Beck - Colors (2017) [Hi-Res]

Like sunshine follows the rain, after a melancholy Beck album comes the party. This 13th studio album follows Morning Phase’s exquisite sadness, and it's seemingly custom-built to provide its author significant onstage fun. And as anyone who’s been to a Beck show knows, this is a very good thing. “Dreams”—that mighty 2015 single—gets a taut redux and is injected with more oomph, and the freewheeling title track somehow makes panpipes cool, while “I’m So Free,” “Wow,” and “Up All Night” would make undisputed album standouts for lesser artists. On one straining with irresistible, highest-end alt-rock good times, they’re just part of an elite ensemble cast.