#tour breakdown

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "Wah-Wah" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

OK, I was letting the Grammy craziness die down a little before finishing off the MP tour breakdown here.  Two songs left, one quick, one long.  First up, a song from one of my all-time favorite records, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. Beck played George Harrison's "Wah-Wah" twice last year.  The first time was on Conan O'Brien's show, as part of George Harrison week. when different stars came on and covered George's songs.  The weekend before Beck's appearance, he did a show in LA that I attended.  I asked Justin which song they were doing, but he said they were deciding between two and couldn't tell me.  I never did learn what the second choice was, but as you can see, they went with one of George's guitar riff type songs. George's version is about twice as long as Beck and the guys perform it.  The original is a sort of formless jam, with a simple sparse lyric (as George did so well).  Beck sings this with good enthusiasm, and I enjoy hearing Smokey and Jason battle it out on the riff; but overall, I think there is a sort of formality to it--not bad, but likely due to being on TV doing a song they'd only just rehearsed. They did do "Wah-Wah" one time on the actual tour after that, though I am not aware of a recording so have not heard it.  Here is the version from Conan:

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "Waking Light" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

when the morning comes to meet you Song stats: Beck played "Waking Light" most nights in 2014, at 44 of the 57 shows.  (That doesn't include the 2 TV appearances of the song.)  Band lineup: (this kind of fluctuated a little) Beck - vocals, electric guitar Smokey – electric guitar (always), xylophone (on The Tonight Show), keyboards (first leg) Justin – bass Roger – keyboards, backup vocals Joey – drums Gus – piano (on the first leg), keyboards (after the first leg), backup vocals Jason – piano Josh Tillman (Father John Misty) – backup vocals, tambourine (on The Tonight Show) Breakdown:

“Waking Light”is a centerpiece of Morning Phase, if you can call the closing song a 'centerpiece', and continued to be on the tour as well. On record, “Waking Light” fits in an instrumental break and 3rd chorus, neither of which made it to the stage this year. After the second chorus, they would jump straight to the ending, the“oooh ooh” part and Beck's closing guitar solo. Instead of feeling shortened, which is fine, it felt like there was a hole in the song. This left me a bit cold—a strange, unwelcome reaction to this otherwise warm, beautiful song that I love.

The first time Beck played the song was on The Tonight Show, and I figured that they maybe shortened it for time. But they continued with it this way for the rest of the tour. The arrival of Beck's guitar solo at the end, which acts as a bit of a release, suffers for the lack of build before it. Instead, it just sort of shows up, its effect dampened. Morning does not show up suddenly, it takes its sweet time.  It would probably be impossible for "Waking Light" to come off rushed, and it doesn't, but instead, it just feels incomplete.

Anyway, most of the versions of the song sound pretty similar. It may have had some growing pains, when on the first leg, the band jumped around on instruments a bit. But then Jason joined the group, and they settled into the flow of the song. My favorite though remains the first version on The Tonight Show, which did not feel quite as smooth as later:

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "Soldier Jane" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

put a candle on her windowsill Song stats: Beck played "Soldier Jane" at 23 of his 57 shows in 2014.  But that was skewed a bit to the first half of the tour, as 18 of them were in the first 26 shows.

Band lineup: Beck - vocals, electric guitar Justin – bass, backup vocals, synthesizer Gus – tambourine, synthesizer Roger – keyboards, backup vocals, tambourine Joey – drums Smokey – electric guitar, percussion Jason – electric guitar, backup vocals Breakdown: “Soldier Jane” to me remains one of Beck's more unique, underrated songs. He does dig it out and play it on stage sometimes... usually when Justin Meldal-Johnsen is in the band (I think this is one of JMJ's favorites).

This year, they did not stray from the record much, though the beginning and the ending of the songs were both extended a little. Also hearing it on stage makes the song's minimalism clearer; for instance, while Beck and Jason wear guitars during the song, I'm not convinced they actually play very much. There is not a lot going on!  Smokey does play guitar during the ending, adding a superb Pink Floyd-y trippy solo over everything. Otherwise, “Soldier Jane” on stage was an exercise in ambience mixed with groove, an oxymoronic combination, for sure.  But that made it stand out in the set as a calm break in the middle of the storm of his high energy rock sets this year. Highlight:

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "The Golden Age" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

drive all night just to feel like you're okay Song stats: "The Golden Age" has been one of Beck's most-played songs since he recorded it, and this was the first time since 2001 it wasn't a main part of the tour.  It wasn't invisible though did play at 21 of the 57 shows in 2014.  But 15 of those came in the first 22, before it basically drifted away a bit.  Most of the time he did do it was when they opened the show with an 'acoustic' set, and "The Golden Age" often was the first song.

