Beck Colors in a New Album

Modern Rock

By Kristi Kates | Sept. 30, 2017

Beck is set to release his much-anticipated and much delayed album Colors this month on Capitol Records. It will be The Beckster’s first full-length album since his 2014 Grammy Award winning effort Morning Phase, which snagged the Album of the Year nod. You might have already heard Beck’s first single from the set, “Dear Life,” which is on radio now. If not, you’ll be able to pick up the entire album on Oct. 13, and/or check out Beck live on tour this fall; he opens up for U2 on their 30th anniversary Joshua Tree Tour. Solo dates for Beck for early next year are also rumored to be in the works …

Grand Haven’s Tri-Cities Historical Museum has announced its latest Red House Concert Series for this winter. Tickets include a visit museum so you can take in the exhibits and the concert in the same night. For the 2017/2018 season, the shows will include singer-songwriter Joe Pug on Dec. 8; The Way Down Wanderers with special guest Olivia Millerschin on Jan. 19; Cadillac native Luke Winslow-King with special guest 10 String Symphony on Feb. 9; Scythian in March; and The War and Treaty in April. For tickets and more information, visit www.tri-citiesmuseum.org …

Newly arrived in outlets this week, just in time for Halloween, is a new Michael Jackson compilation album dubbed SCREAM. The set includes an appropriately numbered 13 tracks, among them several of Jackson’s classic ’80s hits as well as a massive mash-up track called “Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous,” a mix spun by The White Panda that includes Jackson’s “Blood on the Dance Floor,” “Leave Me Alone,” “This Place Hotel,” “Is It Scary,” and “Dangerous.” Accompanying the release of the album are a series of special Jackson events, including screenings of the also Halloween-ready, rarely seen short film, Michael Jackson’s Ghosts …

Four Tet has a new album out this week called New Energy, a set that’s already spawned a big new single called “Scientists.” Four Tet, aka producer Kieran Hebden, previewed the album earlier the summer with a pair of debut tracks called “SW9 9SL” and “Planet.” He donated the first 1,000 copies of New Energy’s vinyl and CD releases to Oxfam, so the sales would benefit the charity. New Energy also includes the tracks “Falls 2,” “10 Midi,” and “LA Trance”… 

LINK OF THE WEEK
A new Lady Gaga rockumentary is just out on Netflix. If you’re a fan of the short but powerful singer, you can watch her Gaga: Five Foot Two movie that shows her working on music, prepping for her Super Bowl halftime performance — and such mundane things as running errands. Watch the trailer now at netflix.com/title/80196586 …

THE BUZZ
Detroit rapper Eminem has teamed up with StockX to help raise money for clean-up and relief efforts for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. For every donation made, that person is submitted into a drawing to win a pair of sneakers from a celeb like Pharrell Williams, Mark Wahlberg, or Eminem himself …

If you think you can dance, then go see the cast of So You Think You Can Dance at the Fox Theater in Detroit on Oct. 6 for a little live comparison …

Grand Rapids country-rock outfit Paradise Outlaw has released its debut album, which the band recorded at River City Studios …

Also in Grand Rapids, the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center is kicking off its 14th season on Oct. 30 with New Orleans soul singer Irma Thomas, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and The Preservation Hall Legacy Quintet …

Detroit buzz band Protomartyr just played a big show on the Detroit Princess riverboat in advance of its latest album, Relatives in Descent … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.