“Modern Guilt”

Beck

www.modernguilt.com

DGC

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Part of the intrigue of each Beck release is which hat he will don — the major-label persona of discs like “Odelay” or the dark indie sound of “Mutations.” His latest, though, is rewarding on all levels.

Co-produced with Danger Mouse, the 10 tracks explore dark, disparate themes with a musical palette that ranges from electronic to psych-folk with some orchestration thrown in for good measure. The sound and production strike a balance between Beck’s major-label and low-fi releases, with plenty of snappy beats and murky textures.

The opener, “Orphans,” sets the tone with the gentle, low-key feel of the Kinks with a tuneful chorus. There are echoes of a few generations of music — mostly British to my ear — in these tracks, as Beck and DM subtly insert references that recall bands as diverse as Wire and T-Rex, but as it should be, that’s best left to the ear of the beholder.

The hushed vocals and piano of “Chemtrails” bring to mind Canterbury rockers Soft Machine while the rock beat and clipped vocals of “Gamma Ray” evoke early Cure. The title track could almost pass for the Kinks meet glam rock.

“Youthless” combines a hypnotic groove with percolating synth lines while the herky-jerky lounge feel of “Replica” works in counterpoint to the languid vocal line, and there’s a touch of Eno in the nursery rhyme melody, harmonies and guitar effects of “Soul of a Man.”

Overall, the Beck-DM collaboration is a seamless one. There’s consistency in both sound and concept with the songs providing the vehicles to serve the producer’s whims.

“House With No Home”

Horse Feathers

www.myspace.com/horsefeathersmusic

Kill Rock Stars

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This hauntingly beautiful record began with the simple songs of Indiana native Justin Ringle. Now living in Portland and signed to Kill Rock Stars, his second release continues the intuitive collaboration with multi-instrumentalists Peter Broderick and his sister Heather.

The band describes its music as “minimalist Americana,” which pretty much says it all. Ringle’s gentle Neil Young falsetto floats above the Brodericks’ sparse string arrangements, giving the tunes a chamber feel. Occasionally, as in “Rude to Rile,” everything builds to a striking crescendo, propelled by a Salvation Army-styled rhythm section. The harmonies on “Working Poor,” which has circular Celtic feel, and “Father” are every bit as close and rich as Crosby, Stills & Nash while alternately, there are intriguing moments of cacophony in “Albina.”

It’s pretty tough to make out the lyrics but the timbre of Ringle’s voice — and the way it blends with the arrangements — is definitely a bit of musical magic. You might call this back-porch music — but the back porch might be on the prairie or on a wooded mountain cabin. Great stuff!

— MICHAEL LIPTON