Guero

beck make-up
Originally uploaded by ehiggin.

It's hard to believe that Beck is 34 years old now. It's tough to believe that Beck's first big hit, "Loser", was over ten years ago. That song put him on the map, and made me a fan.

The appeal of Beck for me is found on albums such as "Mellow Gold", "One Foot in the Grave", and "Stereopathetic Soulmanure". Parts (or most) of these albums sound like Beck dug a guitar out of the trash can and recorded an album on a run-down cassette tape. There are bizarre sound effects, dialouge, and trippy musical twists. Lyrically, he's hilarious and visual.He's got a great mellow voice, and dance moves that will wake the dead.

Overall, "Odelay" is probably the most solid Beck album. It showcases almost the full range of his creativity, and style. The Dust Brothers transformed Odelay from an acoustic exploration into a beatbox deejay 70's/80's explosion. If you're not very familiar with Beck, I recommend "Odelay" as the perfect introduction.

It's also important to understand that every Beck album is completely different. Creatively ambitious, you never know which direction Beck will go with his sound.

The "Guero" album comes in the wake of the "Midnite Vultures" dance album, and the dark "Sea Change" soul exploration. Going back to the Dust Brothers, "Guero" has a similar sound to "Odelay." However, the tone is more consistent than "Odelay" throughout the album. Rather than covering the whole genre map, Beck sticks closer to a mid-tempo, blues/rock vibe. But, it is unfair to try to categorize it.

Influenced by life in L.A., the title track, "Que Ondo Guero", the song opens with rapid lyrical descriptions of Hispanic and homeless men. There is vague Hispanic dialouge happening in the background, behind the "Odelay"-style beat.

Lyrically, "Guero" is looser than "Odelay." Beck seems to be addressing deeper, more adult feelings of life. He still retains the appeal of an artist taking chances and exploring new ideas. As cheesey as it sounds, "Guero" says to me, "Hey, I'm Beck. I'm 34. This is where I am right now in life." And, I love it.