Beck Overhauls Website, Starts Cover Band, Covers The Velvet Underground

We're typically pretty skeptical when we get a press release or update about a website overhaul: They can be interesting, but more often than not, they're just a marketing mechanism for a new record. So, that being said, we were psyched when we went to check out Beck's new website and wound up with an whole lot of awesome.

Specifically, Beck has embarked on a project he calls "Record Club", where he and an assortment of musicians and producers (Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker, Brian Lebarton, Bram Inscore, Giovanni Ribisi, Chris Holmes, and Thorunn Magnusdottir) cover classic records in a twenty four hour period. They then release the tracks weekly, and eventually you have yourself a whole disc. Odd, but cool, right?

Not one turn his nose up at a challenge, Beck has chosen The Velvet Underground & Nico as the first target record of the project. Yes, we were a bit skeptical as well, but you need not worry. The first track ("Sunday Morning") has been posted on the web, and it's damn, damn good. In short, the assemblage of musical heavyweights nails it dead on. Now we're just "Waiting For The Man". Get it? See, it's like, the next track on the record, but also we're waiting for the track. Get it???? Nevermind. xoxo

mp3: Beck - Sunday Morning

Blur's Press Machine Shifts Into Gear

We wouldn't normally be excited to so blatantly regurgitate press material for you, but the fact of the matter is that we're inside of one month of the Blur reunion, and that's got us more than a little stoked. In fact, it's got us completely stoked.

So, for the time being, we'll put aside the obvious commercial crassness of Midlife, and instead point out the band's big media push that started today. Specifically, the band's aged website has been given a massive overhaul to match the reunion, and the widget above has been published so that you can check out "exclusive studio footage". Sure, it's low res, and not terribly compelling beyond that, but frankly: we're so excited we'll take whatever we can get!