Band lineup: Beck - vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica Justin - bass, backup vocals Smokey - electric slide guitar Roger - piano, backup vocals Gus - harpsichord, acoustic guitar, backup vocals Joey - drums Jason (after May) - acoustic guitar, backup vocals Breakdown / Highlight: Not a lot to breakdown here; "The Golden Age" was another basic copy of the album.  They did shorten the ending a bit, which on record, is pretty lengthy (though soooo beautiful).  That said, this song didn't bore me as much as some of the other slavish copies on this tour (like "The New Pollution" or "Lost Cause").  I think this is for a few reasons.  One, it's one of my favorite songs so maybe I'm biased.  Two, the band still seemed to find little things to keep it interesting -- tinkly piano, fancy little bassline, developing some intricate backup vocals.  Things like that pop up while you listen.  And three, it wasn't played every night. 

As I listened across the songs, I think backup vocals stood out the most.  Once Jason joined the band, they seemed to start to stand out, as he would "ooooh" through the whole second verse, almost mimicking Smokey's slide guitar.  I thought this version showed that off pretty well.  (This video also contains a couple of songs after 'The Golden Age' fyi.)

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "Tropicalia" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

dance in a reptile blaze

Beck only played "Tropicalia" one time this year, at the request of a woman before the show in Paris. Fortunately, there's video!

The video only really shows Smokey, Joey and Beck.  But I can also hear piano (probably Roger), synthesizer (probably Gus), and bass (Justin).  Unsure what Jason adds, if anything, though he is seen with an acoustic guitar before they start. Anyway, as I wrote on "Dead Melodies," Beck rarely delves into Mutations anymore ("DM" was played three times only).  When he does, it's one of those two songs.  Weirdly, Beck has played "Tropicalia" one time every year since 2007 (except in 2009 and 2010 when he didn't tour, so he did not play it).  This was 2014's one time, I guess.  

I can't figure why though.  First, with Smokey back playing guitar, it would have fit nicely.  Smokey has recorded a couple of solo EPs, and they were full on covers of Brazilian music; this right here is his expertise. Second, Beck did not perform solo acoustic songs this year, and this sort of thing--more intimate and quiet and personal--was lacking from the set.  

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "The New Pollution" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

like a whipcrack sending me shivers Song stats: Beck played "The New Pollution" at 32 of his 57 shows this year.  It was not played at all on the first leg, nor on the final leg.  In between then, it was quite the regular (32 of 38 shows).   Band lineup: Beck - vocals, tambourine (sometimes) Justin - bass, backup vocals Gus – keyboards (inc. the solo), backup vocals, tambourine Roger – synthesizer (the effects – though this could be Gus), tambourine, backup vocals Smokey – electric guitar Jason – electric guitar, backup vocals Joey – drums

Breakdown:

This may be a little bit of a cop-out, but there was literally nothing exciting about “The New Pollution” this year. That's not to say it was bad – in fact, being live, it had a hop to it, and it was definitely well-received by the crowd and the band seems really into it. But looking at it closer here, there's almost nothing to say. Everything you hear on Odelay in the song, you could hear on stage – the “doo doo doo” chorus and the horn (both tapes), the note-for-note organ solo by Gus, the beat, the extra flourishes. The ending on the album, though, where all the instruments drop out one-by-one, leaving just the horns at the very end? They didn't do that creative outro on stage.  They just end it.

So yea, we've seen recreations like this a lot this year, and it's my biggest criticism of the tour. I don't expect everything to be majorly reconstructed every time out, but too much stuff like this makes a tour feel like Beck is leaning towards being a nostalgia act, touring around, recreating his hits, like he's on the Journey or Counting Crows circuit. Fun, sure, but what's the point? Where's the art? “The New Pollution” seems to be the focal point of this for me. Highlight (or something):

