The Information
by Beck
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 112 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 95 out of 112
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 112
  3. Negative: 9 out of 112

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  1. Guus2002
    Mar 2, 2018
    10
    Many people feel like Midnite Vultures is Becks most risky album. I heavily disagree. I feel like The Information is Becks most out there album and I love every single minute. Beck makes a template were people can experiment with the songs, but also creates well written and produced tracks. There are three kind of Becks: Poppy Beck, Moody Beck, and Trippy Beck.

    Some great pop songs are    Many people feel like Midnite Vultures is Becks most risky album. I heavily disagree. I feel like The Information is Becks most out there album and I love every single minute. Beck makes a template were people can experiment with the songs, but also creates well written and produced tracks. There are three kind of Becks: Poppy Beck, Moody Beck, and Trippy Beck.

    Some great pop songs are Elevator Music, Nausea, Cellphone's Dead, We Dance Alone and No Complaints. Elevator music has a great sing-along chorus and really makes you want to dance. Nausea has some great percussion and some great sampelling throughout that makes you feel paranoid. Cellphone's dead starts out like a good-enough rap song, but morphs into this great jam-sessions. No Complaints is a nice down to earth track after some intense tracks and prepares for the grand-finale. We Dance Alone is a great electronic enfused dance track.

    Moody Beck appears on tracks like Think I'm In love, Movie Theme, New round and Motorcade. Think I'm In love just feels relatable and I love the Bass-line on the track. New round feels like refilling the engine and preparing for the long and interesting road ahead. Movie Theme has some amazing and synths. Motorcade has this feel like warming up.

    And there is Trippy Beck on the other tracks. Strange apperition morphs into a different song and dilevers a great two act song. Dark Star feels like the opening of a Sci-Fi opus and uses some great samples from Elevator Music. 1000 BPM is Becks most insane song ever. The sounds mash and form into this amazing dance track. The information has some intense drums that really speeds the track up a lot. And last we have The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton. The horrible Fanfare builds up with some calm and intense instruments. landslide is my favorite of the three. It has this great guitar riff and intenser drums. Exoskeleton nicely closes the album nicely down.

