Editorial Review:

Album Description:
Hailed as 'a deeply natural songwriter' (THE NEW YORKER) who 'defies expectations in his own way' (TIME) and 'Gen X's most famous absurdist' (BLENDER), BECK is the single most inventive and eclectic figure to emerge from the '90s alternative revolution. In an era obsessed with junk culture, Beck seamlessly blends pop, folk, hiphop, indie/underground and electronica with the end result being an authentically uncategorizeable musical style that nevertheless has sold millions of records and scored multiple Grammy awards.

Three years in the making, THE INFORMATION is the album Beck began work on in 2003 with producer Nigel Godrich (Radiohead's OK Computer, Kid A; Beck's Sea Change, Mutations) and finally completed this year once Guero's massive success and encore touring engagements, as well as Nigel's other commitments, were fulfilled.

THE INFORMATION is comprised of 15 songs and a DVD featuring homemade videos for each of the 15 songs shot in-studio during the actual sessions. The artwork for The Information is either non-existent or infinite, depending on one's point of view. Each copy will come in a blank package with one of four collectible sticker sheets specially designed by European and American artists and representative of the unique Beck aesthetic. The stickers will give every Beck fan the opportunity to participate in the creative process by designing his or her own one of a kind CD cover.

Amazon.com:
On The Information, Beck Hansen is seriously bummed out. Not that he sounds it as much as he did on 2002's laconic, Fred Neil-worshipping Sea Change. Technology and stuff, and the way it gets in the way of human interaction, is the subtext if not the full-on concept at play here. Recorded with art-rock anal-retentive Nigel Goodrich at the helm, work began on this album not long after Sea Change but was shelved for a few years while Mr. Hansen made 2005's Guero with the Dust Brothers. Unsurprisingly, it sounds a bit like both of those. The trappings of minimalist pop, fuzzy folk, click-hop, hip-hop, baroque psychedelia, and funky pop are to be found on this endearing release. Like Jean Cocteau or David Bowie, Beck is an artistic chameleon whose greatest gift is knowing which artists to borrow from, and when. The cover artwork consists of stickers that you can arrange however you like, which perhaps appeals too much to your own nostalgic/retro, 'Trapper Keeper' sensibilities. And yet, it's kind of awesome, something you can't believe has never been done before. Much like the album it adorns. --Mike McGonigal









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Disc 1:

1. Elevator Music
2. Think I'm in Love
3. Cellphone's Dead
4. Strange Apparition
5. Soldier Jane
6. Nausea
7. New Round
8. Dark Star
9. We Dance Alone
10. No Complaints
11. 1000BPM
12. Motorcade
13. The Information
14. Movie Theme
15. The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton

Rating: - * greatness! ... great CD, many of the songs here take awhile to grown on you like Soldier Jane (not my fav at first) but this is the genius of beck, that guys is such a chameleon.The DVD that came with it now, its uh..not anything great but its amusing to say the least, the guys went to thrift /costume store and made a bunch of crazy homemade videos that are just "out there". Love the music tho! Rating: - * Spacey integrals ... This is probably Beck's most cohesive effort stylistically and in tone. It all runs very smoothly from one song to the next and they're as usual pretty remarkable songs. Many people dislike this cd because it doesn't fit their expectations and others embrace it for the very same reason. It is a departure and it's own individual world. Beck does lots of rapping as well as singing. The quality of Beck's work is extremely consistent but many fans are not in step with him and that's ok. Some love Sea Change but fail to see Mutations as a continuation of that work. Many disliked Guero which has several of Beck's best songs. The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour bombed but had many of their most memorable songs. Patti Smith's Radio Ethiopia bombed but it's one of her best and strongest efforts. How many people know David Bowie's Black Tie White Noise, another fantastic work that so few know? I recognize this as a terrific cd from an uncompromising artist who has mastered so many elements of our diverse musical culture as Picasso and James Joyce did in their in their respective fields in their time. Rating: - * Better Than Before ... I love Beck and not just because on a good day people have told me I look like him, which is better than being compared to John Denver which is what the guy who works at the corner cigarette stand tells me all the time while informing each time that it isn't my song he's playing, as in he isn't playing John Denver which he doesn't have to inform me of since I know there's never been a thumpity thump gay mix of "Thank God I'm A Country Boy." Oh where was I? Oh yeah, Beck. I have a great respect for this man, who has been deemed a musical rock genius by many many in the press and I have to agree. Each release has the man mixing and mashing new and exciting sounds while somehow being able to not make it into an electroclash mess. However, the last two albums didn't blow me over - Sea Change was a little too depressing, slow and dare I say boring, while Geuro, just didn't lift out of the speakers like I had hoped it would, but now the man is back with a collection of songs he's been working on for three years - The Information is as good as you've probably heard. Opening with "Elevator Music" an electric piece of classic Beck before moving to one of my favs "Think I'm In Love" which sounds new, yet calmly familiar and most importantly catchy. In fact, the whole album is very infectious and I love that in an album. "Soldier Jane" and "Nausea" are two other brilliant pieces of Beckisms, and the whole thing though containing 15 songs seems to go by before you even know it. All you can really do is go back and play it again. And I do. Incidentally, in what I think is an awesome sales pitch, the album doesn't have any artwork instead you get four pages of graph like paper and a book of stickers to decorate it as you see fit. I haven't done it yet, as I was thinking I should save the stickers for future generations but since the whole thing is already opened I may just up and do it. Rating: - * This album is not worth the money. ... I suppose if you are a beck junkie than this is a must have but seriously, this album is just another dissapointment from beck along with sea change. Rating: - * Beck is Back. ... I have had this album now for about 2 months. I was very hesitant to purchase after his last album (Guerro). It is safe to say that if you were a fan of Mello Gold and Odelay that you will like and appreciate this album. Now, I am praying that his newest album comming out July 8th will build on this. Overall, I would highly reccomend this album.