
winner.

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm - Atlantic
Some time ago, before Bloc Party was even starting to get any attention, I saw them described as “angular retro guitar rock,” and I have to say that that’s a pretty apt description. Coming from much the same school as Franz Ferdinand - with alumni including Gang of Four and The Cure - the quartet plays with a taut, frantic sensibility that bases itself in the best of catchy pop, and Singer Kele Okereke, who veers between an octave-higher Bono and a more agitated Brandon Flowers (The Killers), definitely draws your attention to the vocals. It’s not as immediately accessible as the Ferdinands’ music - more political, more nostalgic, and more cryptic, it might take a few listens before you’re completely hooked - but all 14 tracks, especially the first half of the disc, are quite solid. Standout tracks here include “Helicopter,” “Pioneers,” and the opener, “Like Eating Glass.”


Moby - Hotel - V2 Music
Sparse yet warm, retroactive (just hear those New Wave beats!) yet modern, Moby’s latest is the stuff that top-notch electronica gurus such as himself are made of. More music and less sample than previous efforts, many of the songs here, from the warm “Dream About Me” to the dance-y “Lift Me Up,” even showcase Moby’s oft-kept-undercover singer-songwriter skills, which prove that, if hypothetically stripped down to just a guitar and the Mobe-ster singing, could stand up strong (stronger, even) next to the best of Ryan Adams or Ben Lee. But since the world already has an Adams and a Lee, it’s even better to hear what Moby does with his quirky arrangements and instrumental choices. Also included are a series of ambient instrumentals that are good for chilling out and are a quite nice contrast to the more pop offerings anchoring this set.


The Decemberists - Picaresque - Kill Rock Stars
Produced by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, the latest from The Decemberists doesn’t necessarily branch far from the band’s love, death, and pirates sound (yes, you read that correctly), but it is a bit more energetic than usual, merging guitars with accordians and placing footstompers next to troubadour harmonies and acoustic balladry. One of the nifty things about The Decemberists is that they’re literally centuries apart from many of their emo-rock contemporaries - they often sing of topics that don’t seem to have much place in today’s society, and their sonics frequently verge into sepia-toned territory that’s like a step back into Victorian times. You can almost picture the band perched on packing cases at a shipping port full of docked triple-masted schooners. Picaresque, according to the dictionary, means “...of or involving humorous rogues or adventurers” - fitting - and The Decemberists, according to this album, means unique, interesting, vintage-dusted pop music that’s definitely worth a listen.