Ride Lonesome

Beck — 2026

“Beck still knows how to make quiet music feel heavy, even when Ride Lonesome occasionally polishes away some of its emotional weight.”

Beck has always been at his best when he can make quiet music feel heavy, which is why I wanted Ride Lonesome to rise to the level of Sea Change or Morning Phase. It never quite gets there. The songs are strong, Beck sounds wonderfully worn in, and the title track immediately settles into that lonely acoustic space he handles so well, complete with a gorgeous hook. The only snag is how polished some of the arrangements become. Strings and other orchestral touches occasionally crowd songs that might have cut deeper with more empty space around them. That cleanliness keeps some of the emotion at arm’s length. Still, there are moments where the approach clicks beautifully. “For Your Love” creates a strange sonic swirl around Beck’s voice without overwhelming it, while the excellent “Falling Through My Hands” trusts its melody to carry most of the weight. Ride Lonesome is a good Beck record that sometimes sounds like it is trying too hard to be a beautiful one.