I am intrigued and ELATED by Becks collaboration with McSweeney's. Instead of releasing his new album as a DL, cd or vinyl he has gone seriously old school by not recording it at all. Opting instead to release it as a book of sheet music so you make the music your damn self. I am so excited for this project because I have been taking banjo lessons and it will be an exciting test of my mettle to put the music theory lessons to the test.

"Song Reader is an experiment in what an album can be at the end of 2012 — an alternative that enlists the listener in the tone of every track, and that’s as visually absorbing as a dozen gatefold LPs put together. The songs here are as unfailingly exciting as you’d expect from their author, but if you want to hear “Do We? We Do,” or “Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard,” bringing them to life depends on you."

The 20-song album comes out just in the St. Nic of time to be a wondrous gift for your favorite musician and will feature original art from Marcel Dzama, an introduction by Jody Rosen, a foreword by Beck, and “when necessary, ukelele notation.” Some renditions of the songs performed by readers and select musicians will be featured on the McSweeney's page devoted to this project. There is also an official Song Reader page

Some fans have already started and they are beautiful and inspiring and occasionally odd....just like Beck so they are perfect (if you do a version of this song send it to me jessie@kdge.com and I'll post it here)

My faves are by Ben Jenkins, (fez wearing stripey shirted)Doozy and the version by The Average White Punk Band who LAY IT DOWN but good.