Beck is back and he’s ready to party! Three years after the gentle acoustic breeze of Morning Phase, “Dear Life” is a blast of confetti to the face. The song fuses Beck’s best elements: the strong vocals of his stripped-back work and the funk of Odelay. It’s an updated, mature take on the high-flying, fun-loving atmosphere that made people listen to Beck in the first place.
The song rides along a saloon piano to an echoed, earworm of a chorus. Throw in a sharp, slightly warped guitar riff in there too and you’ve got the makings of a new favorite. The lyrics, as expected from Beck, are weird but get the message across in their unique way. “You drove your Rolls into the swamp/You stole away like a thief, reeling from the sticker shock /Of the price they put upon your soul/You buy it back from the burning ashes of the devil you know.”
If you’re looking for more upbeat Beck, you’re in luck! His new album, Colors, which promises a similar vibe, is out on Oct. 13.