Most Bumping Albums of All Time (part 8) Beck: Midnite Vultures

#4 Beck's Midnite Vultures slipped by my notice when originally released. Fortunately for me, my friend Heller filled in that gap by playing "Vultures" for me on our way to a show. I am a fan of Beck's work, and this album is by far my favorite. The incredible blend of musical influences was creative, unique, fun, and beyond bumping. From the opening horns of the opening track, "Sexx Laws," Beck produced a danceable masterpiece of sampling, playing, and singing. The diversity of instruments, styles, and vocals was astounding and all fit neatly into a perfectly coherent, structured, brilliant (not to mention sexy) piece of work. Beck has proven to be a modern composer/producer, who occupies a rock and roll medium, more than anything else... a great one at that. Sexx Laws featured horns, tambourines, bass, guitar, banjo, synthesizers, and various other sound effects. The bluegrass breakdown that bled into the chorus brought a very unique perspective with a funktronica basis beneath a "patio pickin'" banjo lick. The move to "Nicotine and Gravy" was butter. A slightly brassier tune, Beck played on elements of hip hop, folk rock, and synthy futuristic sounds. His use of an orchestra to build suspense for the break was a brilliant use of tension and release, and he somehow made the strings meld into his otherwise futuregroove sound. The latter part of the song went into a snake-charming vortex of middle eastern fusion. Quite unlike anything I've ever heard before, but with elements of lots of familiar styles. "Mixed Bizness" was a dance party from the gate. Featuring one of the funkiest guitar licks I've ever heard, the song's outrageous lyrics and fun mood made it a favorite from an album I love start to finish. His ability to cook up a delicious recipe of ear candy by using such random musical ingredients was astounding on this song and throughout the album. The change to "Get Real Paid," was mellow, and the song began a little slower, but the use of effects to create the groove was really interesting and thought provoking. Like many of Beck's songs, the lyrics could have nothing to do with everything or everything to do with nothing. There was a definite 80's sound to the tune, yet it's cutting edge Hollywood party vibe was also evident. Bizarre sound effect buzzing led to "Hollywood Freaks," a song that brought the Hollywood party vibe to the lyrics as well as the accompanying music. Once again, Beck occupied this party/ hip hop space with authority, arguably better than most of the music by which he was inspired. Hot tubs, money, sexy freaks, cars... All the elements of a great rap song including the ridiculous bumping beats. And then came the sexy. "Peaches and Cream" is an R&B tune with acoustic guitars, pimp lyrics, and one of the slinkiest, sexiest beats to a song ever. Beck seduced the listener with his audio imagery and sultry grooves. Great tune. "Broken Train" began chugging along with a rhythmic base. Multiple forms of percussion shaped the tune until the bridge dropped some swampy clav on me. The chorus had a vibe that made me think of antique rocking chairs on sun bleached porches. The sparse and rudimentary guitar tone also held a twinge of garage band blues. The nuances and shades of his influences seemed to peak around corners from inside his production, like an architect's masterpiece full of secret hallways and trap doors. The sounds of some distant spacecraft landed me in "Milk and Honey." A sample-heavy tune, the turntable worked within the confines of the rock structure. With more sound effects than that dude from Police Academy, this tune also laid claim to the most mellow passage of the album, an acoustic guitar outro. "Beautiful Way" began with a sleepy feel. The piano foundation was beautiful alone, and built energy as the remaining instruments joined. Once again, his unexpected fusion of various styles left me pondering how he had made such a cohesive product from such varying components. "Pressure Zone" started more like a rocker, like "Odelay" material. Like clockwork, the discernible genre veered off course and toured several styles before recapturing the bumping vibe of the album. And lastly, my favorite song on the album... Debra. The humorous love song about pursuing sisters had been a favorite song of mine from the first time I heard it. The song had funny lyrics, but was performed with such passion and skill that it was a legitimate soul song. Beck's vocals were incredible. His range rivaled any vocalist in the game, and left me satisfied, but craving more. This album was not only the 4th Most Bumping Album of all time, it is also IMHO one of the most underrated albums of all time... But that's for another series. In the mean time, stay tuned for next week's review of the # 3 Most Bumping Album of All Time... Snoop Dog's "Doggystyle."