Stream Beck’s upcoming album Morning Phase before its official release on Tuesday, February 25^th via NPR’s website: http://goo.gl/q2sP07
Morning Phase is the spiritual successor to Sea Change. Both albums are a departure from the ‘two turntables and a microphone’ Beck many are familiar with. ‘Sad Beck’ is actually the term I use when referring to Sea Change, and Morning Phase reflects a similar style. Acoustic, orchestral, relaxing and melancholy are a few words to describe the style itself.
“Blue Moon” (now in the KLSU music library) and “Waking Light” are the two singles released from the album. The lyrics of “Blue Moon” are full of despair but the song itself has a hopeful feeling, conjuring images of a dark cloud’s silver lining. Conversely, “Waking Light” has a sense of clarity similar to a clear sky following a storm.
The album Morning Phase opens with “Morning” following the thirty second introduction track, “Cycle”. The song is strangely reminiscent and perhaps an intentional reference to the opening of Sea Change, “The Golden Age”. Although the sound of the two albums is similar overall, the rest of the songs seem distinct to their respective albums.
Overall, Morning Phase is a great addition to the Beck discography. The album successfully captures the essence of Sea Change while still remaining unique.