Mellow Gold
Stereopathetic Soul Manure
One Foot In The Grave
Odelay
Mutations
Midnite Vultures
Sea Change
Guero
The Information
I have been a Beck fan for a long time now, because I am a sucker for diversity. Beck is like a musical historian. He tackles (and sometimes blends) in all kinds of music styles: rap, folk, indie, R&B, country, Eastern music, soul, etc. Then he interprets them his way. Another plus is he doesn't take himself seriously. He's always struck me as wide-eyed, laid-back, and willing to have fun. Ever seen him do his weird dances during Midnite Vultures performances? From a white boy like him, it's hilarious!
As for instrumentation, Beck mostly plays guitar. Sometimes guitar, sometimes accordion(!). He does have backing bands alongside him; he isn't a one-man band. NOTE: Being the fan I am, I have had some access to most of his many B-sides. But I will solely focus on albums on this page
1994
I will always have sentimental feelings toward this album. You see, this is the first album I have ever bought. I had received tapes for holidays, but they don’t count. Up until then, I had listened to whatever my brother had and never bothered to get anything for myself. I got this album with a gift certificate on my 11th birthday. Yeah, I didn't exactly buy it, but screw you! My memory!
Now on to Mellow Gold itself. Beck sure didn’t record this with intentions of hitting it big. His sound still has indie tendencies, even if they’ve been toned down from earlier stuff. Much to his surprise, when “Loser” took off, so did this album. But don’t be expecting an album full of “Loser”’s. I did initially, and was put off at first listen. But I changed my mind and loved this album.
Now what about this “Loser”? Back in the day, it was one of the biggest hits from an indie label (DGC). Get this, it even hit the Top 10 POP. Considering that the Top 10 at the time was dominated with the likes Ace of Base, Richard Marx, and Toni Braxton, that’s quite an achievement. The song itself? Awesome. Beck raps his trademark nonsensical lyrics are everywhere, and the sampled Dr. John guitar riff is one of the catchiest things ever. And the chorus ‘Soy un perdedor/I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me’ has been taken too seriously. Big mistake! Oh, and the backwards chorus in the middle of the song, you hear ‘odelay!’ Get it??
But there’s more to Mellow Gold than “Loser.” My 2nd favorite tune on here has to be the odd “Soul Suckin’ Jerk.” I can’t describe this song for you, it’s odd and all over the place. You have to hear the first verse though, it’s one of Beck’s best ever. The rest… “Mountain Dew Rock” is a naughty little country ditty with lines like ‘then we will see who’s f---in’ with my head.’ My first tape reversed that part, so it sounded like ‘givin’ up my head.’ But I luckily sought out the uncensored CD. “Beercan” is a cool soul tune with more rappin’. Some may call “Nitemare Hippy Girl” filler, but it’s a funny acoustic tune where Beck keeps on describing his gurl.
On the more mellow side, the very good acoustic “Pay No Mind” has gone down as a semi-classic in Beck’s catalog. “Steal My Body Home” is a hypnotic tune that drags on for a while, but I don’t care. The kazoo/guitar breakdown at the end makes it all worthwhile. “Truck Drivin’ Neighbors Downstairs” is a hilarious depiction of his neighbors. That’s really them yelling at the beginning. How could it not be? The closing “Blackhole” is another hypnotic, long tune that doesn’t bother me at all. It’s beautiful stuff.
Weak tracks are the deadly dull “Whiskeyclone Hotel City 1997,” the tuneless indie rock of “Sweet Sunshine,” and the muddy metal monster “Motherf---er.” Then again, should I expect Beck to be Mr. Commercial after I just said he didn’t intend this album to hit it big? No I don’t. It’s still Beck’s 2nd best effort, about to be outdone two years later.
1994
Around the time Mellow Gold and “Loser” were riding high on the charts, Beck tried to scare new fans away with this indie release. Basically, it consisted of songs, noise, and other miscellany caught on tape recorder, some even dating back to 1988. Kind of like the stuff Sonic Youth was putting out in the early ‘80s, I guess. It isn’t for everyone, especially those who really dug “Loser” and are expecting similar fare. I’m giving this a 6 because I’m open-minded enough to accept some of the material, but I don’t see it any more than what it is.
Tallying things up, there are 15 songs and 8 random samplings on Stereopathetic. About half of those 15 songs are either out-of-tune plunkers or dominated by noise. The former category includes “Total Soul Future (Eat It),” “Cut 1/2 Blues,” and the hilarious “Ozzy,” which may or may not be a tribute to OFO (Our Favorite Osbourne). The opening “Pink Noise (Rock me Amadeus),” “Rollins Power Sauce,” and “Tasergun” would fall into the latter. “Thunder Peel” perfectly sums up the album. It starts out as the former and moves into the latter. I’d even say this is one of the best tracks on the album for that alone.