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "Black Tambourine" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

shake and rattle our bodies Song stats: Beck played "Black Tambourine" almost every night in 2014, at 55 of 57 shows.  The two times he did not do it were a short festival slot in between legs (for KROQ in So. Cal.) and then at the 54th show in Tulsa (for no apparent reason).  "BT" was also almost always played right after "Devils Haircut" at the beginning of their set (or the 'rock' section of the set). Band lineup: Beck - vocals, electric guitar Smokey - electric guitar, backup vocals Justin - bass, backup vocals Roger - tambourine, cowbell, backup vocals Gus - tambourine, electric guitar, backup vocals Joey - drums Jason (after May) - electric guitar, backup vocals Breakdown: I've always found "Black Tambourine" to be an odd song.  It just feels strange to me, but I can never quite pinpoint why.  This year, on stage, the band seemed to keep the minimal strange arrangement of the recording, all the while attacking it all with their own flair. There are a few "new" parts to the song.  It usually started with a thunderous electric guitar riff, which is a really cool beginning point.  This intro then morphs into the riff/intro as you hear it on the record.  Then, like the record, Beck does a couple of verses over bass and percussion. After that the record turns into a short guitar solo, which the band adapts on stage into a two-part guitar break.  First they beef up the riff, making it EXPLODE out of the song.  In many many songs, the chorus is usually the catchy part, but I've always loved how in quite a few Beck songs, it's the parts in between the words that stick in your head.  After the explosion, the band drops way down (literally and figuratively actually), and climbs the song back up into the next verse. For the third verse, it's definitely worth noting that Joey Waronker owns this song.  About this time of the song, he just goes off on the drums.  The first few times, I kept thinking he was going rogue on it, but you know, drummers cannot do that!  And he did it every night.  He just found the space in the song to go nuts really, and it is awesome.

The song ends with another quick explosion, the same riff from before.  (Though a few times, Beck tacked a short solo on at the very very end.)  Doing this series, I've been impressed by the band's restraint actually -- whenever they find a great new rock riff section (like on "Devils Haircut," "E-Pro," or here), they never overdo it.  They just drop it in there real quick, and leave it.  I mean, Beck's about as far from a jam band as ever there could be, but sometimes I would not mind to hear it go on a bit.  Especially here on "Black Tambourine"... that riff would be fun to hear if it were extended a little.

So ya, there's some seemingly contradictory things in live "Black Tambourine"s.  It is explosive, but also restrained.  Also it is minimal, but full of flair.  I am not sure this song ever made a lasting impression on anyone, but in the moment it was a total blast. Highlight: Quite enjoyed this version from Red Rocks in Colorado.  Again, focus on Joey's drums!  So cool.

[whiskeyclonenet-blog]

Cycle: "Timebomb" - 2014 Morning Phase tour breakdown

cold just like an alligator Song stats: Beck played this at 13 of the 57 shows, though somewhat interestingly it was the final 13 shows of the tour.  They didn't introduce it until show 45, and must have liked it, because it stayed. Band lineup: Beck - vocals Smokey - synthesizer Roger - synthesizer, backup vocals Jason - electric guitar, backup vocals Gus - synthesizers, backup vocals Justin - synthesizer, backup vocals Joey - drums Breakdown: "Timebomb" joined "Girl" and "Hell Yes" as one of the exciting, all-synth, new wave, highspeed jams of 2014.  All sounded great, and seemed to really get the crowd going.  "Timebomb" of course, on record, already sounds just like that, so it there was not quite the transformation that "Girl" and "Hell Yes" went through.   The first thing I noticed going through the live "Timebomb"s was just how into it Beck was.  Usually when he raps, he sort of has a laidback way about it... and even listening to the studio "Timebomb" you can hear that.  But on stage this year, he had an almost aggressive delivery.  It works though, and I think I prefer it. Also over the course of the final 13 shows, the band seemed to get more involved.  Initially, it seemed like it was mostly just Beck singing, which was a bit of a surprise because the studio version has SO many voices on it.  But shortly, the band got comfortable and used to doing more of the different vocals ("tick tick tick" and all that).  Though Beck has played this song live in the past, I don't think he ever really did with any of these band members.  So it took them a few times to get into it. Somewhat surprisingly, because it seems so constructed, there was some space for a few moments of ad-lib.  Beck took to singing little intros while the band all moved over to their synthesizers, but also in the middle of the song -- there's a drum break part that Beck would sometimes let go on longer than others.  And a couple of those times, he improvised some stuff over it.  He really did have a lot of fun on this song!  Highlight: Lots of good videos of this song to choose from actually... also liked the first weekend of Austin City Limits and Paris videos, but I'll go with this one, the second night in LA as quite indicative of how they settled into the song this year: