Midnite Vultures

About

In between two quieter and more self-reflective albums—1998’s <i>Mutations</i> and 2002’s <i>Sea Change</i>—Beck Hansen closed out the ’90s with this bright-eyed party record. The immediate calling card is lead single “Sexx Law,” opening the record with a snappy horn hook and drum loop before Hansen strikes out into a dynamic chorus about correcting stale gender role. The bridge’s fleeting blend of banjo, pedal steel, and percolating synths may evoke his past collage approach, but from there Beck commits to falsetto turns and other like-minded funk flourishes for large swathes of <i>Midnite Vultures</i>. Unsurprisingly, he finds much to explore in this particular playground. “Nicotine & Gravy” offers a knowing parody of the stock R&B lover-man foreshadowed by the title’s not-exactly-romantic combo. “Mixed Bizness” has similar fun with sensual airs in an upbeat setting, pairing Beck’s signature off-kilter wordplay (“I’ll comb your hair, rewrite your diary/Pour champagne on a honeybee”) with a chopped drum sample from The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” Unabashed homages to Kraftwerk (“Get Real Paid”) and Prince (“Peaches & Cream”) provide Beck with the equivalent of eye-popping wardrobe changes along the way. He even raps again briefly on “Hollywood Freaks” before tapping multiple guitarists (including guest Johnny Marr) for the over-the-top rock gestures of “Milk & Honey,” and slipping into warm, languid country on “Beautiful Way,” featuring backing vocals from Beth Orton. Those relative zigs and zags nonetheless fit snugly into this streamlined affair, making <i>Midnite Vultures</i> more focused and less free-ranging than early Beck milestones like <i>Mellow Gold</i> and <i>Odelay</i>. It helps that funk and R&B are consistently the guiding forces here: he fully commits to falsetto on the closing “Debra,” nailing such a cheeky funhouse version of libido that it clears a path for Flight of the Conchords a few years later. (In fact, the album co-producer Mickey Petralia went on to helm all of the Conchords material.) .

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

Start your shelf to read the full take →