Most of the other songs are nice acoustic ditties characterized by Beck’s random lyrics. “The Spirit Moves Me,” “Crystal Clear (Beer),” and “Modesto” each have winning lyrics like ‘Plastic donut, can of spam/There’s no kindness in this land’ and ‘Personality test/I failed with the best’. “Rowboat” is a bit different, in that it’s actually serious and sad. But no song is better than “Puttin’ It Down.” I’m not too sure why I love it, I just love Beck straining to sound sincere above the silly words.
Scratch that last thought. “Satan Gave me a Taco” is the best song on here. Beck rarely writes a story-song, but he comes up with a gut-bustingly funny tale. Satan gives Beck a taco, Beck eats it and gets sick, gets thrown in jail, and somehow ends up joining a band. Oh but I gave too much of it away. You have to hear it for yourself. I also like “One Foot in the Grave,” which must have been recorded on the streets from how it sounds. Just Beck and his blues harp. “Today Has Been a F---ed-up Day” is just Beck and a banjo lifted from some cheap tape. Nice!
You like miscellany? You’ll love the various alien diary bits (“8.6.82”) and Beck duetting with some guy named Ken on “No Money No Honey.” Ken shows up on other parts of the record as well. I’ll just leave it at that. To find out what other surprises lie beneath, you’ll have to get this yourself. If you’re open-minded and/or have left-field tastes, you might like this. And if you’re a Beck fan, why don’t you have this album already?? Get with the program, buster!
1994
Another indie release off the heels of Mellow Gold for Beck. Like Stereopathetic, all these songs were recorded prior to Mellow Gold. With one major difference. Whereas Stereopathetic was downright schizophrenic and off-putting for some, One Foot is strictly acoustic. No Beck album better showcases his folk side than this. Mutations and Sea Change were also mellow, but more heavy-handed and produced. This is just quiet folk, with a few old covers thrown in now and then.
In this case, it’s rather hard to spot the highlights from the lowlights. But the sound is nice throughout, and I’m finding more standouts than bad tracks. Heck, only two songs on the album are 'not like the other,' in Sesame Street terms. Out-of-tune jams “Burnt Orange Peel” and “Ziplock Bag” tend to stand out like a sore thumb. I’m not saying they aren’t good, I especially love the ‘woo woo woo woo!’ part on the former, but they would sound less jarring on Stereopathetic.
But other than that, I can’t really complain. The rest of the songs are acoustic and short, only two songs break the three-minute barrier. Best songs? The folk covers(?) “He’s a Mighty Good Leader” and “I Have Seen The Land Beyond.” The tracks with some guy named Calvin Johnson on high harmonies: “Outcome” and “Atmospheric Conditions.” And the best lyrics on the album? It’s a three-way tie between “Cyanide Breath Mint,” “Asshole,” (later covered by Tom Petty of all people!) and “Painted Eyelids.”
Usually I’d comment on all the songs, but the rest of them are all uniform: mostly slow, funny/serious lyrics, and none of them bad. Like this whole album. You don’t get Beck the ironic music junkie, Beck the party animal, or Beck the jilted lover. You just get a damn good look at his roots. It still isn’t the true follow-up to Mellow Gold, that would come two years later.
1996
Remember when this album was a big deal? When it came out, critics jumped all over each other to praise it, giving it as many stars as they could. My brother and I were all over it as well. Odelay serves as a musical encyclopedia of a guy who has absorbed all kinds of music throughout his life, and is recreating it with hip dudes like the Dust Brothers. And I do like diversity in albums. Heck, I briefly thought this was the greatest album of all time. But now I’m willing to bring it down a notch, because not all the songs are complete masterpieces. At the same time, there isn’t a stinker on the album! Just a few moments of filler.
We begin with the solid “Devil’s Haircut,” propelled by a simple 4-note guitar riff and anusing lines like ‘mouthwash jukebox gasoline’ (remember kiddies, funny things come in three’s). One of Beck’s best ‘normal’ tunes. “Hotwax” follows, with Beck basically rhymin’ over a ‘70s soul beat. Kind of like a poor man’s “Loser” in ways, with the Spanish chorus, and guitar part at the beginning, it still holds its own. “Lord Only Knows” is pure country with typical Beck lines. Herein you’ll find the album title chanted towards the end. Neat!
