Esquire music columnist Andy Langer runs through this week's new CD releases, including albums by Beck, Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis, and Mugison.
Beck albums have alternated between his personas since his debut: He goes back and forth between Party Beck and Bummer Beck — and, unfortunately, Modern Guilt is all Bummer Beck. Danger Mouse contributes patchwork, psychedelic production to the album, but there are no songs here. Beck's next album will probably be called his comeback, but not this one.
Willie Nelson's collaboration with Wynton Marsalis leads the two to the intersection of jazz and country: the blues. On Two Men With The Blues, the legends chose the songs carefully and kept the recordings spontaneous and loose. If the album isn't obviously a classic, it was still a smart move done well.
Mugison's Mugiboogie is a fun record. It feels a bit like an art project, but it's also funky and bluesy. And it's probably a better record overall than Beck's latest.
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