[Listen] Beck - "Love" (John Lennon Cover)

Gotta say, the internet, feeling pretty good that the first post of the new year is a Beck song! 

Even though this isn't from his upcoming album, Morning Phase, this is certainly help build the anticipation for me. The song is a John Lennon tune from the 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and will be on Starbucks' Sweetheart 2014 compilation, which you can grab on February 4th. Although the orginial is piano driven, the added depth and warmth from Beck's subtle guitar strums is really helping me fight of the bitter chill from the impending blizzard that's about to hit NYC. 

Although there isn't an official release date yet for Morning Phase, we know that his first album since 2008 is expected sometime to drop in February. 

So while you wait, here's something for you to "Love". Pun intended. You LOVE it. 

(via RollingStone)

[News] Beck Signs To Capitol, Announces New Album 'Morning Phase'

Apparently good things come to those who wait because WE'RE GETTING A NEW BECK ALBUM IN FEBRUARY, Y'ALL!! FINALLYYYY!! It was just announced that Beck has signed to Capitol Records and will be releasing his first album since 2008. According to the press release, "The new record, titled Morning Phase, has been described as a companion piece of sorts to Beck's 2002 classic Sea Change. Featuring many of the same musicians who played on that record (who are also currently accompanying him live) -Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Smokey Hormel, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., and Jason Falkner -- Morning Phase harkens back to the stunning harmonies, song craft and staggering emotional impact of that record, while surging forward with infectious optimism."

No more details have been announced yet, but you better believe the second it hits our inbox you all will be the first to know.

ARE YOU EXCITED OR WHAT!?!?!

[Album Stream] Listen to JJ Doom's 'Butter Edition' of 'Keys to the Kuffs', Including Remixes from Clams Casino, Thom Yorke and Beck

Refresher: JJ Doom = MF Doom and Jneiro Jarel. Last year, they released the fantastic Keys to the Kuffs, a collaboration that paired Doom's bizarre lyricism and Jarel's dark, outlandish production. Exactly one year later, on August 20th, Lex Records will be releasing the "Butter Edition" of the album, featuring reworked versions of tracks, new guest verses (including Del the Funky Homosapien) as well as remixes from the likes of Thom Yorke, Clams Casino, Beck and Dave Sitek. Stream the whole album below and pre-order it here.

[News] Beck Confirms New LP Set for Release on a "pretty much standard format"

Remember the song reader that Beck announced a few months back? So do we, and while it was a cool concept, it falls short once you realize you cannot read or perform music. That's what makes this news tidbit so exciting, as Beck has confirmed he is working on a new LP. Announced during an interview with Australian radio station Triple J, he even confirmed that it will be released on a "pretty much standard format"!

Beck went further, saying, "I started a record, largely recorded in 2008, so I’m trying to carve out some time from all the production work I’m doing to finish those songs before they become records from a lost era. It’s going on a half decade at this point."

There you have it, a new Beck album that we can enjoy simply by pressing play on our iPods. So simple! Till then, though, you can always pick up Beck Hansen's Song Reader when it drops on December 7th. It's worth a try.

[Listen] New Songs From deadmau5 & Beck From PS3 Exclusive Title 'Sound Shapes'

Play a little....dance a little. At least that's what I picture myself doing if I owned a PS3 and could play through Sound Shapes myself. YouTuber xpantherx was kind enough to play through both the deadmau5 and Beck levels so we can finally hear the new tracks from both artists. We've all heard clips of, "Cities" at this point, but you can hear the song entirely via the video above. Admittedly, I'm not huge on "Touch The People" very much, but Beck definitely plucked away at my heartstrings with "Cities" and "Spiral Staircase". In a perfect world I'll be able to acquire these without having to put up with the added songs from the videogame, but considering that's supposed to be part of the experience I guess I can let it slide.

The deadmau5 songs from the game are pretty good, although it's hard to decide if they sound like songs that were made for a video game or just standard video game music.

Listen to Beck's "Cities" above along with "Touch The People" and "Spiral Staircase" below. Also included below are deadmau5' "Disasteroids", "Break-a-noids", and "Invaderoids".

