Beck’s introspective journey to his best self
Beck has always navigated the complex landscape of music, often swinging between the goofy and the irrelevant, or diving deep into melancholy. Now, seven years after a studio record, the mercurial artist has broken his silence with a new album, Ride Lonesome, a record that firmly plants itself in the category of “sad Beck.”
On first listen, the new work immediately draws a line to Beck’s earlier, beloved 2002 record, Sea Change. This sonic echo makes perfect sense, given that the core creative team—including Smokey Hormel, Joey Waronker, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., and Jason Falkner—has returned to guide Beck through these new feelings. The result is an album that is undeniably sad yet refreshingly tasteful.
While many tracks sound remarkably similar, repeated spins reveal a deeper truth: introspective Beck may be the most authentic iteration of the artist. The sound of Ride Lonesome is a gentle wander through subtle instrumentation and wistful vocals, offering a stark contrast to the postmodern playground and pranksterism found on earlier works like Odelay, Midnite Vultures, and even the psych synth experiment of Hyperspace.
The album begins with a deeply atmospheric title track, establishing a dream world sentiment through mournful pedal steel, soft drumming, and gauzy production. Tracks like “Failed Words” open up with a hazed-out piano layered with sounds reminiscent of an otherworldly orchestra, creating a grand yet intimate atmosphere for what is fundamentally an intimate record.
Fans of Sea Change will find deep solace in the textures of Ride Lonesome. For instance, “In the Night” employs arpeggiated guitar and stabbing strings that echo the emotional landscape of “Paper Tiger,” while “Falling Through My Hands” offers a sweeping feel that recalls the emotional weight of “Lost Cause,” cementing the album’s place among Beck’s finest songwriting.
Though the sounds may be familiar due to the inherent nostalgia, Ride Lonesome is not a carbon copy of its predecessor. It avoids the jarring transition of Sea Change, instead embracing a mood that feels melancholic and longing. Ultimately, while Beck has never been a relentlessly warm rock star, this album offers a quiet, profound comfort—a realization that perhaps, in the quiet corners of introspection, there is a beautiful, poignant truth waiting to be heard.
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