Beck
Colors


3.5
great

Review

by Benjamin Kuettel EMERITUS
October 14th, 2017 | 145 replies


Release Date: 2017 | Tracklist

Review Summary: “Now I’m far from the world in your seventh heaven.”

Beck has always had a strong sense of himself, and a strong sense of humor, in his storied career. From R&B, folk, hip hop, alternative rock and more, he has established a willingness to explore any musical style he pleases. After the six year hiatus leading up to the Grammy-winning Morning Phase, the gorgeous companion album to magnum opus Sea Change, he was back and in a new headspace when it came to songwriting.

Shortly before the release of Morning Phase and since, he’s released at least four singles, ranging from electronic, pop rock, and synthpop, including “Dreams” and “Wow,” both of which appear here. Those singles and Colors display an experienced and polished approach from Beck. Never before has he so freely embraced the popular music landscape of the time as he does on Colors. Beck’s talents as a songwriter allow him to have it both ways, by not selling out his musical personality and still producing an album entirely comprised of vibrant, pop rock hits. It’s the most rewarding avenue to take after the contemplative, patient Morning Phase.

Much of the album deals with retreating to a blissful place away from the turmoil of modern life. Beck is weary of news cycles and modern technology ableing him to be accessible to the world at all times; “Up All Night” and “Dreams” both serve as relentlessly optimistic exercises in escapism. Tracks like these are his catchiest material since hits like “E-Pro” and “Devil’s Haircut” from over a decade ago.

A listener wouldn’t think twice about hearing “Wow” on mainstream radio. Still, the song contains a strange pop hook and maintains his quirky personality and lyrics, such as, “…Elephant in the room goes boom, standing on the lawn doin' jiu jitsu; girl in a bikini with the Lamborghini shih tzu. ” Beck’s sense of humor rewardingly delivers in “Wow,” and especially in “Dear Life.” The wry lyrics bring to mind the era of “Loser,” while musically it equally hearkens to the piano centric side of The Beatles, and the popular music of the 1990s that Beck emerged from.

Standout track “Seventh Heaven” makes the strongest impression with beautiful guitar work and one of the best and most emotive singing performances of the album, especially in the chorus. The title track is an exercise in pop rock that has enough quirky Beck oddities to make it more rewarding than if it were written by a typical band: strings and pan flute can be heard, the chorus takes on a new form at the song’s end, and background melodies subtly add to the song’s textures as it develops. It’s clear that Beck approached each song differently in Colors, and it shows, despite the album more or less dealing with a similar genre throughout.

Colors is a varied and blissful pop album that finds joy in our times, and Beck expectedly makes it interesting and vibrant to experience. He has decided to make something optimistic in the midst of so much unrest, and it succeeds in bringing a celebratory presence to a world that need it.



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user ratings (212)
2.9
good
other reviews of this album
DoofusWainwright (0.5)
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Comments:Add a Comment 
TalonsOfFire
Emeritus
October 14th 2017


21001 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

More-or-less just a great pop record

Gyromania
October 14th 2017


37497 Comments


I doubt it, ben kuetell

ArsMoriendi
October 14th 2017


41533 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

Good review,



Album clearly falls under the 3.5-4 range for me, though I may bump it from a 4 to a 3.5.



Catchy, simple pop by a legendary genre hopper.

TalonsOfFire
Emeritus
October 14th 2017


21001 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

You dig Beck Gyro?



Thanks Ars, and agreed.

theBoneyKing
October 14th 2017


24677 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

Nice one Talons. The review reads a bit disjointed, it's almost a track by track but still, it's nice to have a positive counterpoint to Doof's review.



That rating graph is lol

TalonsOfFire
Emeritus
October 14th 2017


21001 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

Thanks, and yea I changed the ordering of what I said a lot cause it wasn't easy to talk about the record overall, given how it's basically upbeat pop song after upbeat pop song almost the entire listen.

ArsMoriendi
October 14th 2017


41533 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

"That rating graph is lol"



It only has 39 votes. I'll even out once more people rate it

DoofusWainwright
October 14th 2017


19991 Comments

Album Rating: 0.5 | Sound Off

Talons you have me convinced - until I actually press play

ArsMoriendi
October 14th 2017


41533 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

Doof, you're such a drama queen lol

Frippertronics
Emeritus
October 14th 2017


19570 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

"Fuck off."



It all comes full circle

theBoneyKing
October 14th 2017


24677 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

Doof, you're such a drama queen lol


Most ironic comment of the year



ArsMoriendi
October 14th 2017


41533 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

^Ummmmm no

Frippertronics
Emeritus
October 14th 2017


19570 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

Self Awareness: ERROR: Cannot be found.

Realm
October 14th 2017


2512 Comments


Boom

NordicMindset
October 15th 2017


25137 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Wow.

ArsMoriendi
October 15th 2017


41533 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

At least the right review is on the front page now :D

Frippertronics
Emeritus
October 15th 2017


19570 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

and will promptly will be forgotten like everything he did post-Guero



truly an innovator

ArsMoriendi
October 15th 2017


41533 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

People talk about Morning Phase still lol

Frippertronics
Emeritus
October 15th 2017


19570 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

literally haven't heard a single thing about it



and we're not counting its grammy win either, considering that's the most notable thing about MP

deathschool
October 15th 2017


28937 Comments


Children, please



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