Beck
The Information (Polydor; October 2006)
Pop culture’s favorite noisemaker Beck has returned with his new
album, The Information, taking us on a slightly odd but
charming trip redolent of his Mellow Gold days. From the
frustratingly catchy stream-of-consciousness rap of “Elevator
Music,” to the jamboree beats of “Strange Apparition,” to the
percussive beeps and clicks of “Movie Theme,” The
Information sounds more like B-sides from 1994. Strangely,
this isn’t a bad thing, as Beck has worked his strange post-modern
voodoo to give this album a contemporary presence. Thinking about
it too hard might give you a headache, so just listen to the album
and enjoy the pretty stickers inside.