MANILA, Philippines – For his next album, Beck is going old school.
Just how old school? Think 20 songs existing only as sheet music that have never seen the day of light.
“Beck Hansen’s Song Reader” is an “experiment in what an album can be at the end of 2012,” said Beck in a post on his official website.
Instead of releasing complete songs on his own, Beck will let musicians and his fans (or anyone, really), come up with their own take on his music.
The “album,” slated for release in December this year, has already stirred the interest of music pundits.
Will Burns of Forbes is all praises. He wrote, “It’s a modern idea that appeals to the user-generated generation. It made me proud to be human, it made me stand right up and it made me want to share it with you right now.”
Music website Stereogum asks, “So is this a genuinely cool act of defiance in a musical landscape increasingly littered with disposable MP3s? Or the most pretentious thing since Metal Machine Music?”
The 20 songs will be published in full-color, featuring art from several artists, including Marcel Dzama (the same guy who provided the visuals for “Guero”), Leanne Shapton, Josh Cochran and Jessica Hische.
How does it work, exactly? Burns explains:
With Beck’s “invitation,” musicians and would-be musicians everywhere can “be inspired by the imagery in the packaging, be inspired by the compositions, but generate [their] own takes,” he said.
He predicts that social media will soon be filled with different interpretations of Beck’s sheet music. “It’s endless,” he added.
Beck is an American singer-musician who rose to fame in 1994 with his hit song, “Loser.”
Are you looking forward to Beck’s next album? Would you do a “cover” of his sheet music when it comes out?
Let us know what you think! Leave a comment below. -Rappler.com
Watch the music video of “Loser” here:
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