    Overall consensus: Sleek, but with deeper meanings, The Informations is Becks most risky record and pays of in Spectacular fashion    … Expand
  2. j30
    Feb 19, 2012
    7
    The Information is Beck returning to his weird side from Midnight Vultures days. The album is not as inviting as Midnight Vultures, but still a nice detour. I do love Nigel Godrich's production and album's "do-it-yourself" sticker album cover.
  3. Armington
    Nov 28, 2010
    6
    His most inconsistent effort in my opinion. Still many standout tracks of course, notably Nausea, No Complaints and Think I'm In Love, but a few dud experiments too (Strange Apparition and 1000 BPM). I appreciate this album is an attempt to go back to the eclectic nature of his early albums, with an obviously more electro leaning, but it I think he was just that little bit more interestingHis most inconsistent effort in my opinion. Still many standout tracks of course, notably Nausea, No Complaints and Think I'm In Love, but a few dud experiments too (Strange Apparition and 1000 BPM). I appreciate this album is an attempt to go back to the eclectic nature of his early albums, with an obviously more electro leaning, but it I think he was just that little bit more interesting and that little bit more mental on the likes of 'Mellow Gold' and 'Odelay'. Brilliant in parts, less so in others.… Expand
  4. mhmusicnmovies
    Sep 7, 2010
    8
    Following up, as well as straying from "Loser" was a tough enough move for Beck to make. But his next album, Odelay, is Beck's best album to date. Sea Change was an amazing yet downbeat record; The Information is, in my opinion, a mix of all of his albums... and thats a good thing.
  5. BrianF.
    Nov 3, 2007
    10
    Well put together, you cant make a better sound.
  6. VidM
    Aug 13, 2007
    7
    A few excellent tracks are held back by several weaker ones.
  7. RossG.
    Jun 8, 2007
    9
    This album is vastly underrated to the point that it's almost criminal. I'll admit I wasn't a huge fan at first, but repeated listens revealed its genius. On many of the tracks, Beck layers the sounds in the songs so perfectly you can't help but be amazed at his appreciation for texture and production. Songs such as Soldier Jane, Cell Phone's Dead and Dark Star This album is vastly underrated to the point that it's almost criminal. I'll admit I wasn't a huge fan at first, but repeated listens revealed its genius. On many of the tracks, Beck layers the sounds in the songs so perfectly you can't help but be amazed at his appreciation for texture and production. Songs such as Soldier Jane, Cell Phone's Dead and Dark Star (off the top of my head) among many others are classics. As a devout fan of his older albums including the overlooked Mellow Gold and the acclaimed Odelay, I can say with confidence that this album is up there with his best, beating out the previous year's Guero by a long shot.… Expand
  8. JohnnyS
    May 22, 2007
    9
    Truly Becks best album. I read somewhere on this site that to find the best music in Metacritic you have to look for a rating in the mid 70's to low 80's and the more I look the more this rule holds true. This album will be unfortunately somewhat overlooked which is a real shame. It's worth listening to just for Nigel Goodrich's production alone.
  9. JamesO
    May 10, 2007
    9
    An awesome albumn. Phat and Phunky with brains to boot. Best Beck Albumn Ever.
  10. RyV
    Feb 2, 2007
    10
    I'lll put it this way, on my new mp3 player; I put on this album and the slayer discography ;) Ppl who luv metal can luv beck ! -but I bet most don't listen
  11. CoreyJ
    Jan 29, 2007
    10
    Perfection. My favourite Beck album ever and every track makes you wanna get up and dance
  12. RyanH
    Jan 3, 2007
    9
    I do not see how anyone could rate this album poorly. Especially anything under an 8. While starting off with the free moving song elevator music every song is pretty solid but it does seem to sputter out at the end. Nausea could be the best song of 2006 to rock out to while having real musical quality.
  13. totallycool
    Jan 2, 2007
    10
    I agree with that fairrate guy, except on one thing. Nausea is an awesome song! They are all awesome!
  14. MrK
    Dec 21, 2006
    10
    It's perfect. can't really find any flaws
  15. ReubenF
    Dec 18, 2006
    6
    Beck is the sort of artist who is always a bit patchy - he is experimental, so he is allowed to be. At his best in the 90's, such as on the 'Odelay' LP (1996), he could justly be said to be one of the greatest artists of that decade. Since then he has written some good songs, such as 'Nobody's Fault But My Own' (1998), and 'Lost Cause' and Beck is the sort of artist who is always a bit patchy - he is experimental, so he is allowed to be. At his best in the 90's, such as on the 'Odelay' LP (1996), he could justly be said to be one of the greatest artists of that decade. Since then he has written some good songs, such as 'Nobody's Fault But My Own' (1998), and 'Lost Cause' and 'It's All In Your Mind' on the 'Sea Change' LP (2002). However, these highlights are quiet, mellow songs, which don't quite recapture his best moments. Likewise with this album. A little disappointed, but still hopeful he can regain his funk.… Expand
  16. WillT
    Dec 17, 2006
    9
    Great album. I haven't listened to much Beck in the past but the sustained quality of this album really impressed me.
