Two years ago, in 2012, Beck released the album in sheet music form, leaving it up to individual musicians around the world to interpret his compositions in their own style. Three live shows have been staged since that release and later this month, on July 28, the first ‘Song Reader’ album will be officially released.
Beck said: “Like a kid getting a special package in the mail and opening it up with anticipation, these interpretations of songs from the Song Reader book have surpassed what I could have imagined when putting the book together. The book addressed the idea of a song in its most elemental form, letting others give it a voice. It amazes me to hear how these musicians have made the songs their 
own and in the process revealed that the interpretation is the living breathing soul of the piece. These interpretations have made the book something new – something better.”
Joining White and Cocker on the 20 track record are big name stars including Laura Marling, Jack Black, US band Fun and Norah Jones. Beck himself contributes one song, titled ‘Heaven’s Ladder’.
Song Reader Tracklist:
Moses Sumney – ‘Title of this Song’
Fun – ‘Please Leave A Light On When You Go’
Tweedy – ‘The Wolf Is On The Hill’
Norah Jones – ‘Just Noise’
Lord Huron – ‘Last Night You Were A Dream’
Bob Forrest – ‘Saint Dude’
Jack White – ‘I’m Down’
Beck – ‘Heaven’s Ladder’
Juanes – ‘Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard’
Laura Marling – ‘Sorry’
Jarvis Cocker – ‘Eyes That Say ‘I Love You”
David Johansen – ‘Rough On Rats’
Jason Isbell – ‘Now That Your Dollar Bills Have Sprouted Wings’
The Last Polka – ‘Marc Ribot’
Eleanor Friedberger – ‘Old Shanghai’
Sparks – ‘Why Did You Make Me Care?’
Swamp Dogg – ‘America, Here’s My Boy’
Jack Black – ‘We All Wear Cloaks’
Loudon Wainwright III – ‘Do We? We Do’
Gabriel Kahane with Ymusic – ‘Mutilation Rag’
Beck released his latest album, ‘Morning Phase’, in February of this year.
[NME]
