Odelay

I was once Beck-obsessed, now I hardly ever listen to him. I potentially overplayed this record as a teenager, because it’s lost some of its freshness but still a great headnodder, with Beck’s surrealistic lyrics and the dust brothers at the height of their powers.

An all-time favorite and an easy five

C+

Man, I enjoy this album. Good then. Good now. Years in between. Just fun and clear changes in style and skill. Happy. 4 stars.

So every time I hear Beck I am reminded of the song Heartbeat on Mike Watt's "Ball-Hog or Tugboat" Album. At the end of the song it has an answering machine message from Hanna stating why she did not want to be on the record(sometimes she claims it was an art piece, sometimes she is more ambiguous). Here is is... "Hello. Mr. Watt. This is Kathleen Hanna returning your phone call. Bout 3:45 on Monday and it's about that fuckin record that you asked me to do something for. And I guess I'm responding to that now cuz I have a few minutes. And I just wanted to tell you...uh, I have a friend who was raped by, fucked by, whatever you wanna fuckin call it by this guy on your record, gonna be on your record. He's a big rockstar. Yeah when he was 27 and she was 13 he was a big rockstar too. And uh, I don't know if the phrase "power imbalance" means anything to you. But uh, I'm just not so sure I wanna be included in your little white rock boy fuckin hall of shame here, you know? I'm just like "Do I wanna be sandwiched in between some of these guys that are just doing the whole, like, big-white-baby-with-an-ego-problem thing?" I mean, [sighs] get over it! It's so boring. It's like, a lot of these guys should just fuckin quit music and become lifeguards at like Wild Waves or some shit. So they can just like get their fucking, you know, anger management thing going. They can just get their power trips out on the kids, they can just do the whole thing. Maybe they'd be actually saving someone's life. "Hey, don't run by the pool. No cutoffs." You know? That's what I hear when I hear some of this you know music by a lot of these fuckin guys, you know? And I mean, I guess what I'm saying is "I'm just too cool... to be on your fuckin record." You know? It's like I really don't wanna perpetuate or be included in a thing where it's just a bunch of like, I don't know, just like this new. The music coming out by guys right now in the sort of like rock world or alternative rock world or used-to-be-punk world or whatever. It's like the whole, "I'm a straight, white, middle class, male, rockstar guy, but I'm so fuckin oppressed." "I'm a loser baby why don't you kill me." [Sigh] Yawn. Like super fuckin yawn. So yeah, I guess what I'm saying is No. No. No. No. I'm not interested. No. I don't wanna be on your fuckin record. No. But ummm. Mr. Watt. Dude. Babe. Sir. Uh, you need to get me my fuckin Annie soundtrack back like soon cuz you've had it forever and I know you haven't even fuckin listened to it yet. Just like, gimme a call and tell me when that's going to happen. And ummm. I'll talk to you then. Bye." So, that machine message always plays through my mind whenever I hear Beck. I really enjoy 'Devil's Haircut' from this album...but all that I hear is..."I'm a straight, white, middle class, male, rockstar guy, but I'm so fuckin oppressed." "I'm a loser baby why don't you kill me." [Sigh] Yawn. Like super fuckin yawn."

Beck has a low ceiling, but he's reliable. This album was fun, albeit a LOT of Beck at once.

This was a very uneven album, but full of creativity and flair. There were some songs I hated, some songs I really enjoyed, and I think I recognized one or two of them. I can’t say I’d recommend this album to anyone, however, and I know I won’t listen to it again.

Kind of like Sheryl Crow but with more gumption in some songs. Kind of like the Beastie Boys with less gumption in others. There are some truly great songs on here, but not the best I've heard from Beck. Also, some stuff I genuinely want to skip.

I like Beck, but this definitely isn't my favorite Beck album.

I don't even know what genre it was supposed to be.

2 - 3 ok Songs, der Rest zu Rap-ig oder zu chaotisch. ***

Weird, humorous, catchy, slightly antagonistic. Every Beck album feels like going to an invented magical world with its share of fun and fears alike. Unapologetic Beck fan - busted. Pack your suitcase.

Very nice

3.5/5

It's Beck. There's catastrophic noises and nonsensical words string together to create a unique expression that I can't understand but entranced by

Love the first song

Beck at his finest.

I feel I should appreciate Beck more than I do. That said, the beats on this album are SICK in the fullest and best sense.

I'm happily listening along, and then obnoxious beeping, bleating, or grunting comes along to assault me unprovoked. I'm all for experimental exploration, but it's in your best interest to leave your listeners better than you found them. Or at least not deafened.

I absolutely adore the mixture of different genres on this album, and the singer's voice. Unfortunately, there's a thin line between experimention and overdoing it—at times, I felt like the album crossed over into the 'borderline annoying' category for me. There's a lot more of the good stuff, though, and it makes me forget about the things I did not like as much. I wouldn't say it's my favourite album by Beck, but it's a solid effort and deserves all the acclaim it got. 4 stars

Classic example of an alternative album from the 90s. Iconic singles, lots of experimentation, a couple of great songs, and some fillers.

This album really strikes an amazing balance between poppy and weird. It's experimental but not too experimental. It surprises you and you never really know where things are going to go. They could go anywhere at any point which is very fun. It has fun melodies and hooks mixed in with the weirdness too which is honestly my favorite. I also love the genre fusion on this album. It keeps things really interesting.

What an incredibly dynamic record. This album is a master piece. I can't believe I let this album sit on my iPod and my iTunes for all those years in and post high school and never cared about it. On one hand, it feels very "90s," but honestly, I think it stands on its own and has a timeless quality to it. It only sounds like the 90s, because everyone ripped off his sing-talk-rap style. The way he plays with genres is so perfect. One minute, he's kind of rapping, the next minute he's deep in a country rock song. Its folk, its punk, its indie, its jazz. Its kind of everything, but it all vibes within itself and flows so perfectly. Nothing ever really feels out of place. This has a real 'americana' quality to it. Where it feels like a culmination of American music, but not what you expect when you hear the word "americana." It's much deeper than that. Its 'americana' in the sense that he is nodding and incorporating elements of American music in kind of a dry winking way. But it's authentic and true. Totally blown away by this album.

