"American Epic" compilation series is a collection of releases of music associated with the film series "The American Epic", a historical documentaries are a journey back in time to the "Big Bang" of modern popular music.

"Colors" is extreme, featuring some of the best and worst songs that Beck has ever written. After the wave of melancholy that engulfed 2014’s Grammy award-winning Morning Phase – created after a traumatic spinal injury – he has returned robust and emboldened. Songs are energised and enthused; imagine Midnite Vultures frolicking in a kids’ ball pool, wired on echinacea-infused green juice. On the winning side is its title track, his ebullient Once in a Lifetime moment, propelled by a funky flute solo. There is also supreme, sassy guitar anthem Dreams, the existential majesty of Dear Life and Wow, basically Beck’s take on the Ying Yang Twins’ Wait (the Whisper Song) – without the rude bits. This astonishing run of singles battles with the quasi-reggae of No Distraction, or the Maroon 5-like Square One, on an album that’s as shonky as it is sublime.

Although the album features such traditional rock instrumentation as guitars, bass and drums, it also features organs, keyboards and indian sitars, which help lend a spacey yet organic feel to some songs. Beck's experimental space-age folk rock album done with his backup band and produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead).

Hailed as "a deeply natural songwriter" (The New Yorker) who "defies expectations in his own way" (Time) and "Gen X's most famous absurdist" (Blender), Beck is the single most inventive and eclectic figure to emerge from the '90s altertnative revolution. In an era obsessed with junk culture, Beck seamlessly blends pop, folk, hop-hop, indie/underground and electronica with the end result being an authentically uncategorizable musical style that nevertheless has sold millions of records and scored multiple Grammy awards.

"Morning Phase" has been described as a companion piece of sorts to Beck's 2002 classic Sea Change. Featuring many of the same musicians who played on that record (who are also currently accompanying him live) -Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Smokey Hormel, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., and Jason Falkner - "Morning Phase" harkens back to the stunning harmonies, song craft and staggering emotional impact of that record, while surging forward with infectious optimism.

"Odelay" proved Beck was no flash in the pan following the success of his major label debut "Mellow Gold" and the single "Loser". The album became one of the most acclaimed and respected releases of the decade, selling more than three million copies, winning two Grammy Awards and earning a nomination for Album of the Year.

On 2005's "Guero", Beck reunited with the Dust Brothers, the production team behind his benchmark 1996 release Odelay. The magic repeated itself, yielding Beck's highest charting US album, a debut at number two.

Recorded with legendary producer Nigel Godrich in 2002, "Sea Change" remains one of the most popular and critically acclaimed albums of the 2000s. Rolling Stone Magazine declared it Album of the Year in 2002 and it reached #8 on Billboard's Top 200 chart. The music marries elements of folk, country, rock and electronic music with highly emotional lyrical content.

Recorded with legendary producer Nigel Godrich in 2002, "Sea Change" remains one of the most popular and critically acclaimed albums of the 2000s. Rolling Stone Magazine declared it Album of the Year in 2002 and it reached #8 on Billboard's Top 200 chart. The music marries elements of folk, country, rock and electronic music with highly emotional lyrical content.