Beck - Midnite Vultures

Party on

This was the party cd of 1999 for many people. Lots of fun. Wild and crazy and then there's Beautiful Way. July 10, 2008

Must Haves

By far, my all time favorite Beck album, Midnite Vultures brings in hip hop, soul, funk and every other genre this little genius can wrap his words around. The double punch of Sexx Laws and Nicotine & Gravy is just the beginning as we are melted in Beck's ever increasing tongue in cheek-ness and fun, deliberate or not. This is one of those must haves.
June 26, 2008

This is more like Kraftwerk than Prince

This album is about 8 million years old as I write this. Who cares. I think it's pretty good and sounds better than alot of the material that anyone might still bother to listen to from that time.

I've read a bunch of the reviews for this album. It sounds like the critics haven't gotten out much.

If you like white funk, Beefheart, Prince, Beck and Kraftwerk, then this is a good album. 'Mixed Business' is a highlight.

If you can get it cheap, buy it. It's a good listen.

April 6, 2008

Beck's Ultimate Party Album - TOO Much Fun!!!!!

As my little sister used to say sitting in her high chair, "I WANT too much!"
O.K., so Beck takes yet another new direction with this one, probably not suited for those who can't vibe to Cameo, Prince, "Brick House," or funk in general. But Beck lacking soul? Oh, he's got soul, baby! Only on the robotic "Get Real Paid" is it not apparent (a bit of a throw-away tune, but lots of fun).

These songs are BUSY. They are loaded with effects, which might cause some to overlook the fact that they are in fact BRILLIANT SONGS UNDERNEATH! Don't like wacky lyrics? You're in the wrong place, baby! "People look so snooty/ Take pills make them moody/Automatic bzooty/ Zero to tutti fruitti . . ." (!) The lyrics contained herein are actually quite brilliant and usually tongue in cheek.

Any former Beck fan should be able to hear the excellent songcraft and the lonesome tugging at the heart in "Beautiful Way," not to mention the fantastic shuffling bass line. "Pressure Zone" has a great New Wave synth in the bridge and is innundated with crazy sounds (is that a sword being pulled from a sheath for percussion!?)

Not enough can be said about how great this album is. It IS sort of a parody of funk and soul music, but in the best possible way. I think a lot of people weren't ready for it when it first came out. It's true greatness may become more evident as time passes on.
March 26, 2008

The beginning of the end

This album could have been a classic. If only Beck would have somehow managed to create an entire album as compelling as the first three songs on Midnite Vultures. At the time of its release, I simply considered this album to be a failed experiment. What I didn't realize until Sea Change was that the first three songs on Midnite Vultures would prove to be a last hurrah for one of my favorite musical performers. From Sea Change on, the man who was arguably the most consistently brilliant musician of the nineties became (it pains me to say this) mediocre. I say this even though I am still a huge fan. I would like more than anything to see Beck make the greatest album of the 2000's. But, I fear, success has made Beck a little too comfortable. Damn.

One last thing. So many people seem to be calling Debra a "classic." Uh, well... If you want a good laugh it's a classic. As a song, it's a little lacking. The song gets compared to prince, possibly one of the prince slow jams like "adore" or "international lover." But I noticed quite a similarity (musically) to David Bowie's Young Americans era soul ballads. In fact, Bowie was also extremely hit-and-miss when it came to "blue-eyed-soul." Perhaps Mr. Beck Hansen was paying tribute to the thin white duke by making this album so sporadic. Who knows? November 28, 2007

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