Beck has traveled light years from being pegged as a reluctant generational spokesperson when "Loser" metamorphosed from a rejected demo in 1992 to a ubiquitous smash by 1994. In the decades since, he has crystallized much of the post-modern ruckus of the '90s alternative explosion, but in his own unpredictable manner: Beck's singular career has been one that's seen him utilize all manners and eras of music, blurring boundaries and blazing a path into the future while simultaneously foraging through the past.
Surfacing just as alternative rock went mainstream, no small thanks to his 1994 debut Mellow Gold, Beck quickly confounded expectations with subsequent releases including the lo-fi folk of One Foot in the Grave. But the album that truly cemented Beck's place in the pantheon was 1996's multi-platinum Best Alternative Grammy winner Odelay, that touched upon all of his obsessions, providing a cultural keystone for the decade from the indelible hook of "Devil's Haircut" to the irresistible call and response of the Grammy-winning anthem "Where It's At."
"Dreams" gave Beck his second #1 single at AAA radio (the first being Morning Phase's "Blue Moon") as he continued feverishly working up sketches at home to be fleshed out with producer
Greg Kurstin (coincidentally a veteran of Beck's live band circa Sea Change). It seemed there was a literal embarrassment of riches from which to carve out the diamond of a new album-but then Beck noticed that a track he'd been demoing at home had "gone viral"... amongst his children and their friends, that playdates were morphing into dance parties punctuated by refrains of "Wow"...
"Wow" was unveiled to the world June 2, 2016 in all its fluorescent mutant hip hop glory. And accompanying the retro-futuristic earworm was a virtual "Wow" world built with the help of a global collective of creators on Instagram. If "Dreams" was the post-Morning Phase party we'd all been waiting for but just didn't know it until the invite showed up, "Wow" kicked off the afterparty for the next generation-coming at you live from the future courtesy of Beck.
For a full list of upcoming Beck shows, continue to check Beck.com.
