I recently picked up Mecca Normal’s Dovetail album (1992) on the K Records label and I decided to visit their website to look for more info and to check out the K Records catalog. When I got there I was surprised to find out several things: Calvin Johnson (K-founder) is still at the helm and still recording; Modest Mouse has some albums on the K label; a re-issue of the first Beat Happenings LP; and no re-issue of Beck’s incredible One Foot in the Grave, which I was able to find over at the Music on the Fringe blog – where you should definitely pay a visit! It’s odd that One Foot in the Grave has not been re-issued, as it is one of Beck’s best offerings.
One Foot in the Grave appeared not long after the noisy freak-out of Stereopathetic Soulmanure, and its quiet, folky textures couldn’t be more different than those of its predecessor, or the genre-bending Mellow Gold, for that matter. Recorded before Mellow Gold, the record showcases Beck as a postmodern folkie, and the results are revelatory. Stripped of the intoxicating production that dominated Mellow Gold, Beck’s songs prove to be wonderful, vibrant tunes, teeming with emotion, haunting wordplay, and simple, memorable melodies. It’s alternately haunting and jubilant, and Calvin Johnson’s occasional harmonies lend the record an intimate warmth. It’s a gentle record, and its collection of small gems are every bit as impressive as the songs on Mellow Gold or its 1996 follow-up, Odelay. -Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG
I am the creator and site administrator at The Basement Rug. I have been collecting LP's and CD's for more than 30 years. I