“The New Pollution” is Swinging Sixties all the way, and was a pretty sizable hit. I don’t know, I get visions of Austin Powers when I hear it nowadays. I wouldn’t call it Beatlesque, the only connection I hear is the “Taxman” bassline. “Derelict” is some sort of a dirge that is saved from anonymity by some sitar stylings. Next is “Novocane,” a somewhat average attempt at rock-rap. One of my least favorite tunes here. But it’s followed by “Jackass,” a cool ballad that makes heavy mileage out of the first 10 seconds of Them’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” So concludes Part I.
Now, how do I begin to talk about the next tune, “Where It’s At”? Right now it goes down as one of my favorite songs of all time. It beats “Loser” at its own game with an even catchier main riff and more of a melting pot of styles. Goes from smooth soul/hip-hop on the verses to a handclapping chorus with the immortal 'Where it’s at!/I got two turntables and a microphone' line. And some sax breakdowns. And a cool video. I could write an essay on this tune, I love it so much! I think it was out the same summer as the insufferable Macarena craze, which signaled the downturn of pop music, but that’s a different story. So “Where it’s At” offered some respite.
Coming back down, “Minus” nods to his early indie sound. “Sissyneck” is another home-cooked country nugget, and “Readymade” is slight filler. The full-fledged rap “High 5” comes close to sucking, but it’s too parodic to not like. Come on, 'Rockin’ the plastic like a man from the Catskills!'? And the designer jeans shout-out? It ain’t serious. “Ramshackle” ends the proceedings slowly, and pales in comparison to “Blackhole.”
All in all, a very important album. There has been some sort of a negative response to all the hype and hoopla Odelay got on release. As I look back now, I guess the critics were overrating it a tad. But that’s no problem with me. Not every song is great, mind you. But it’s got “Where It’s At,” right? Good enough for me, and good enough for a 9.
1998
And back to mellow we go! Beck says this isn’t really his true follow-up to Odelay. I guess this one was released on DGC, and most of his other albums came on Geffen. But whatever the reason, Beck is back to quieter, low-key fare, but this time tackling other styles. It’s like the acoustic folk of One Foot in the Grave meets the musical encyclopedia of Odelay. And his lyrics are a little more straightforward. Just a little. It’s a tad weaker than Mellow Gold and Odelay, if only for being too low-key at times.
Not like it’s a downer the whole time, of course. Beck still has room for nice ditties like the country-ish “Cancelled Check.” Even better is the upbeat “Bottle Of Blues,” despite its depressing lyrics. “Cold Brains” should have been all over modern rock radio, with its near-psychedelic and spacey feel. “Lazy Flies” is as lazy as one would suspect from the title. All of these tunes are trumped by the Latin-tinged “Tropicalia,” which is so groovy I don’t hesitate to include it in my Top Ten list of Beck favorites.
The best quiet tune on here, without a doubt, has to be “Nobody’s Fault But My Own.” If you look past the lyrics and the slowness, you’ll see an achingly beautiful song. Heck, I’d daresay it’s better than the Beatles’ “Without You Without You,” a similar Eastern-style dirge. Another Beatlesque moment is “Dead Melodies,” with a guitar line similar to “I’ll Follow The Sun.” The barroom-style “O Maria” and orchestrated “We Live Again” are OK. But “Sing it Again” and “Static” aren’t terribly interesting, and sort of an anticlimactic way to end the album.
And there you have it. Mutations has the feel of an indie record, and it possibly could have been a letdown to those expecting another Odelay. But word to the wise: after Beck released Odelay, he would never again make an album like it. So with that in mind, Mutations is perfectly enjoyable. And don’t turn it off right after “Static”, a nice little surprise awaits you. No, not the obligatory noise that’s at the end of every Beck album, something better.
1999
Now here’s Beck’s follow-up to Odelay. It makes a lot more sense in that context than seeing it as following up Mutations. Why? Mutations and Midnite Vultures are so different, they’re like polar opposites. Mutations was reflective and calm, and Midnite Vultures is the ultimate party album, where Beck concentrates on aping ‘70s soul and Prince-style R&B. He gets a bit too caught up in the environment at times, but even the weakest tracks would sound great at parties. Which is basically what this album is: a wild party hosted by funk-soul brother Beck.
He sure gets things started with “Sexx Laws,” his best album opener ever. The brass part is the coolest, and Beck’s typical lyrics are sexed up (or rather, ‘sexxed up?). We also get some nice genre-bending moves now and then, like the banjo and pedal steel guitar break. Bluegrass meets country-western! Shake hands! Beck has never generated this much excitement in anything he’s ever done before, or since. It just kicks so much ass that only “Where It’s At” (more brilliant) and “Loser” (more groundbreaking) surpass it on my list of favorite Beck songs ever.