A classic.

listened to again a really diverse and fantastic art record

This felt like listening to a mix tape. Nothing really grabbed me, and in general Beck suffers from having heard too much of him as a teen

For anyone not there, this is what the 90s sounded like. Not music in the 90s per say, that was grunge and all of that but literally the 90s sounded like this. These sounds were just going on in the 90s plus maybe some dial up internet noises.

I was wondering before listening to this whether Beck had any decent albums. In my head he was always a bit of a ‘singles’ man. Well I got my answer straight away, yes, and it’s this one at least. I really enjoyed it, great mix of styles, instrumentation and samples etc. Tbh there’s probably more invention in this album than in some bands careers. And somehow in all that it keeps a really consistent sound. Will add this to the rotation list.

I mean, I can appreciate the diversity in genres and how nicely they work together on a Beck album. Nothing ever feels overly forced, but it doesn't always feel like it adds to a song either. The lyrics feel like they're trying to be more important that they really are, which can take away from a song...also, we get it, you know what a drum break is.

1. devilz - 1.5 2. uuaz - 1.5 3. lord - 1 4. pollution - 1.5 5. derelict - 1 6. novacane - 1.5 7. at - 3 8. minuz - 1 9. neck - 1.5 10. ready - 2 11. five - 1 12. ramzhackle - 1

Beck is a talented musician but there is something about his music that makes it all very dated in a way. He is one of the few who really mastered using rapping with 'serious' music. But this album shows the barriers of this approach. What sounded great in 1996 just feels even annoying nearly 30 years later.

I loved the album. It has a chill vibe and it gave me some inspiration in different forms from different tracks.

5 stars easily, one of the best from bzooty to whiskeyclone.

cool album. beck is an artist that i've obviously heard about for years but haven't delved into, so this was an interesting experience. i loved how eclectic the influences of this album was. a touch of hip hop, 60s rock, even some fun noise here and there. song-wise, i enjoyed the entire tracklist, but nothing here totally stood out as incredible. just a really solid, well made album.

Very cool array of sounds tbh. Very 90s, but not in a bad way 👍

This was definitely more in line with what I listen to. I appreciated aot of the weirder sounds in the songs. And I have heard of Beck before so I thought I'd like this more than I did. Maybe I need another listen but there's nothing here that stood out to me.

Great album

Superb moments here and happy memories.

3.5

as someone who doesnt like loser i wasnt looking forward to this much but i enjoyed it a decent amount. it was definitely more experimental than i was expecting but there are more samples than i care for. 7/10

Devils haircut - feels very woohoo! That song. Couldn't work out if it was haircut or handgun. Feels familiar Hotwax - for some reason this reminds me of the Cheaper by the Dozen films, especially Alyson Stoner in their cap I'm enjoying this but it's not what I would normally listen to Ooo I'm the enchanted wizard Lord only knows - big scream! Actual song/artist's voice reminds me of the Brobecks but very vaguely. The new pollution - this intro is fun! Like the sax (?) at the end. Actual song very repetitive but enjoyable. I imagine if I went to uni when it came out it would be a fun dancey club song Derelict - Katrina from Animal Crossing music Novacane - hmmm. Least favourite so far. Trying hard not to skip the high pitched noises near the end Jack-ass - feels whimsical. Indie film morning routine music. Why is there a donkey here Where it's at - ooo very familiar intro! This is vibey. The first song I know! And it's a good one Minus - this feels quite boring Sissyneck - fun whistling. Slightly country. I don't like the dialling noise they use in the album. Readymade - I don't have any thoughts here High 5 (Rock the Catskills) - thought this was going to be Rock the Casbah by the Clash... Giving Run DMC vibes. Feel like all these songs are very long Ramshackle - nice and calm Diskobox - the last song on the album. Think I'm enjoying it but I have no idea what they're saying! (never mind they're saying Diskobox. Should have been able to work that out) That's the end of the album, think I enjoyed it but I don't think I'll listen to it again. Can see how it was good, but it's not my taste

Mixed feelings about this album, which doesn't seem to hold together too well. The opener, Devil's Haircut, has a riff that I swear is straight from The Seeds. And I liked it. Other tracks seem to be informed more by hip hop standard rapping rhythm, which I find a bit limiting. It's a nice enough album, with a few highlights, but I think it's not a great album.

A banger. Beck is a mix of Willie nelson, beastie boys, Nile Rodgers and much more. A man out on his own doing his own thing and this presents his high water mark of his more eclectic earlier phase. He can be accused of inconsistency but this one has the fewest duds.

Every song sounds like the singer is annoyed as fuck.

Love Beck. Love his story, his voice, and his music. Some would call this one his best, and their case is strong. I like a few others a bit better, so I’ll go 4.7 here, and put it back in the rotation.

Beck? Nie gehört! Kann man anhören.

Beck has been someone who I have enjoyed throughout my life. This and Mellow Gold were a part of my early radio listening memories. Given that, these songs will always sound like 1996 to me. This album is essentially Beck's Paul's Boutique (also produced by Dust Brothers). Groundbreaking in a lot of ways, but I know his content matured a couple of albums later, so while this is fun, it doesn't exactly speak to me on a deeper level than just being fun, which leaves it somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4.

