[DobsOnly]

Broke down and picked up Becks - "Guero" yesterday. What a great creation.. He builds his music around so many different themes.. "Farewell Ride" has that Mississippi Delta Blues Rhythm. "Broken Drum" somewhat reminded me of something I hear on a Wilco Collection. "Black Tambourine" and "Rental Car" brings back memories of some 60's Rock. Then there's the Rap, HipHop influence sprinkled in on different tracks.

The other thing I noticed is with his use of so many different instruments, positioning and effects, the CD seems to be made for headphones. Strings, Steel guitar, Synth, Bells, Harmonica here and there. I can't imagine what it takes to compose this music.

I'm giving away my age , but the last Artist I remember that could create cutting edge music like this might have been David Bowie. Bowie could draw from all Genres’ and create music that was uniquely Bowie. I’m sure there are others but Bowie came to mind almost immediately.

What other CD’s would you suggest of Becks or others that might leave a similar impression?

Anyway to say the least, I'm finding this to be a great CD!

 

[~AZ~]

I like Sea Change. Very well crafted although a little less upbeat than Mutations which I also like.

 

[Potatoe1313]

You may want to try Midnight Vultures. Personaly, I like all of his albums, but it sounds like you would enjoy MV a lot, since it is more along the lines of Guerro. If you were looking for a more mellow, moody Beck, you could check out Sea Change or Mutations. A lot of people find Mellow Gold and Odelay to be a little too weird (at least, that's what I have found from playing them around others), but they are really good.

Then there is Stereopathetic Soul Manure and One foot In The Grave. Those two fell like a very grungy country kind of music trying to be rock, with a lot of accoustic guitar.

 

[markl]

In order of my personal preference:

1. Midnight Vultures
2. Sea Change
3. Guero
4. Mellow Gold
5. Odelay
6. Mutations

 

[Svperstar]

You have to get Odelay, I have listened to that cd all the way through without skipping a single track probably 100 times, Beck is a real rare talent.

Mellow Gold is great too but it is kind of uneven and very odd with several tracks that seem to be diliberatly ridiculous and unmusical.

 

[becomethemould]

i would rate midnite vultures, mutations, seachange/odelay, guero, mellow gold in order of preference.. guero just doesn't do it for me..

 

[CMacDaddy]

I just listened to mutations for the first time in years and really enjoyed it. Its the only one I own, but hopefully I'll be getting another this week.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DobsOnly Broke down and picked up Becks - "Guero" yesterday. What a great creation.. He builds his music around so many different themes.. "Farewell Ride" has that Mississippi Delta Blues Rhythm. "Broken Drum" somewhat reminded me of something I hear on a Wilco Collection. "Black Tambourine" and "Rental Car" brings back memories of some 60's Rock. Then there's the Rap, HipHop influence sprinkled in on different tracks. The other thing I noticed is with his use of so many different instruments, positioning and effects, the CD seems to be made for headphones. Strings, Steel guitar, Synth, Bells, Harmonica here and there. I can't imagine what it takes to compose this music. I'm giving away my age , but the last Artist I remember that could create cutting edge music like this might have been David Bowie. Bowie could draw from all Genres’ and create music that was uniquely Bowie. I’m sure there are others but Bowie came to mind almost immediately. What other CD’s would you suggest of Becks or others that might leave a similar impression? Anyway to say the least, I'm finding this to be a great CD!

If you like Guero, chances are you'll like Odelay. In many ways he went back to the formula he used in Odelay to produce Guero. Here is what All Music Guide says:

"In many ways, Guero is deliberately designed as a classicist Beck album, a return to the sound and aesthetic of his 1996 masterwork, Odelay. After all, he's reteamed with the producing team of the Dust Brothers, who are widely credited for the dense, sample-collage sound of Odelay, and the light, bright Guero stands in stark contrast to the lush melancholy of 2002's Sea Change while simultaneously bearing a knowing kinship to the sound that brought him his greatest critical and commercial success in the mid-'90s."

