Beck

Rock and Roll Daily has the scoop on Modern Guilt – the upcoming Beck release, produced by Danger Mouse.

“It was the most intensive work I’ve ever done on anything,” Beck says. “It was like trying to fit two years of songwriting into two and a half months,” Beck says. “I know I did at least 10 weeks with no days off, until four or five in the morning every night.”

The resulting album, tentatively titled Modern Guilt, is full of off-kilter rhythms and left-field breakdowns, with an overall 1960s British vibe. Beck’s vocals float over the music as if he’s singing along to some mystical radio station in the next room.

Each song started with Beck playing acoustic guitar over a drumbeat: If it made the cut, they’d flesh out the music, usually with Danger Mouse playing keyboard bass and Beck playing most of the other instruments.

Also, it looks like Beck may be joining a growing number of established musicians experimenting with self-released recordings:

For Beck, always eager to shake up music-industry practices, the disc marks the end of his major-label contract.

“I’ve had this deal since my early 20s,” says Beck, 37. “I don’t have any plans at the moment. It’s anybody’s guess where things are going week to week with the music business.”