I really like this but am constantly reminded why it is a 4 not a 5 Too long and too much messing at the margins with interesting sound fx at the expense of the song

When I pulled this up, I did a double take. I thought this must have been an expanded edition or something, because I forgot that *all* of these tunes were on the same album. "Where it's At," "Devil's Haircut," "The New Pollution," "Jack-Ass" (which for some reason is unavailable on Spotify), "Hotwax." Gads, that's a banging lineup. And the rest of it is pretty good as well. It meanders a bit, but it's a Beck album -- it's a good one to crank from time to time. Unexpected bangers: Lord Only Knows, Novacane, High 5.

Well, I wasn’t expecting to be finishing all the Beck albums on this journey within the first 100. Odelay seems to be the album that got Beck widely recognized, which makes sense for the late 90s mass appeal as the sound is alternative rock with hip-hop influences, sample use, and strong beats courtesy of the Dust Brothers. I know Beck and the Dust Brothers would team up again on Guero, and my enjoyment of Odelay is about the same as that album. I will give the slight edge to Odelay for getting more varied in the style attempts from jazz fusion on "The New Pollution" with the clavinet to world music on "Derelict" with the tables and even punk on "Minus". Also, there's no denying that "Where It's At" is a bop. Overall, a solid fun album. I'm glad to wrap up my time with Beck on this one.

beck does it again

Very creative music from the 90‘s…7/10

brilliant

As of today one of my top all time albums. Different, daring, fresh, all songs surpsises not one sounds like any other, a masterpiece only one single I remember, beck is a genious and should be treated like rock royalty.

When this album came out, it was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, I’m listening to it 30 years later, so it feels behind my current time.

Músicas experimentais que misturam guitarras e vocais distorcidos com samples, drum machines e turntables, às vezes ainda inserindo um violão e em uma ocasião uma sitar (eu acho). Uma combinação de rock, hip-hop e folk que ora funciona e ora não. Eu daria uma nota 3, mas vou arredondar pra cima porque acho louvável quando a experimentação funciona, ainda mais quando ela vem de artistas/álbuns que fizeram parte do mainstream.

Många Beck har det blivit. Det här är ju hans bästa och den enda som egentligen hör hemma på den här listan.

What has not been said about this album that I would be of interest? It's a classic that continues to be relevant and fresh through the years. This album is created by exploring all reaches of the noise spectrum. It is unapologetic in it bite, making the listener produce an audible "what the fuck did I just listen to?" Without the fatigue, prodding, or pretentious notes, Odelay is not peak Beck. It's just Beck. And Beck is pretty good at this sort of thing.

Great album

Not my personal favourite Beck album, but definitely my favourite Beck album artwork. When I was discovering his music as a teenager I bought Odelay on CD and, harsh critic that I was back then, was slightly underwhelmed. Nowadays I’m more amenable and instead of wondering why it doesn’t play out like a greatest hits album I just hear a string of enjoyably groovy, oddball tunes that are strangely cohesive despite containing a pick ’n’ mix collage of disparate sounds. Still, it could probably be improved by inserting Ramshackle after the first 10 tracks and ending matters there, before it starts to drag.

A couple of half decent singles at the start but otherwise a tough listen.

Just kind of alright. 3/5

Beck is all nostalgia for me. Great album

This was such a good week of albums! Really enjoyed this and added four tracks to my faves playlist.

Enjoyed this a lot. A couple of tracks didn’t do it for me but overall a winner. Didn’t realize he played almost all the instruments.

Wow, this was way better then I expected! I now have an appreciation for Neil young, who I had always avoided in the past!

Although the songs don't sound too bad, the random horrendous sounds that keep playing make me not enjoy it as much.

Decent, not quite in the mood for it but not bad at all

Beck's main big boy release is a curious attention jump from sensual terminally 90s quaintness to brutish roughness, and then back and forth between those two.

Not the Beck I'm used to (that being Jeff). Decent record, but not fantastic. Solid.

Wow, I know so many songs from this album but have never listened to it all the way through until today. This album is a knockout. So much diversity in sounds, it's rough and grungy, beautiful and poetic, and funny and thoughtful. It's no surprise why he became so iconic coming off this after his debut. A total masterpiece.

Steve Hogarth’s hero is mine too now. Wow.

This list definitely likes its "experimental" stuff. And, honestly, most experiments fail. It's still good to do them, because that's how we learn what works and what doesn't. We wouldn't have most things, in art, science, technology, if it wasn't for an astounding amount of failed experiments. For this album, though, a lot of it works, if imperfectly. "Where It's At" is a pretty good example. It's mixing a lot of stuff, and most of it works. It's also got some parts of its mix that just sounds... bad. Like the incessant smoke alarm over the chorus. And its lyrics seem as much of a hodgepodge as the music, making it hard to discern if there is even anything to take from it to begin with, let alone what that might be. This is definitely one of the harder ones to judge. Part of me wants to give it a 4, and another part wants me to give it a 2. Ultimately, it's too frustrating to have any of it as a casual listen.

Although it doesn't have some of his most well-known music, I think this album shows a lot of the clever, innovative approach to music that Beck often displays (hit or miss sometimes!).

This definitely has a sound. The beats were good, brings nostalgia and style. Only thing missing for me was like…I can’t explain it but the substance?

There are so many different sounds on here. Beck is able to pull together break beats, grunge, harmonicas -- whatever he wants. Really cool how he can just play and it works.

Innovative and time tested. Good and interesting listen. Obvious hits and nostalgia here…

It’s interesting revisiting this album that incredibly is almost 30 years old. And yet if made today I’m convinced would fit right in line with the current music industry. Most likely because Beck has an incredible knack for fusing many genres into one unique style that in some respects cannot be defined or pigeonholed, and yet at the same time remains familiar. Throw in his quirky lyrics and tasteful production and you get really good records. A well deserved 4-spot most likely as I’m holding out hope for more Beck releases that I prefer that much more such as Sea Changes or Morning Phase.

