Beck Hansen's Song Reader

You'll recall that the noted hip contrarian Beck turned silent composer lat last year, opting to release his latest album, not on mp3, CD, vinyl or even bloody cassette, but as sheet music he never intends to play.

Song Reader, basically a blue folder containing notation for 20 songs, looked set to fade from view, but the Portland Cello Project have sportingly decided to breathe life into it, and record the lot. Pleasingly, it sounds terrific, and features guest performances from the likes of Jolie Holland, Lizzy Ellison and Patti King (Radiation City), and Adam Shearer, Chanticleer Tru, Nate Query (Decemberists).

The Portland Cello Project have previous, covering Radiohead's 'Exit Music (For A Film)' and The Throne's 'HAM'. A song from Beck's Song Reader, 'Old Shanghai' was also tackled by Stephin Merritt of Magnetic Fields. And if you're longing for Beck-doing-Beck, he's confirmed that he will release an album via traditional sonic means this year.

Click here for the Soundcloud of Portland Cello Project Play Beck Hansen's Song Reader.