Song Reader Beck
Even if I claim that Beck is a marketing specialist and not an aritst in the first place I would like to pull my hat off to him concerning his latest "album". Respect.
The idea not to record an album but sell the scores of his music looks like a real milestone in the music business. To give his fans the opportunity to interpret his music in their own way an publish them at the Song Reader Website zu veröffentlichen is a very fresh and new twist within this business.
Beck himself was talking about a dynamic project during an interview with the New Yorker. Musicians and musically gifted people this book is for sure a real challange and enrichment. But what do all the people who are not able to read scores? Well, waiting for his next concert I guess. Which will have a record number of visitors. (Look, and there I see the marceting specialist again) At bottom Beck's Song Reader is the idea of the century. As nowadays a concert often mutates into an expensive reproductive experience after listening to the album over and over again. With his scores he created a renaissance of the concert premiere.
Well, and for all persons who are not really into music but more into visual incentives, Song Reader provides a lot for you too. All 20 songsheets were designed by 20 different illustrators (Sergio Mebrillas, Alonzo Felix, Jing Wei,...). All in all the Song Reader is
printed well and presented in a presentable Retro Look. Except the cover – hmm Mister Beck, apparently there was no illustrator involved?
[© Beck and McSweeney's | Faber and Faber]