Nice to revisit this after 19 years since Devils Haircut and New Pollution were so overplayed that it prob took me 19 years before I could listen to them again. Overall an excellent album with a lot of creativity while still being accessible and enjoyable.

Middle school nostalgia bomb! It’s interesting revisiting this album now considering the direction his career has taken. Who woulda thunk he’d win a best album Grammy 20 years later for Morning Phase? A fun listen. A good album. But ultimately not great. And admittedly the nostalgia factor is what’s pushing it to 4* land for me. 3.75/5

Not bad, but the weird noises made me skip some songs.

An unrefined incoherent mess of samples, distorted voices, okay riffs and basic drum beats interspersed with the occasional quite good rock and folk song (fragment). Oh, and interference noise. Maybe this album has some artistic value if you want to dig deep enough, but musically it falls flat. At least it's memorable.

Weird to have two Beck albums back to back. Didn't enjoy this as much as Guero but still ok.

Not my taste

Eclectic and unfocused on a track-to-track basis.

Ein wenige seltsame Übergänge. Sonst ok

Lässig, crossover, experimental. Interessant zu hören, dann reicht aber. 2,8

Eclectic and a bit weird, but unfortunately to the effect of lacking focus and being a bit boring. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Devils Haircut Date listened: 01/07/24

…in which young rascal Beck Hansen gives folk/pop/rock/hip-hop/country a swaggering, slack-jawed, sampledelic, quintessentially ‘90s make-over. In its brightest spots, “Odelay” is a toybox: idea after idea bouncing over each other, full of flashing lights and fun. My ultimate highlight is the album’s peerless first track, “Devil’s Haircut”. Without warning, a monstrous three-note guitar riff roars itself into existence. “Something’s wrong, cause my mind is fading” declares Beck, oozing a strange and skewed confidence. And we’re away. The songs here are hyperactive and restless, rarely staying in the same place for more than a few seconds. There’s a raga solo out of nowhere in “Derelict”, a brief flash of accordion in “Hotwax”, and confounding false starts to “Lord Only Knows” and “The New Pollution”. In the words of Dust Brother and producer Mike Simpson, “the ultimate goal was to end up with something designed for someone with Attention Deficit Disorder”. Mission accomplished. When I first read about the depth of sampling (i.e: the brilliant “Jack-Ass” is actually a loop of Van Morrison’s 60’s outfit Them covering Dylan), I was disappointed: “I thought Beck had crafted everything from scratch, how lazy can someone be?!” I now appreciate the churlishness of this perspective. The sampling in Odelay is relentlessly innovative, coming from a dusty old record collection dug out from second-hand shops. There are multiple records so niche that nobody has been able to verify their source. Elsewhere, Hansen betrays his other influences with his best Stephen Malkmus impression in “Lord Only Knows” and “Readymade” (it totally works). Even the forays into hip-hop feel endearing and enthusiastic, rather than cringey: “High 5 (Rock the Catskills)” dives completely into scratching and winds up sounding lovably retro. Most artists spend careers aspiring to be so playful or earnest. The biggest flaw in “Odelay” is that there’s little emotional depth here: revelling in the art of play can be a lot of fun, but also risks winding up as a shallow exercise. It also means that tracks like “Ramshackle” come across a little dull and dreary, draining the album of momentum without being compelling enough as ballads. On the whole, though, this is a very endearing, exciting experience. Beck’s reputation has endured very well since, but “Odelay” was exactly what he needed to get him on the way.

Awesome album. Love Devil's Haircut and Where It's At, fun to jam out with.

Fun album

not the Beck album i wouldve chosen for the list(Guero) but an interesting listen nonetheless

Hand me the Becktionary. No, the rhyming Becktionary.

Beck's best album. Slacker rock at its finest.

I was not a fan of Beck when he burst onto the scene in the '90s. But there were several bands that I was not a fan of back then... Listening to it today, I really found myself having a very enjoyable time, and paying more close attention to the influences which shaped Beck's sound: the funk, the rock, the sampling, the groove, the multi-culturist aspect. Am I a Beck fan today? No. But, I know I will listen to this album with a lot more frequency than I've listened to it before... Odaley, cabron!

Not a big fan but some good songs

Poppy, funky, eclectic Beck

Full disclosure: I am a fan of Beck. This album, but Midnight Vultures even more, was a part of my twenties. I was a little late to the Odelay party (shoutout to Hotwax!) due to a hip hop obsession at the time, but on time for MV. Beck's creativity both lyrically and musically are intriguing enough for him to stand out. Not always aestheticly pleasing, but always stimulating. The singles carry this album, but the rest is pleasant enough to warrant a 4.

I really loved Beck growing up, and still have time for most of what he does. HOWEVER. The more music a guy hears in life, I think, the more inclined he is to think “Oh, Beck was just doing his own take on this artist” every once in a while. For example, my favourite Beck album is Midnite Vultures. The other day I listened to Prince’s Sign O The Times, and realized “Oh, Beck was (mostly) just doing Prince”. It doesn’t make the Beck album worse, but it does give it something to directly compare it to, maybe not helpfully. Anyway this one is good. Midnite Vultures is probably still my favourite. I wonder if Sea Change is on here.