Beck - "Touch The People"

Beck -"Spiral Staircase"

deadmau5 - "Disasteroids"

deadmau5 - "Break-a-noids"

deadmau5 - "Invaderoids"

[News] Beck Confirms Details For 'Beck Hansen's Song Reader', Announces Suprise Show At Bimbo's On 8/9/2012

(mockup, not actual photo of the songbook

Today Beck fans around the world are both rejoicing and scratching their heads. In addition to springing a last minute surprise show at Bimbo's in San Fransico this Thursday (8/9) before setting foot on stage at Outside Lands Festival (which if you've been following along our very own Adrian will be attending), Beck has also confirmed details of what his website creepily(?) refers to as the "long-gestating" Beck Hansen's Song Reader, which will be released this December by book publisher McSweeney's.

"A book publisher?" you ask. Yes. Beck has decided to one up everyone releasing cassette tapes and is re-crowning himself as the King of Random by releasing an 108-page song booklet featuring 20 never before released or recorded songs with20 individual full-color song booklets-18 featuring original lyrics, and 2 instrumentals-with covers from more than a dozen different artists.

This is equal parts exciting and frustrating for someone like me, who's only musical abilities is playing an iPod, but as it was noted in the press release: "The songs here are as unfailingly exciting as you’d expect from their author, but if you want to hear “Do We? We Do,” or “Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard,” bringing them to life depends on you. Devoted fans have already created a Tumblr page in anticipation of the inevitable versions of the songs that will hit the internet shortly after the "album" is released.

Tickets for Thursday's show at Bimbo's go on sale at noon PDT today on Ticketmaster. To learn more about Song Reader head over to Beck's website. McSweeny also has more samples of some of the artwork as well.

If you're on Twitter and in need of a chuckle, have a look at tweets with the hashtag #BeckFutureAlbumIdeas courtesy of myself and other fellow Beck fans. Feel free to contribute your most creatively whacked out ideas if you'd like.

[Listen] Beck - "Cities" (Snippet)

A new music related game is set to be released called Sound Shapes and the one and only Beck has created some track  for it. The game will be on Playstation 3 and PSVita and today you can preview the first of three new musical offerings from Beck, this one is called "Cities". The two other tracks are titled "Touch the People" and "Spiral Staircase" and each will tie into one level on the forthcoming game. For now though it's just nice to have some new music from the talented Mr. Hansen. Watch this space for the other tracks in the near future.

[Download] Childish Gambino - 'Royalty' Mixtape

The wait is over. After months of teasing fans with track after track, Childish Gambino has offered up a brand new mixtape titled Royalty. It contains some previously heard joints and guest spots from the likes of RZA, ScHoolboy Q, Beck, Bun B, Danny Brown and Ghostface Killah. Check out the tracklist below and go treat yourself to a humpday download here. Happy 4th of July!

Royalty Tracklist:
01. Royalty
02. We Ain’t Them (prod. Ludwig and Childish Gambino)
03. One Up (feat. Steve G Lover)
04. Black Faces (feat. Nipsey Hussle) (prod. Boy-Ida)
05. Unnecessary (feat. ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul)
06. Shoulda Known
07. R.I.P (feat. Bun B)
08. American Royalty (feat. RZA and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
09. It May Be Glamour Life (feat. Ghostface Killah) (prod. Myke Murda)
10. Toxic (feat. Danny Brown) (prod. SKYWLKR)
11. Silk Pillow (feat. Beck) (prod. Beck and Childish Gambino)
12. They Don’t Like Me (feat. Chance the Rapper) (prod. SKYWLKR)
13. Arrangement (feat. Conage)
14. Won’t Stop (feat. Danielle Haim of Haim) (prod. Ludwig and Childish Gambino)
15. Bronchitis (prod. Beck)
16. Wonderful (feat. Josh Osho) (prod. Boy-Ida)
17. Make It Go Right (feat. Kilo Kish)
18. Real Estate (feat. Alley Boy, Swank, and Tina Fey)