Beck has always been an artist that I just can't quite give my all to. Excluding Odelay and Sea Change, his remaining catalog has always been hit or miss with me. Every time he puts a new album out, I say "this is the album that I am going to fall in love with Beck on," and yet here I am, still a casual fan. Yesterday, Beck dropped "Defriended," a stand alone single that will not be on either of the two albums he has promised fans this year, so that 2nd chance (3rd? 4th? 5th?) is just going to have to wait a bit longer.
As for this song, it's kind of all over the place. The inclusion of nervy synths and electronics make the tune sound like a throw away from Thom Yorke's Eraser sessions, while that startling thud seems to have been borrowed from Panda Bear's "Slow Motion." Beck's layered vocals had a nice, haunting quality to the song, and you know what? I think I like it, a lot. Bring on those albums.
Sea Change is one of the best, albeit most depressing, end-of-a-relationship-now-watch-it-fall-apart records ever. That said I love it and it tops among my favorites.