When it was released did not like it. Several years later re-listen and acknowledge greatness of this album

Like most 90s kids I owned this CD but i'm probably only familiar with half of it at best. Listening was a trip down memory lane and much of this still really holds up, but some of it is experimental and overall forgettable. I still enjoyed the songs I remember from the 90s and rediscovered a couple more that were largely forgotten. I wouldn't rush out and buy it again though. Favs : Where It's At, Devil's Haircut Surprise Favs : Minus, Ramshackle

On est en 1996. Deux ans plus tôt, un certain Beck Hansen a débarqué de nulle part avec un hymne de branleur magnifique, "Loser". Le tube était si énorme, si emblématique de cette génération X qui se regardait le nombril avec une ironie blasée, que le mec semblait condamné à être l'homme d'un seul titre. Et la question était sur toutes les lèvres : et maintenant, il fait quoi, le "loser" ? La réponse, c'est "Odelay". Et quelle putain de réponse. Car "Odelay" n'est pas un album, c'est une brocante sonore, un collage post-moderne assemblé avec la précision d'un horloger suisse sous acide. C'est le disque d'un mec qui a passé sa jeunesse à écouter absolument de TOUT et qui a décidé de tout recracher en même temps, dans un vomi multicolore et joyeusement bordélique. Pour orchestrer ce chaos, il a fait appel aux Dust Brothers, les deux sorciers qui avaient déjà commis le braquage sonore du siècle avec Paul's Boutique des Beastie Boys. Et ça s'entend. L'ADN est le même : un amour immodéré pour le sample obscur, une science du rythme qui fait bouger la tête et cette capacité à créer quelque chose de radicalement nouveau avec des bribes du passé. Le disque s'ouvre sur le riff crasseux et irrésistible de "Devils Haircut" et c'est parti pour cinquante minutes de montagnes russes stylistiques. On passe d'un hip-hop de blanc-bec goguenard ("Where It's At") à une ballade country-folk à pleurer de tendresse ("Jack-Ass"), d'une explosion de funk-rock sous amphétamines ("The New Pollution") à un blues de fin du monde joué sur une guitare en ferraille. Il n'y a aucune logique, aucune cohérence, et c'est précisément ça qui est génial. Beck se fout de la gueule des genres, des étiquettes, des chapelles. Il pioche, il coupe, il colle, il sample un obscur disque de lounge brésilien, y ajoute un breakbeat de funk, une ligne de basse de Motown, et sa voix nasillarde et faussement détachée par-dessus. "Odelay" est un exercice de style ahurissant, une démonstration de savoir-faire et une explosion de créativité. Un disque ludique, foisonnant, et d’une richesse inouïe

No thank you

was really excited for this one because i love where it's at so much but the rest didn't really catch me unfortunately:/

Beck is one of those artists that I've never really liked his radio hits but when you listen to the full album, have a way better appreciation for the musician he is.

Lots of variety and experimentation, Beck is terrific especially as a one man crew. A bunch of these songs now-days feel contemporary with how forward he was with his work. 3.4

maybe downloaded one song

This is truly a recording that deserves to be on the 1001 list of greatness

i do not care for this album 1.9/5

Kinda went in this ready to hate on it for somreason but nah it's a pretty great album. An all over the place (mostly for the best), good, fun album that really epitomizes what made the 90s alt scene weird, cool, and a littleeeee lame (mostly endearingly) at times. Also somehow never realized the cover was a dog until now. 7, would be an 8 if beck rapping didnt rly annoy me lol

Surprisingly good

A good album for sure! Is it great? I don’t think so but a pleasant enough experience listening. Couple of cracking tunes on there, but I’ve heard this album a few times and the telling fact of all this is that I have never bought it.

DNL

Did not catch my attention but also was not hard to listen to

First thought: I don't recognize any of these titles. Second thought (upon hitting play): oooh I know Devil's haircut! I guess Beck is just always in my subconscious. I don't love Beck's (lack of) singing, but his instrumentals are very catchy. Enjoyed about half the album, 3*. Highlights: devil's haircut, the new pollution, where it's at

Another fun album. Dug it!

I was thinking of giving this a 3 but the second half really saved it for me. It feels very experimental and while it doesn't always work, it makes for a very unique experience and some great ideas. My favorites were sissyneck and Where it's at.

This album is really good. I appreciate all the experimentation and different styles used. Not sure I would call this “folk” but it doesn’t matter. Favorite songs were Devils Haircut, The New Pollution, Jack-Ass, Where It’s At, and Readymade.

A great album with great experimentation. Strangely nostalgic.

Aw Kryst. We’ve all tried to be something better. There have been moments of confusion, detours, off ramps that became weird winding interstates of their own. Sure we have. All of us. And it sounds exactly like we want it to sound, huh? Probably not, actually. It sounds almost exactly like this album, like something you thought it should sound like if it sounded like it should sound like. Perfectly named if you’re the white guy walking consciously slowly somewhere in Southern California.

Álbum bastante experimental, muy entretenido para escuchar. Me gustó, lo volvería a escuchar

Experimental. Un poco de naftalina noventosa.

It’s fine. Beck just annoys me after a bit.

I wish I liked Beck more, but I mostly respect him.

I enjoyed the album. I remembered a couple of hits but was excited to find some other songs in the album I liked

Beckin musassa kuuluu aina tekemisen ilo, ja se oli etenkin tän albumin a-puolella vahva. Mutta kuulen myös sellaisen vähän ärsyttävän ironian - ekan biisin perusteella toivoin, ettei sitä ole tällä levyllä niin paljon, mutta kyllä olikin. Räppi oli ehkä vähemmän vaivaannuttavaa tässä kuin myöhemmin (se ironia tekee sen efektin). Ehkä tokalla kuuntelulla kolmonen, vahva kakkonen.

Kun hänen coolin kyllästynyt, grungea teini-iässä imenyt äänensä tulee kuuluville, tiedän, että luvassa on raskas urakka. Yliarvostettu artisti.

Not one of my fave Beck's

Couple of good songs. Not really my thing though

Not a huge Beck fan but I do respect his style of music. Definitely like the hits and some of the deeps.

Didn't really feel it and I just coludn't come to like it in the end.

One of a kind, very creative, at times irritating though. 4.2

Good, but not quite enough for 5 stars.

Artsy, weird and all around good time.

