305 - Beck - Odelay

[csberry]

Beck is a rock/folk dadaist and Odelay captures the breadth of sounds and music that inspires him. Each song is a collage of samples, riffs, and bizarre lyrics. On top of that, the tone and genre of each song can differ greatly. This quilt with screeching guitars, funk samples, distorted vocals, and nonsensical lyrics is somehow able to remain cohesive as the listener goes from quirky raps to slack blues to somber reflection. Beck and the Dust Brothers are able to take all of these potentially disjointed sounds and songs and put them together in a way it all seems to fit in some sort of audio flea market sort of way with a crooning Don Ho one second and a scratched up Cameo bursts in next.

All of this is possible because of Beck's ear for music and hooks. Ween could get 1001 influences and ideas in their songs, but they were rarely as catchy and melodic as Beck did here. It is also why Paleface is full of hot air when he complains of Beck stealing "his" musical style - Beck is just a better songwriter than most people will admit outside of a passing Dylan-like comment.

Songs I knew I liked: "Devil's Haircut," "The New Pollution," and "Where It's At"

Songs I didn't know but now like: I had forgotten completely about "Jack-ass." For starters, there was no way my brain retained that a song named "Jack-ass" sounds so mellow and (almost) sweet.

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: "Novacane"