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Record Club #1 Finished / A Note On Lyrics

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Beck made it through his first Record Club, and allow me to be the first to say that it was a lot of fun and quite successful. Apparently, there will be a bonus surprise early next week about it (I think I know what it is, but I’ll let you be surprised). Also, Record Club #2 will begin right on schedule, every Thursday starting next week. This will not be the Wilco/Beck cover of Skip Spence, but the album done with Devendra Banhart, MGMT, the dude from Wolfmother and Binki Shapiro from the band Little Joy. More on that later!

Also Beck’s newest newsletter notes the new discography section and comments:

We’ve put up a new music section this week we are calling ‘Collected Works.’ This is where you will find all Beck related music. It is also the only source on the Internet that contains the correct lyrics to his songs. Lyrics on all other ‘Lyrics’ sites contain errors and even completely incorrect transcriptions. We’ll be adding content from each album week to week starting with 1994’s Mellow Gold.

:( Sorry Beck. In defense, AlmostAGhost is about as correct as is possible, and I worked on those transcriptions for years with fans who email me and on message boards, and even with beck.com in the past. I’m not saying there’s no errors but in most cases, they’re as best as possible (and even more correct than Beck’s own liner notes!).

Posted in Beck | 7 Comments »

dress bek up in exoskeleton

Friday, July 31st, 2009

we just launched a new section called exoskeleton. it’s an online paper doll thing, with lovely art by the lovely ham.

post your creations and any technical problems in the comments.

Posted in Beck, Whiskeyclone Updates | 12 Comments »

Charlotte Gainsbourg MRI

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

The album that Beck produced and cowrote with Charlotte Gainsbourg is called MRI and will be out on November 30. The first single is out in September, called “Master Hand” (or maybe “Master Hands”). Another single, “Heaven Can Wait” is a duet with Beck, and a video was shot for it last week in LA. Other tracks on the album include “In The End” and (maybe) “Paradisco.”

Posted in Beck, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Releases | 1 Comment »

Quick Note Re: Paper Beck!

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Just wanted to point out that today Beck posted a PDF on beck.com that are paper dolls that look like him and his keyboardist, Tron. In case you were wondering, these dolls were made by Ham, a Japanese fan who does some awesome Beck graphics and projects… her blog is here (though it’s mostly in Japanese).

Congrats Ham!

Posted in Beck | 2 Comments »

Upcoming Musics

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

A summary, in no particular order:

1. Record Club continues. After the VU & Nico album, it is unclear what is next. There are two Record Clubs recorded–one with MGMT and Devendra and the guy from Wolfmother (not clear what album, one report said Talking Heads) and Skip Spence’s Oar album with Wilco. (The VU & Nico tracks come out weekly, so far on Thursdays. Though “All Tomorrow’s Parties” got out a few days early.)

2. Modern Guilt Acoustic – over on beck.com/videotheque there is an acoustic run-through of the whole album. This was recorded with the live band after the last tour (Brian, Bram, Jessica & Joey). (Tracks are uploaded one a week, so far on weekends — Sat or Sun.)

3. Charlotte Gainsbourg album – supposedly out at the end of this year, Beck wrote and produced much of her record. Tracks may include “Paradisco.”

4. Scott Pilgrim soundtrack – Beck recorded a few songs for the soundtrack to this movie, as apparently the band Sex Bob-omb. Tracks may include “Indefatigable.”

5. Sonic Youth’s EVOL – similar to record club, but for SY. They needed something for some project they’re doing; Beck recorded all of EVOL with his band for it. No idea when it’s going to be released

6. some song with Devendra Banhart for some soundtrack. (Beck mentioned this vaguely in a recent Pitchfork interview).

7. also in the Pitchfork interview Beck mentioned that he has another album knocking around that was started before Modern Guilt.

8. the second K Records release… more info on this was promised a few months back, but nothing new about it yet.

These are the main things that I believe are upcoming and the most recent. There’s a few other things that I think are a bit older and maybe lost to time (his straight-to-vinyl records with Jamie Lidell, etc.), but who knows. Lots of things happening, it’s a fun time to be a Beck fan.

Posted in Beck, beck.com, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Modern Guilt, Record Club, Releases | 4 Comments »

Beck.com EPIC WIN

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

So I haven’t been posting every time there’s been a change, because I don’t view Paper Tiger as a daily sort of news update type of blog. However, if you’re not checking out beck.com every day or two, you’re probably missing out. :) Basically, a cool new webmaster and a lot of ideas and loads of music to share = GOOD TIMES.

I already wrote about the Record Club. So far, Beck is 4 tracks into his cover of the Velvet Underground & Nico album. Reportedly, Beck has recorded the follow up album for this, with the 3rd planned. Those albums are secrets though. (One news report said it might be a Talking Heads album, but I’m not sure about that.) New Record Club tracks come out on Thursdays.

Beck has also added Planned Obsolescence, which is going to be a collection of DJ Mix sets of music. Beck made the first track, called “Autobahn Hologram,” which is a 40-minute melange of music by various artists. It said there’d be a new one weekly, but it’s been almost two weeks since that one has come out, so I think there’s less a schedule.

Also this last week, Beck put up Irrelevant Topics, which is transcriptions of interviews he has with other famous people. Part one of his talk with Tom Waits is up now, and proves that Los Angeles is cooler than where you’re from.

Finally just today, Beck added Videotheque. This is a section of videos. He’s starting off by filling out all his Modern Guilt videos. But more than just the promo videos–there is also a live-in-the-studio acoustic performance of the entire album recorded in March. Ever wonder what “Replica” would sound like acoustic? We’ll find out in a few weeks! (Also apparently a new EP will be released with some of the acoustic MoGu tracks.) This section, I imagine, will be huge. They promise TV appearences, promo videos, live stuff.