Meh

Not really a fan of this one, but at least I could make it through the album which is a step up from the last Beck album that I encountered on this list. 2/5

Very nice!

It straddles the line between genius and silliness so beautifully. And Where It's At sounds too sexy to ever skip. That organ riff. Oof.

We get it Beck, you ARE a little stinker.

beck

I can see what Beck was trying to do here and i admire that creativity but a fair few songs here didn't do it for me.

One of my favorite albums that I didn’t know the band.

that was good break

Ramshackle, Hot wax and Jack-ass take the cake. High 5 is equal parts 'I wanna run through a fucking wall rn' and annoying as shit. I wonder if the computer from Fitter Happier listens to Computer Rock ever

B- Devils Haircut 3 Hotwax 3 Lord Only Knows 4 The New Pollution 4 Derelict 3 Novacane 3 Jack-Ass 3 Where It's At 3 Minus 4 Sissyneck 4 Readymade 3 High 5 (Rock The Catskills) 3 Ramshackle 4 Computer Rock 3 I like Ramona better!!

Still awesome.

Wore this one out when it was fresh. It still holds up.

Great Beck album probably my favorite of his.

The most uninspired, derivative, boring dreck I've heard in a long time. Packed with random bits and bobs that make no sense, nothing is cohesive, lyrics are bad, and no shape to any of the songs. They go nowhere.

Uhh... No thanks. I've never heard much Beck, but from what I've heard I'm not impressed. It definitely takes some bravery and skill to mix together so many genres, but skill does not equal good music. All I can think of is hip-hop meets Radiohead. I'll probably give this album a few more listens, but I won't be coming back to it long-term. Like: Ramshackle Hate: High 5 (Rock the Catskills)

Two Turntables and a microphone... but still would listen to a different album. Where It's At is a solid track and I like some of the remix versions. The other songs are alright but some of the lyrics are so incredibly goofy and just seem like a stream of consciousness /weird lyrics for the sake of being weird. Like placeholder lyrics almost but just... kept them in. Not my favorite but still somewhat interesting.

He’s done better

Sounds good through headphones. Not bad at all. A bit Eels. A bit lots of things. Like a junkyard of sounds. Nails and bits and bobs shaken up in a tin. I mean this in a good way! Odd bits of this and that joined together to form a colourful, Wacky Races type vehicle of music. Funny and unexpectedly sharp in places, soft and deep in others. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, Lord Only Knows. Will be listening again.

Never start an album with your best track, only one way to go from there! I quite like Beck but somehow it all sounds a bit gimmicky.

I haven’t really ever gotten into Beck and this one didn’t convert me. So varied but I don’t really know if it justifies why? Idk hard to put my finger on. Not bad just not my thing.

Mixed bag. Cool mostly, weird in places and not necessarily in an enjoyable way. I like his voice. Favourite track: Jack-Ass

Love how different Beck's sound was compared to other bands during the late 90's.

Had it my mind that I liked Devils haircut, but listening do I really? or was it just at the time was so starved for anything different? At least it is a little different, but actually good to listen to? not really 2

not for me, shame about the scientology

Thought this was fine, at times better than fine. Equally quite forgettable

An okay album, not great Top tracks: Devils Haircut, High 5 (Rock The Catskills), Ramshackle

BEEEECKK!!!! I

Can't say that there are any real bangers on here but the music is interesting and I enjoyed it.

I think I may be tired of irony. Or at least, tired of this particular kind of 90’s irony. I’ve started a new job recently (which is why I’ve missed like a week’s worth of albums. I’m gonna catch up soon, I promise) and my employer has a long playlist they put on everyday which has a lot of power ballad love songs on it. As I’ve been listening to this for a week and a half I’ve been taking in these ballads and thinking just how little I can relate to them. The prime example is Always by Bon Jovi. I gave Bon Jovi an unexpectedly good review a little while ago, and I don’t necessarily think Always is actually a bad song, but it’s so emblematic of a sort of overreaching love song, one that has to sound like it’s soundtracking a movie that portrays a love for the ages. It ends up sounding sort of insincere. Nobody’s love is actually that big, that melodramatic, my experience of love has always been rather mundane and as someone with a particular interest in the everyday, I prefer low-key declarations of love. One of my favourite love songs is Bloc Party’s This Modern Love which ends with the line ‘Do you want to come over and kill some time?’ That has always sounded so much more romantic to me than any declaration that I will love always and forever. What really differentiates 90’s culture from 80’s culture, at least in the US, is that while the 80’s was heart wrenchingly sincere on as big a level as their hair or their shoulder pads, the 90’s was either sincere in a more rootsy way, taking their cues from R.E.M. (who I’m listening to at the moment) or The Replacements, or subverted the 80’s level of sincerity by being cynical and ironically detached. And I think that most of the big artists who people have deemed were ironic have actually become so in hindsight. All apart from Beck. Beck seems to me a particularly 90’s product, who seems increasingly baffling as we get further away from that decade. I find it particularly hard to actually talk about Beck, because the irony and detachment is so many levels deep that you can’t get a sense of him as a person. The reason people gravitated towards Cobain was because you could get a real handle of the sort of person he was, both the damaged self destructive side, and the self deprecating genius with a wicked sense of humour. Eddie Vedder, you could get the gist of his overwhelmingly passionate empathy and anger towards the systems in place to keep the people around him miserable. Even with the Britpop bands, when Blur took influence from American Rock with the self titled album, Albarn turned out one parodic bit of nonsense for the lead single and spent the rest of the album writing the most autobiographical and direct stuff of his career. But who is Beck? I’ve now listened to two of his albums, and I really couldn’t tell you. He’s a bit wacky, he likes both folk and rap, but outside of that? He doesn’t write about himself, he doesn’t seem to write about other people. Is it a sort of musical surrealism or Dada? The only song that I found myself really enjoying was Ramshackle which is both the most melodic and the most sincere on the album. I don’t know. Beck’s artistic vision seems completely contrary to my own, and while I don’t grudge him that, I find it difficult to connect with his music in any meaningful way, or even really to talk about why I find it difficult to connect with. At least with music I find actually bad I can describe why. Beck’s taste isn’t actually particularly different from my own, I like Folk and Rap, I like Post-Hardcore and Country. I just find it difficult

Pretty good Beck album. Some great hit songs and some other less popular but still great songs. His style is very interesting and for some reason that I can't articulate, I like it. I'm sure I will listen to this one again.