Nothing else on here comes close to matching the coolness of “Sexx Laws”, but the following three tracks hold their own. “Nicotine and Gravy” starts off as a grinding, near-porn rave, until it builds up and turns into a ‘70s-style singalong. “Mixed Bizness” is more party music that is no “Sexx Laws,” but that’s the only fault I can find with it. The electrofunk of “Get Real Paid” is a bit unsettling at first, but you’ll love it once you get used to Beck’s sped-up vocals.
After the first four scorchers, the rest of the album is hit-and-miss. The best of the lot is the gruff rocker “Pressure Zone.” “Broken Train” and “Milk and Honey” are decent examples of mild-funk and hard rock, respectively. But “Hollywood Freaks” is like “High 5,” a cynical rap parody that borders too close to the real thing. One minute Beck throws in lines about automatic bzooties, the next a chorus of frat boys shouts out stuff like ‘shop at Old Navy!? No thank you. And “Beautiful Way” is sort of dull, meant to give those on the dance floor a breather.
The two biggest letdowns on the album are “Peaches and Cream” and “Debra.” On both selections, Beck goes a bit too far with his Prince pastiche. I just can’t stand his forced falsetto, which ruins an otherwise OK “Peaches and Cream.” As for “Debra”, so many people say this is one of his best ever, but I disagree. There are a few lyrical keepers, including a chorus amusing the first 50 times you hear it: ‘I wanna get with you/And your sister/I think her name’s Debra.’ Despite all that, it just sounds too much like some generic R&B slow ballad by the likes of R. Kelly.
Oh, maybe I shouldn’t dig apart Midnite Vultures too much. It wasn’t meant for that. Beck had one purpose in mind: to get people to cut loose and have fun. So just pop this sucker in at your next party, and start groovin’ and whatever else. Your guests will thank you.
2002
And another drastic change for Beck! He’s quite the chameleon, eh? Except this particular shift of direction doesn’t feel as fake as from the calm folkie on Mutations to Mr. Party Boy on Midnite Vultures. From what I heard, he had recently split up with his girlfriend of several years. With Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich on board, Beck completely ditched his metaphorical, nonsensical lyrics in favor of a more sincere singer-songwriter method. And the sound? Like Mutations, only more uniform and with more lush orchestration. The combination sure turned me off at first and I would have given it a 4 or 5 had I wrote this when it came out. But I have come to recognize the beauty of these arrangements, and how direct Beck is. You could call this his own Blood On The Tracks.
With this in mind, I can pinpoint fewer weak tracks than before. As I said before, diversity is not the word on the street on Sea Change, so it’s more difficult. But “Round The Bend” is a bit too depressing to listen to, it’s probably the bleakest track on here. The album closer “Side of the Road” is a bit reassuring, but not memorable.
Everything else is either decent or great. Under decent would be “Already Dead,” with one of the best melodies on here, and the somewhat optimistic “End of The Day.” I used to dismiss “Lonesome Tears” and “Sunday Sun,” but they took on a new life when Beck played them onstage. After the concert, I accepted the two tracks more. The former has great orchestration, and the latter is highlighted by an emotional chorus. “It’s All in Your Mind” was written before Mellow Gold, and has a sparse arrangement.
What’s great on here? The opener “The Golden Age” is an awesome one, as it sets the tone right away. “Paper Tiger” and “Little One” may not sound too melodic, but the little things just suck you in. “Lost Cause” is undoubtedly the most upbeat tune on here; Beck sounds like he has accepted his fate. Sometimes it's my favorite track; at other times it’s “Guess I’m Doing Fine.” Of all the tracks on Sea Change, this one tugs at me emotionally the most. I love the minor chord changes and the lyrics like ‘It’s only lies that I’m living/It’s only tears that I’m crying/It’s only you that I’m losing/Guess I’m doing fine.’ Wow.
So why only a 6? Well, I still miss the diversity and the wacky lyrics. Plus, I just can’t really connect with this album. Right when it came out, I actually was feeling good about a girl. It never got off the ground, but she is a good friend still, so no depression. There are many people out there who listened to this album intently after breaking up with their loved ones, and it was great therapy. On no other album do you get the sense that Beck is speaking to you directly, wearing his heart on his sleeve. For that reason, I can’t honestly give Sea Change a 4 or 5. I just hope he feels better by getting all the bad stuff out of his system.
