My relationship with Beck has lasted over a decade. He and I have been through a lot together. We’ve driven down the expressway with windows down and stereo cranked in the summer. We’ve been on the beach together, just he and I, with wet sand between our toes. I’ve cried on his shoulder feeling the overwhelming loss of youth, life, and love. He’s been there every step of the way holding my hand and making me think I’m not alone.
As with so many other people, I first heard Beck’s novel approach to music on Loser. I loved everything about the song from the sound to the “funk” to Beck’s image to the strange video that accompanied the package. It led me to buy Mellow Gold (1994) and in turn led me to an appreciation of Beck as an artist. Had he not been able to follow-up that album with something more entertaining (and riskier) there is little doubt that he would have become a footnote in musical history. Instead, a string of diverse and brilliant albums have solidified the artist as one of the most notable of his era. Be it Odelay (1996), Mutations (1998), Midnite Vultures (1999), or Sea Change (2002) there is no denying that Beck knows what it takes to make an appealing and creative album.
Guero (2005) is the sixth “official” release for Beck. Sometimes both 1994’s Stereopathetic Soul Manure and One Foot in the Grave are included in his official discography but in truth they are indie releases intended to broaden and validate his appeal. The former is difficult and chaotic while the later is better with folk textures. If there is one thing that Beck is good at, it is experimentation. He can be folk, pop, disco, funk, electronica, rap, country, or rock. Heck, he can do all those things at once if you give him an opportunity. His best selling album to date has been Odelay which earned two Grammy Awards in addition to a couple million worth of sales. It is his wildest and most electronic offering and earned him a wide audience. Guero picks up where Odelay left off. Beck rejoined with the guys oft credited for making Odelay great, The Dust Brothers, and has once again produced an impressive affair.
Consistently excellent, Guero may not be quite as intense or outrageous as Odelay but it still does an excellent job at capturing and keeping my attention. Album opener E-Pro is only the beginning of what’s so great. Of course, it’s hard not to adore the droning electric guitar, hip hop beat, diverse percussion, and Beck’s patented rap/sing vocal style. It’s a catchy, groovy song that leaves me energized and singing along to Beck’s na-na na-na-na-na-na-nas. He’s the king of nonsensical chanting as far as I’m concerned.
Que Onda Guero may be a little more difficult to digest than E-Pro, but in the end it is an even more lovely song. The chunky electronic beats compliment Beck’s rapid-fire rapping perfectly. In the end, this is the kind of song that makes Guero one of the most outstanding releases thus far this year. Girl is the third song in a row that will certainly inspire plenty of goofy bedroom dancing. It begins with the bleeps of badly synthesized keyboards and then breaks into a fast-paced folk-alt-pop-rock song. Beck’s voice is smooth and even. This control is what really helps to separate this album from Odelay. Beck was very insistent and anxious on Odelay, but here he seems more mature and confident. Sure the geeky cool factor is still found on all the songs, but he’s well into his thirties and more comfortable and confident than ever.
There’s something good to be said about each of the songs on Guero. As with all excellent albums there is a little something here for every Beck fan be them young or old, long-time or recent. The three songs I mentioned above are easily three of my favorites but there are still others that are equally as impressive as the album progresses. Earthquake Weather boasts a hip hop beat, funky guitars, and one of the most memorable choruses of the album. In fact, Beck sounds very much like a young Sting with his even and flat delivery. It’s hard not to love that song. Hell Yes is dominated by distorted robotic “hell yes” chants, more hip hop beats, and a fascinating arrangement.
I enjoy the old west meets hip hop meets acoustic pop feel of Broken Drum but it is Scarecrow that reigns me back in. The beat is Thriller era Michael Jackson but the song is purely Beck. He mixes in tons of distortion, bass guitars, and heavy percussion to the mix and tops it off with an unforgettable chorus: “Scarecrow's only scaring himself.” Even better though is the wild, weird, and wonderful Go It Alone. Electric guitars, claps, mid-tempo funkiness and Beck’s controlled and boyish vocals make it easily one of the most entertaining listens on all of Guero.
Fortunately, Guero doesn’t ever lose momentum even as it draws to a close. Beck returns to old west country on Farewell Ride. His voice is particularly remarkable here. He sounds rather like Eddie Vedder with the deep, guttural style. Rental Car too is one of the better tracks with more upbeat goodness and up-tempo hip hop. Beck just proves once and for all that he is the master of all things magical and musical. It’s hard not to love the whole of Guero.
I always worry when a talented, well established artist releases a new album. To my mind, there is nowhere but down to go when they’ve seemingly been at the top of their game for years. Beck has once again turned out an impressive album and once again proven skeptics wrong. When Loser was released as a single it was easy to dub him the next big thing or “one hit wonder” but time and time again Beck has proven he’s much more than one song. He has shown that he is an album artist whose whole is more inspiring than the sum of the parts. Who cares if he never has another Loser or Devil’s Haircut--he’s already solidified his place in pop culture history.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. E-Pro
02. Que Onda Guero
03. Girl
04. Missing
05. Black Tambourine
06. Earthquake Weather
07. Hell Yes
08. Broken Drum
09. Scarecrow
10. Go It Alone
11. Farewell Ride
12. Rental Car
13. Emergency Exit
_______________________________________
Related Reviews
Three years after the critically acclaimed and heartwrenching opus Sea Change, three time Grammy Winner and five time MTV Video Music Award Winner Bec...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.