Back to back Beck, lol

A very surprising high 4 from me! Excited to keep revisiting this. Every time I listen to Beck, I realize the guy is super interesting and talented. So many fun influences on this album, just a real pleasure to listen to.

It’s American Gorillaz! Same sort of lofi drum loop sampling with some twangy vocal noodling at its best, waffles out a little too long at its worst towards the end. Might hit a lot harder smoking weed on a porch in the middle of nowhere

Worst album ive ever listened to

Really experimental, all over the place. Enjoyable and at times grating. Probably good for Beck's fans. Fine for me.

Fuckin epic

When I listen to this it makes me feel like it's summer 2023 again,, weird time

3 unique both good and bad

I am not too big on his style. Will I listen to again: 3%

Devil's haircut has indeed been in my mind since it first came out, in a section that age and alcohol cannot rot. However never listened to the album. It's some decent stuff, but didn't spark any major connection for me.

The last song in the album keeps this from being a 1/10, but while they were trying to be interesting, they forgot the music did still need to be good. Just not something I want to listen to.

Too much of certain songs on this album could certainly contribute to a migraine headache

Lovely, chilled out vibes from this album. Very summery. Will definitely be returning to this one. Feels like a slightly more sophisticated Eels album.

A rather eclectic album, some great songs but a fair few that didn’t really do it for me.

Just loved this album when it came out in the 90's and sounds just as good now.

I had this album as a teenager. Always thought it was just ok. After relistening, I still think that. Some good sounds and great production though.

Eclectic mix of genres. I miss the thematic, or stylistic continuity, even at a song level.

This album sits in that weird place in musical history where you could get more "experimental" music in the radio. I'm not sure "devils haircut" would have been popular at any other time. "New pollution" and "where it's at" were also singles off this album that probably would be considered too wierd at any other time. The guitar effects, voice effects, the sheer amount of instruments on each track its not what "pop" music normally is. Overall great example of mid-90s music

This is the first CD I bought when I got my Sony Discman for my birthday. Phenomenal album that helped shape my love for alternative music.

I have so much respect for Beck. Very creative and unique, just grinding it out. Fun album Odelay turned out to be.

I remember my sister buying this album when I was younger. I didn't really get the music but it impacted me somehow. I really loved Where its at then and just seemed different but cool. I get the music now and he is so different and is who he is. It's unique and different and for that he gets props. I love that even if he doesn't get the credit he deserves he just silently keeps going and making his music.

"Going back to Houston Do the hot dog dance Going back to Houston To get me some pants" YES! Everything. 5! Note: There's a song called "Readymade" which is a term coined by one of my absolute favorite artists of the 20th century, Marcel Duchamp. Can I give this a 6?

Nice score today. I listened to this album a lot in college and was pleased to find it’s stood the test of time for me. Beck has a quirkiness that I dig, and his songs are unique and fun and rockin. Loved it.

Some songs I love, but as a collection, if I had to use a single word, it would be discordant.

Topper.

I don’t know Beck very well, but I like a lot of what I’ve heard. So when this came up I was very excited! But, I dunno. It really didn’t do anything for me. Disappointed!!! (Like that guy from that film)

Beck is a masterful musician, playing almost all the instruments and doing production as well. “Odelay,” an alternative rock album, is critically acclaimed for musical creativity and general artistry.

Ok album. Was not really in the mood for it today

Already listened

Great Album! It has it's highs and downs. But overall really great and experimental Album. Such an experimental album is really refreshing to hear now and then.

Love this!!

huge hip-hop vibes, cool but not a genre i like very much. the before-last song was great !

A couple good songs but otherwise decent.

For an album that seems to pride itself in its lack of consistency, Odelay features consistently good musical ideas that are punctuated by ear splitting digital noises and low-fidelity screaming. I wouldn’t play this one outside of my headphones unless I was looking to turn some heads. 5/10.

This album has some major stinkers, but also holds a lot of nostalgia for me. I like it quite a bit overall

Beyond the singles this was actively terrible.

Love Beck, he is one of those artists that could only have existed in the 90s

Fresh and weird.

There are some quite nice things on this. But as an album it’s just too diverse and doesn’t hang together in any real way. Maybe if I were younger and had listened to it a lot in my teens I’d love it. I’m not and I don’t. Naturally it’s rather too long as well, but that’s the CD era for you.

Hyperactive, anarchic, but absolutely fluid with unexpectedly nuanced songwriting.

Something was just a little missing for me, as if the author had cut out or missed something, without rap it would be awesome. 3/5

Este no es de mi rollo, todo muy igual, me aburriría en un concierto. Llevo la mitad, a ver que tal sigue... Nada, no me ha gustado. Ya lo siento

This album is great. It's so fun and quintessentially 90s. I love the experimentation and the consistency. It's got a great vibe. I enjoyed it so much I listened twice.

This album is so consistent. Every song is good! I've always liked Beck, and I've heard many albums, but never got to this "popular" one. It was a great experience, hearing the album in full. Liked songs added: - Devil's Haircut - New Polution - Where It's At - Minus - Sissyneck

Classic fun and Beck's got all kinds of energy on this one.

Some cool stuff but mostly weird.

