Archive for the ‘Charlotte Gainsbourg’ Category

Beck news

Monday, August 29th, 2011

So as I like to do every so often, I’ll try to summarize what Beck’s been up to in case you missed anything. And, yes, despite the lack of official Beck material, he’s actually been pretty busy! (First, check beck.com for some current news, like Autumn DeWilde’s photo book.)

Foremost, Beck has continued with the producer chapter of his career. After the Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jamie Lidell albums last year, this year he has also done albums with Thurston Moore and Stephen Malkmus. Both of those kept Beck in the news, as much of the press around their release was focused somewhat on Beck’s production. (And even some joint interviews with Beck.) Coming up, there are some more Charlotte Gainsbourg tracks (an EP and a sort of compilation album but with new material) that Beck produced, including some songs like “Paradisco” that Beck played live a few years back. Also on the producer-front, Beck is apparently producing Dwight Yoakam’s upcoming album. (!) I’m actually really getting into the idea that Beck is a producer at the moment. It’s a great position for his talents.

Beyond the producer thing, most everything else is on hiatus: Record Clubs, new albums, everything. Beck in a recent interview with Pitchfork sounded like he’s pretty unsure how to proceed, so I guess we’ll have to be patient! (And if you haven’t read that interview, go do it, it’s fairly revelatory.)

However, Beck has started doing the occasional live thing, which after a few years away from the stage is nice to see. He did a charity concert in San Francisco in May. And last night, he was the headliner of a Serge Gainsbourg tribute concert. The show, which was apparently mostly Beck’s idea, featured many singers doing the songs of Serge Gainsbourg. The house band also included Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Joey Waronker, James Gadson, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Beck sang 4 songs: “Nefertiti,” “Teenie Weenie Boppie,” “Les Sucettes,” and “Ah! Melody.”

I was there and filmed the first 3 songs: sorry the video quality is poor, I wasn’t close, but it sounds ok:

My video got linked around the web on some of the bigger news sites and blogs, which is great. Hope you all enjoy it! It just goes to show though: Beck, we’re all still here. We’re all still hungry for anything you want to give us, even if it’s a shaky dark clip of you singing “Teenie Weenie Boppie.” Any bit of Beck news is pored over, from recent interviews to 10-seconds of a new song being in a movie trailer (“Curfew”). Your base, Beck, is waiting… :)

An IRMinder

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Charlotte Gainsbourg’s new album, IRM, came out today in the United States and Canada. Beck wrote all the songs, and played most of the instruments, and put a lot of work into the record. Go pick it up today!

PS. Charlotte is appearing on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic on Wednesday January 27. Beck is supposed to appear with her; he hasn’t played with her at any of the other promo shows or gigs she’s done so far. (link).

Beck and Charlotte Gainsbourg Shows and Press

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

So, the Charlotte Gainsbourg album, IRM, has been released in Europe. It is due out in North America in early January. So some promotions and stuff have started, including shows and TV appearences (at least in France, anyway). My understanding is that some of Beck’s band went and backed her on some shows last month, though Beck may not have been involved (see this video, which has Bram Inscore and Brian LeBarton, but no Beck). However, it appears from this blog that they are going back this week to do more, and this time Beck will be involved.

So if anyone is in France and reads this blog, and hears more or goes to any shows, please let us know. If you can record any TV appearences, tape any concerts, grab any setlists, etc. please share with us: computergirls@whiskeyclone.net.

I’ve heard IRM and I must say, I think it is quite impressive. Beck and Charlotte have done some press for the album, there’s some up on charlottegainsbourg.com. Hearing about how they collaborated was very interesting. (However, some are in French. If anyone can pull any useful info out of any interviews, or maybe links to interviews, again, drop us a line!)

UPDATE: I’ve since learned that Beck is NOT in Paris on this trip either. Whether he will be playing any shows in the future with Charlotte, I’m not sure. But as of now, we as a Beck site, don’t need to track the setlists and things. But feel free to share if anything cool pops up!

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.”

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.

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 2006’s successful “5.55”, 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 “In The End”, “Heaven Can Wait” and “Master Hand”.

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.