There is no denying the impact a nasty back injury has had on American singer-songwriter Beck Hansen, better known simply as Beck. His 12th studio album, Morning Phase, has been six years in the making. And it has turned out to be the darkest of his long list of recordings.
Introspective and slowly-paced are other ways to describe this much-anticipated 13-track record, at least when compared to the singer's much earlier works.
The modesty of the album is what makes it so interesting. The second track, Morning, features crisp acoustic guitar and Beck's soft vocals. It really sets the mood for the rest of the album.
In Blue Moon - a spectacular pop symphony powered by anthemic drumming and guitar strumming - Beck sings: "I'm so tired of being alone/ These penitent walls are all I've known."
It's a hymn-like track that feels almost as though Beck is singing away his pain.
For Beck, best known for his head-banging alternative rock, Morning Phase is a reboot, a fresh start. And a very positive new beginning, indeed.