Review of Beck's Morning Phase

Album: Morning Phase
Music: Beck
Rating: 3.5
The tremendously versatile Beck’s last album Sea Change was just downright melancholic and something that even his oldest fans would have found to be too brooding. This album though, marks a great return to form and is a clear and coherent singer-songwriter album full of catchy tunes that have plenty of tasteful vocal harmonies.
Click here to listen to the album Sea Change on gaana.com
Sonically speaking, the music evokes a very Los Angeles-style sun-soaked sound with lazy strumming on acoustic guitars tastefully treated with minimum sound effects, bright-sounding pianos with a phased effect and a languid pace. The satisfyingly rounded-out drum sound also never overpowers the song. Embellishing all of this are the lush string sounds, reportedly arranged by his father (composer David Campbell) who was part of the LA studio scene in the 70s. The opening songs Cycle and Morning sound deceptively simple, but ease you into the album without wanting to hit the ‘skip’ button. So too are Say Goodbye, Blue Moon and Unforgiven whose hallmarks are softly-plucked guitars, vocal harmonies that fit the song like a glove and continue the easy Southern California sound of James Taylor, Gram Parsons and the Eagles’ early acoustic work. Easily his best, along with Mellow Gold and Odelay.
WATCH: Beck's Morning Phase full album