Standalone singles need sturdy footing, and there’s something so very throwaway about ‘Timebomb’ that has even the most fair-weather of Beck fans pondering what the point of its release is, exactly.
Pulse and throb, for just under three minutes; going nowhere, no climax come the countdown’s conclusion; just questions unanswered, closure far from present. Reading too much into a silly dancefloor song to fill space between one toe-tapper and another? P’haps, but when the artist in question is one so celebrated as He Who Made Odelay, scrutiny is unavoidable.
“Nah nah nah nah… Timebomb ticking”, over and over. Repetition grinding its way home, burrowing beneath skin but itching rather than prickling, irritating rather than pleasurable. Where’s the BOOM, Beck? This is a damp blip, a cut lead, the red’s the winner but how we wish he’d snipped at the blue just for effect.
Watch the clock: once all the seconds are up it’s unlikely you’ll go around again.
Video (unofficial from YouTube)
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My opinion?
It's a definite interlude which bookends The Information and leaves the path open for a new record that will pick up from where this left off.
Granted, it's not the strongest thing he's ever done, and i think Beck knows that - it's a quick stab and retract in the dark, an energetic taster to pass the time, nothing more, nothing less.
This^
Although it really should have been a b - side
Yeah!
Very bizarre release this. Probably wont reflect the flavour of new material though.
an average song this
Beck for me has always promised so much yet for the most part failed to deliever except for Odelay, Mellow Gold and half of Guero, the rest of his LPs which there have been many are fairly dull, or just really crap
yeah but!
If anybody else made this people would be going crazy over it! It's just because it's Beck people expect so much, just enjoy what it is!