  17. MrFairrateX
    Dec 17, 2006
    9
    There was only one song on this album that i didn't like and that was Nausea (probably the most popular song). All the other songs are TOP QUALITY BECK. Especially 1000BPM: best beat ive ever heard from Beck.
  18. MaxM
    Dec 14, 2006
    9
    There is no reason to give this album anything lower than a seven. Everyone of Beck's albums is different and it is hard to come up with an instrument that he hasn't used yet. This album sounds great. If you enjoy listening to different music, this album is for you.
  19. MH
    Dec 5, 2006
    9
    V. good album; the only track that's questionable is the last one ('Horrible Fanfare...'), which sounds a bit too much like Revolution #9. Other than that, it's got huge replay value, good lyrics, good music, and good beats.
  20. KeytonE
    Nov 28, 2006
    10
    A masterpiece. Subtle, intelligent, catchy, brilliant. No, it isn't as quirky and off beat as Beck's previous work, but that doesn't mean it isn't a quality album. To me, it represents a more sophisticated approach from Beck and he succeeds with flying colors. I cannot understand how any Beck fan would be disappointed.
  21. NickN
    Nov 21, 2006
    9
    Far more focused than 2004's "Guero", Beck is breaking new ground for himself. Too many people are concerned with Beck going back to what brought him to the top, but it's clear that he's more concerned with making music that he wants to make. His recent modern hip-hop kick is seen throughout the album, and whitewashed by Nigel's electronica
  22. JonL
    Nov 16, 2006
    10
    Possibly Becks definitive statement as an artist. One of the best uses of production I've heard in years (not that Godrich is ever slack, even on the more mediocre Radiohead releases post-Kid A), and Becks musings are as interesting and puzzling as ever. Requires much closer listening than his other work to fully appreciate, but the rewards make it more than worth it.
  23. DodK
    Nov 9, 2006
    8
    It's the real deal, almost every track is great and there's so much attention to detail, highly recommended. The stickers also look great on the back of one's car
  24. joshm
    Nov 3, 2006
    10
    The Information is a great example of Beck's unique style. He combines randomness with some meaningfull lyrics. It is a great album.
  25. RickS
    Oct 29, 2006
    2
    You can tell straight off the bat the critics don't have a clue what there talking about, take the NY times-"[A] darkly intelligent album", ahhh NO did you listen to the album, this album is anything but dark as$#le. Ok take The Onion-"There's nothing here that Beck hasn't done before", why yes the same old sh!t he's been trying to find, but you seem to give him a high You can tell straight off the bat the critics don't have a clue what there talking about, take the NY times-"[A] darkly intelligent album", ahhh NO did you listen to the album, this album is anything but dark as$#le. Ok take The Onion-"There's nothing here that Beck hasn't done before", why yes the same old sh!t he's been trying to find, but you seem to give him a high score. Haa I love Rolling Stone almost everything they say is so wrong it just cracks me up-"One of the best albums Beck has ever made", right, alot of beck fans might want to take you up on that. Well for me this album was like listening to a "band" that… Expand
  26. LucasK
    Oct 28, 2006
    10
    I JUST CAN"T STOP LISTENING TO IT!!! The mix of instruments are well blended and it's unique and it works. But I was disappointed by the last song, unfortunately.
  27. DougC
    Oct 23, 2006
    8
    Beck's back! and that's good! This one'll be fun to listen to for a long time. Also, "Devil's Haircut" echoes throughout many tracks, here.
  28. Matt
    Oct 22, 2006
    10
    Beck's still gettin' crazy with the Cheez-Whiz. He's one of the rare musicians that is able to consistently produce a quality product. Definitely worth the money to buy and the time to listen and watch. The videos are hilarious.
  29. zzgreen
    Oct 20, 2006
    3
    Beck continues to dissapoint! He started his career with a few loud bangs, and now he seems to just be whimpering more with each new album. There is nothing peppy and interesting in his music anymore. No more jump. Just bland music, mixed with bland lyrics. Come on! Get back to the basics!
  30. TimothyO
    Oct 18, 2006
    10
    The Information is great and I like it.
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Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Discussed Album of 2006
66
#66 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Los Angeles Times
    100
    This is their third collaboration, but neither the casual, light-bodied "Mutations" nor the intimate "Sea Change" anticipated this kind of flowering. [24 Sep 2006]
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    If Beck gets better as he gets madder, this is definitely his best since 'Midnite Vultures' - maybe even since 'Odelay'.
    Read full review
  3. NOW Magazine
    60
    Without the bizarre lyrical invention and fuck-shit-up whimsy of his earlier work, Beck's attempts at party jams come off woefully overwrought and flat, making the darker bits interspersed throughout seem intriguing by default.
    Read full review
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