Anyway, Mutations has kind of got a country/folk-rock feel, and Sea Change is a totally sad/blue introspective album (it was his "break-up" album). I thought Midnight Vultures was weak.

Frankly, I'm pretty surpised Odelay isn't more appreciated around here -- it was a total breakthough album, and won a ton of well-deserved critical praise.

 

[Svperstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink Frankly, I'm pretty surpised Odelay isn't more appreciated around here -- it was a total breakthough album, and won a ton of well-deserved critical praise.

I agree 100%. I remember I read Beck was coming out with a new cd so I reserved it at a local store(I was 13 or 14). Got it the day it came out, listened to it over and over like 20 times in 2 days.

Then 9 months later it is winning all these awards.

One of the best disks of the 90s by far.

 

[NightWoundsTime]

All beck is good, with One foot in the Grave and Stereopathic Soul Manure being the only albums too weird for normal consumption (think the stranger tracks from Mellow Gold, only over most of an album). He definitely is an artist who loves to change things up often, which is why some people don't like Guero as he's obviously trying to recapture the Odelay crowd.

IMO Your "buy order" should go: Odelay -> Sea Change -> Mutations - Midnight Vultures

Edit: sorry didn't read your first post. I thought your subject meant you had the "first beck CD", not that Guero was your first. Anyway Mellow Gold is a pretty juvenile affair, some memorable songs but nothing spectacular. Your order of acquisition should still be about the same with Mellow Gold tacked onto the end if you're a completist. The story with Grave, Soul Manure, and in a way Mutations is that Beck held the right to release albums to a more underground fanbase, on any record label he pleased. These connected with the indie crowd and served him well during the huge success of Odelay. In all though only Mutations is a very good record.

 

[DobsOnly]

I'm looking forward to more Beck comments. But so far it sounds like Odelay will be on next weeks purchase list.

Thanks everyone...

 

[catachresis]

I guess you don't have to like Odelay but you can hardly deny that it's one of the most important and innovative genre-crossing albums of the late-90s. Only someone as kooky and inspired as Beck Hanson could draw rappers, electronica-enthusiasts and 'No Depression" country-heads together for a hoedown of samples and cynicism. After the 50th replay, even I could see how funny and smart the salutory rap songs were (and for a guy who's endlessly put-off by contemporary rap, that's sayin' sumthin. . . . )

 

[zumaro]

Add my support for Odelay, which is the album Guero wants to be, but Odelay is stronger in my opinion. Not that there is much wrong with Guero which is thoroughly entertaining in its own right - its just not as innovative, and a little more down in its mood.

After that Mutations and Sea Change are both very good. Sea Change is a little samey in its unrelieved gloom if you are not in the mood for its introspection, but I have always thought Mutations was the equal of Odelay. In fact it is so quietly oddball and eclectic, that in many ways it is my favourite Beck album.

After those it is more hit or miss - both Mellow Gold and Midnite Vultures have their strong tracks, but the misses are more obvious. Midnite Vultures after a few very strong opening tracks grates with its weak pastiches and one line musical jokes, and I rarely listen to it. Mellow Gold I don't mind so much - its got a more adventurous edge which is entertaining enough if you are in the mood.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zumaro t I have always thought Mutations was the equal of Odelay. In fact it is so quietly oddball and eclectic, that in many ways it is my favourite Beck album.

i actually like Mutations even more than Odelay. in fact, it's my favorite Beck album. i always found it amusing that Mutations was put together as a stop gap with songs that Beck didn't think were good enough to release.

 

[Potatoe1313]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks i actually like Mutations even more than Odelay. in fact, it's my favorite Beck album. i always found it amusing that Mutations was put together as a stop gap with songs that Beck didn't think were good enough to release.

I thinks it's amazing such a great album was made in just two weeks.