Anyway it’s a good time to be a Beck fan, we’re getting new music and old music and rare stuff and fun stuff. Thanks Beck! Stay tuned for more sections to the site too, I’m sure.

Posted in Beck, beck.com, Irrelevant Topics, Planned Obsolescence, Record Club, Videotheque | 2 Comments »

Record Club GO!

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Beck’s Record Club is up and active!

It looks like that every week (on Thursday evenings), a new track will go up on beck.com. They are videos. So far, the first two tracks of Velvet Underground + Nico have been uploaded. There is also a url at therecordclub.com which looks like it will host the old videos from prior weeks.

You can also keep up via twitter alert at twitter.com/beck or twitter.com/recordclub

Also, there is apparently going to be an interview on Pitchfork.com with Beck sometime soon, so keep your eyes open for that.

Posted in Beck, Record Club | 2 Comments »

More Record Club News [NOW UPDATED]

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

So… Pitchfork has a bit more about the Record Club!

Sounds like more songs will be coming soon, and that Beck has been meeting up with various friends solely with the plan to spontaneously create and record covers of famous albums. They also make it sound like this was just pretty much for fun, to do in spare time. They also indicate that the bands’ (and his) official websites will be used to share the songs.

No hints yet what albums were covered (beyond VU & Nico of course). (Unlike Pitchfork though, we do know that it appears the Nico parts were covered by an Icelandic singer named Thorunn.)

I could be wrong as well, but I don’t believe the Sonic Youth – EVOL cover was part of the Record Club exactly. We’ll have to see in time.

So from what we know, we’ll need your help in keeping an eye on other band’s websites (MGMT, Devendra, or anyone’s really). Let us know if anyone hears or reads anything about these recordings in other artists’ comments or communities! You can email us at: computergirls [at] whiskeyclone.net

EDIT: Go to Beck.com for more word straight from Beck! (And a cool redesign!)

Since this is hitting up all over the web at all the usual music places now (Rolling Stone, thanks for the link), here’s the added info:

Record Club tracks will be released on beck.com. They will also sometimes go up on other artists’ sites if they were involved, but it sounds like always on beck.com for sure. The VU/Nico album is coming first, it appears, and a video for “Sunday Morning” is up now. Tracks will show up weekly! (Who wants to wait a week between tracks?!) Also, right now, I have not seen any info about HOW the songs are distributed? mp3 download? Or just like “Sunday Morning”–a flash video only? Please, Beck, make it downloadable!

No added word yet about what other records were covered, but as said reportedly Devendra Banhart, Jamie Lidell and MGMT have all participated (or will?). Beck says on his site they almost did Digital Underground’s Sex Packets! After all these years, we could have finally had a “Humpty Dance” cover!

UPDATE UPDATE: Record Club is now on Twitter!

Also one news site claimed that the Record Club also did a Talking Heads album.

Posted in Beck, Record Club | 5 Comments »

Beck’s Record Club

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

A couple of months ago, I’m sure you recall, Beck released his One Foot In The Grave Deluxe album. He self-released it for the most part, and sold different packages on beck.com. One such superpack was the vinyl version of the Deluxe, as well as some other goodies (a totebag, t-shirt, etc.). The site said the vinyl would be shipped at the end of May.

A few weeks ago then, people started to get their packs. Included with all the listed stuff was a little black vinyl 7″ record, labelled “Record Club – Sunday Morning.” This had been unlisted and was a surprise addition.

Turns out, the song is a new studio recording of the Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” (a song Beck had played live a fair amount over the years; mostly in 2002 or so). Beck recorded it in March or April of this year, and it was immediately pressed and then sent out with the superpacks.

I am told that there WILL be more Record Club vinyls, and probably soon! I am not sure how or when or where they will be available to purchase; this first one was basically a secret until it arrived. So keep an eye out and let us know if you see or find anything: computergirls@whiskeyclone.net

Also, one question–did anyone order the One Foot Deluxe vinyl + download set from beck.com? Did that package have a Record Club vinyl in it too?

UPDATE: The band on “Sunday Morning” was Beck, Nigel Godrich, Brian LeBarton, Chris Holmes, and an Icelandic singer named Thorunn. Well, from Chris’ own blog, he mentions here that they did the ENTIRE Velvet Underground & Nico album!

Posted in Beck, Record Club | 4 Comments »

Charlotte Gainsbourg album

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

So, I cannot remember if I’ve ever mentioned this on here or not. But we had known for a little while that Beck was working on Charlotte Gainsbourg’s upcoming record, producing and writing it with her. He said once that he was supposed to help out on her previous album, 5:55 but was unable to (she did that album with Air and Nigel Godrich).

Of course, Charlotte’s parents are Serge Gainsbourg (a big influence on Beck) and Jane Birkin (who sang a song with Beck once!).

Recently while in Japan, Beck played the song “Paradisco” live, which I was told was a song likely for Charlotte’s album. Well today, Charlotte posted a short update on her myspace page which says the following:

Recording with Beck, new album due for release late 2009
Following Air, Jarvis Cocker, Neil Hannon & Nigel Godrich for 2006â€™s successful â€œ5.55â€, Charlotte Gainsbourg is currently working with Beck on the composition & production of her new album.

The album is scheduled for November 2009. It will feature at least 11 songs, titles including â€œIn The Endâ€, â€œHeaven Can Waitâ€ and â€œMaster Handâ€.

This to be the first sort of official announcement about the record, previously it’s only been mentioned in some Japanese interviews, I believe. Here is her website and her myspace.

Posted in Beck, Charlotte Gainsbourg | No Comments »