2002
First off, this isn’t the same Beck as the Sea Change Beck. He got married in April 2004 to Marissa Ribisi, and shortly thereafter had a son Cosimo. I’m not sure what this has to do with the music, since the sessions for this album ran before and after his marriage. But one can expect a more mature Beck, which is what we get on Guero.. The Dust Brothers are back aboard here, but it’s not quite Odelay Pt. Deux. Think Odelay through a Sea Change filter with a few bits of Midnite Vultures here and there. That’s Guero. His lyrics are still in the free-form vein, but they’re no longer wacky for wacky’s sake. Which is still OK, he’s a daddy now.
The lead-off single “E-Pro” is vintage Beck, of course. It sounds like a slowed-down “Devil’s Haircut” with a longer riff, and is cool, but not my favorite on the album. “Que Onda Guero” isn’t either, with a familiar rapping verses/Spanish-sung chorus…where have I heard that before?? Of course, “Hotwax”!! That one was a 2nd-hand “Loser,” so I guess “Que Onda” would be a 3rd hand “Loser.” I’m more partial to the closest-to-party-track-on-here “Hell Yes,” with Beck’s robo-voice on the chorus. “Rental Car” recalls “Pressure Zone” off Midnite Vultures, and is inferior to that one.
So what is the best track on Guero?? The wistful “Girl,” that deceptively starts off sounding like an old Atari game and turns into a wonderful upbeat acoustic song. I also like the bossanova “Missing,” the groovy minimalism “Black Tambourine,” and the kinda-gospel “Go It Alone” (with Jack White on bass!). The slower tracks “Farewell Ride,” “Broken Drum,” and “Emergency Exit” kind of blend into one, and I can’t really say much about the individual tracks. “Earthquake Weather” kind of drags until we get to the chorus, which rises and rises to Beck’s wonderful falsetto. Likewise, “Scarecrow” is distinguished by Beck’s muffled backing vocals after the chorus.
I’m glad I waited a while before reviewing Guero, it took me longer than usual to assimilate the tracks, and at times I felt like I was drowning in a sea of Dust Brothers sampling. But I still like it, I just can’t pinpoint a standout track like “Loser” or “Where It’s At” or “Sexx Laws” (“Girl” comes the closest). And I miss the diversity. But I will commend Beck for moving forward and maturing. And the album is doing quite well! Debuted at #2 on the Album Charts, “E-Pro” made #1 on the Modern Rock Charts. It was background music on The O.C., though. Is that a sell-out? You be the judge. Cuz I'm tired.
2006
With this release, it appears Beck is officially an elder statesman? Guero didn’t really offer anything new, and The Information is even less diverse, as Beck continues forward in his trip-hop/acoustic world. The strange thing is, Nigel Godrich returned to the producer role here, but the sound is not radically different from Guero. There does seem to be more labor and craft in the electronic bleeps, as opposed to the patchwork/sampling style of the Dust Brothers. Too bad the hooks and melodies are hard to come by.
The Information kicks off with “Elevator Music,” not a particularly strong opening track. Just a tired and uninspired track in the vein of “Loser.” But the next three tracks are all album standouts. “Think I’m in Love” recalls “Girl”: a simple stripped-down love song with conventional lyrics. Another trip-hop affair “Cellphone’s Dead” is a bit of fun, at least it sounds more alive than “Elevator.” The best of all is “Strange Apparition,” where Beck’s gospel vocals and pounding piano are easily the most resonant moments on The Information. It’s almost Moby-esque!! Probably the closest to a classic too.
It’s harder to pick highlights after the first four. “No Complaints” presents us with a catchy acoustic backing, which is rather refreshing. “Motorcade” is another acoustic track with a great ‘pushing up the tin can mountaintop’ hook � sounds deep but means nothing: good old Beck! � but the electro beats are rather distracting this time around. The first single “Nausea” is pretty catchy, and “We Dance Alone” is OK for being a “Cellphone’s Dead” clone.
Sadly, the remainder of the tracks float on by or whiz on by (depending on whether it’s a slow or fast song) and do nothing, with only the rich synth sound of “Movie Theme” standing out for the good. “1,000 BPI” is the low point, some more of Beck’s “Hollywood Freaks” style rapping over NO music whatsoever. I can’t even pick out the bassline. Don’t get me started on that interminable closer either. Or else maybe I was so worn out by the end, I get sick of Beck’s whispery rapping. Even his normal raps are going stale.
I’m sorry, but albums like this are kind of not my forte. It’s OK that Beck isn’t experimenting, and I can only pick out a few cases of annoying self-parody or retread like “1000 BPI.” But the constant electronica background and lack of catchiness are what brings down The Information. It’s rather lengthy too. Ah well. At least he doesn’t think we’re glib, nor does he denounce medicine anywhere on here. Unlike Tom Cruise.