What the hell, when did that happen? I guess I wasn’t paying attention to Beck, I was to busy being disappointed by Sublime and The Ting Tings; wondering how in the world Modest Mouse is going to record songs with Big Boi (which they’ve already done, apparently) and why Franz Ferdinand isn’t saying anything about the new album they’re working on. Oh, and I was also busy being pumped for the new Jukebox the Ghost album.

But, Beck did in fact release a new single, I’ve got it in my hand. It feels strange to be holding a freshly pressed 7″. I have new 12″ers, but those seem like they’d be more profitable in this day and age. No matter, because even though I bought the record, Third Man still didn’t give me a way to download it and I had to buy it again off Itunes.

Well, was it worth it. The B-side “Blue Randy” wasn’t, I’ll tell you that off the bat. It’s the disappointing, droning Beck I though we’d rid of when Sea Change came out. That’s when his droning got less disappointing. But really, it seems different from past efforts, maybe it will grow on me like Mutations did, but until then I’d skip the B.

But what we’re really here for is the A-side, right, those are ones that are remembered, except when they aren’t and the B-side becomes the hit. But that won’t be the case with “I Just Started Hating Some People Today”, because it is far superior to “Blue Randy”. The song has Beck going to country (and then devolving into chaos by the song’s end) which I must say I quite enjoy. Beck’s sense of humor is back, and the new country tune brings him closer to his folk roots. It’s like an extremely polished song from One Foot in the Grave or Steropathetic Soulmanure. It makes me smile to hear somehow cohesive nonsense from Beck again, no matter how much I liked Modern Guilt, Sea Change, Mutations, and to some extent The Information (on seriousness, not liking) it’s always fun to hear that. The song is thoroughly enjoyable and entirely Beck, just with a country spin. Every album Beck has done so far has evolved in songwriting and into a new genre, and this is a great jump in both directions. It’s country-Beck is all I really have to say about it and if that sounds appealing to you, then give it a listen, the A-side is worth the dollar (or eight if you buy the single {including shipping}).

I hope the new inevitable Beck album keeps up this vibe and that Third Man can continue to release Beck albums (with digital copies included).

By: Austin Smith