Nope

Not for me

omg his little noises.

Listened Before? Y Probably Beck's best work, this album is pretty good cover-to-cover. It was five cuts deep for him spawning several hits and garnered him big critical acclaim. My personal favorites are some of the deeper cuts. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Lord Only Knows

One of those few, 10/10 records. It's difficult to adequately convey how weird, interesting and refreshing this was when it came out. All of the meticulous details, from the added crackle and pop of a vinyl record, to the vaguely out-of-tune bass on Minus, to the sound of a robot short-circuiting whole breakdancing at the end of Novacane... A huge breath of fresh air after a couple years of huge labels trying to cash in on grunge.

One day in high school we were running track. I had stopped for a rest and an acquaintance begged for my DiscMan so she could had something to take her mind off the boredom of laps. I had the Odelay CD inside and warned it might not be to her taste; she said she didn't care, she just needed "anything". Anyway after one lap she practically threw the DiscMan back at me lol.

It's OK. Some songs are better than others

Not my style of music at all, but that’s what this journey is all about.

I’m not a huge Beck fan, but went into this album with an open mind. Wasn’t a fan of the megaphone vocals, but overall was not as terrible as I thought it would be.

I liked Beck back in the day, and saw him put on an awesome live show in the late 1990s. But I have to say, this album didn't do much for me nearly three decades later. Some cool beats and catchy sounds, but the nonsensical lyrics and themes lost me in middle age.

‘Flash dance ass pants’

odelay-ee-oo

A good record with some very cool ideas. But somehow it’s still not perfect for me. Unfortunately I can’t name what’s bothering me here.

hmmm, I'll go with 2 stars just based on the two songs that I was familiar with, but not a huge fan.

Solid entry, prefer some of Beck's other albums over this one, but still good stuff.

First time hearing. Good listen

listened 2x on 4/22. great. 4.6/5

Ah Beck. I love Morning Phase and Seachange so much, you'd think I'd know this album back to front and inside out by now. But that's the magic is Beck - always something different every time. I've never really bothered to listen to this one. But that's my problem, because this is joyous, chaotic, and masterful.

Exceptionally creative and unique; a genre-hopping, one of a kind album that was as much of a breath of fresh air in 1996 as it today, in the midst of partaking in this challenge.

Интересное смешение стилей. При этом альбом довольно ровный, без каких-то пик. Это такой чиловый альбом, который мне видится скорее бэкграунд музыкой на готовку ужина в приглушенном свете. Лучшая песня - Ramshackle.

Good parts Standout songs: Novacane Derelict

Fantastic album minus the song with the odd dial tones in it .

best beck

Devils Haircut hitssss oml (ends a little loud tho) Hotwax FUNKY SOUND <333 Lord Only Knows 10/10 dude its giving Car Seat Headrest going back to houston do the hotdog dance damn every song in this thing hits wtf nv Derelict is just aight Novacane guitar >>>> Novacane ending <<<<< where its at is also meh sissyneck opening>>> Readymade beat is rlly nice High 5 is like if ICP and Gorillaz had a child

I can tell this album was probably really cool at the time, and some people probably still like it, but it's just not for me. I don't like the sound of Beck's voice. Most of the lyrics I don't know what the H he's talking about. "Blow back derelict wind, lay my soul in the fallow field," what does that even mean? Some songs sounded good. "Novacane" had some good production elements. "Minus" sounds cool. "Where It's At" is a WHACK track, I did not enjoy it. This is an early Beck album, so it probably gets better from here. 2.75 stars

me sorprendió bastante

David Foster Wallace ruined an entire generation of middle-class white men. But at least this has a groove that prevents it from ever becoming as annoying as it sounds like it would be on paper.

It's a cool album, I don't personally find it essential but it is worth note

Incredibly alternative record with creative sounds. Favorite tracks_ - Jack-Ass, Where It's At, Devil's Haircut, Derelict.

Gibberish never sounded so good.

I was going to give it a 3 but then one of the songs had laser noises so Two turntables and a microphone

Didn’t know I loved Beck!

nope... that pig?? noise was the worst to listen to that day...

Never really rated this weird Scientologist nutjob

Always great songs from this artist.

Nah. Did nothing for me.

Beck is such a unique artist. I love how he can just let loose on an album like this and do SO many things while still having a cohesiveness. This album is funky, it's weird, it's accomplished, it's zany, it's engaging. How does he manage to blend so many genres so seamlessly? Something like Hotwax is a perfect encapsulation of this, mixing up country, rap, electronica, all sorts - and making them work together. Lots of great (multi) instrumental work here, sax, drums, guitar, organ keys, harmonica and more. So much creativity on display. It's great. 4.5 rounded up Ps: Shout out to the awesome album cover Pps: Odelay IS a word. Just look it up in the Becktionary.

Very different at the time. A new genre

Yeah this album is pretty fun. Different vibes from another on this list. Definitely more of an upbeat hip hoppy pop rock style. I thought it was pretty fun and listened to a couple times.

Did not finish. Might've been just too much Beck for me

3.4/5 Best Track: Where It's At - Album Version W/Intro

And I really did like it a lot however it’s not the best album. Some of the songs sound pretty cool and others sound a little bit dated at this point. A lot of the music sounds the same and again although I do like sex music this is not my very favorite CD or album. 3.5/5

Very good album. Hard to define Beck’s weird vibe, but there is definitely a time and place to chill to it.

Beck is doing way too much on this.

Mediocre at best.

It has some hits, but I don’t love it.

Classic 90s alt-rock/alt-folk album. Plenty of solid tracks on here.

Great!

Appreciate this even more now than back in the day….

Four

I'd rock this in the Catskills

I finally figured out what "odelay" is. Odelay is that feeling when you've written your will on the only piece of paper you could find, which happened to be a three-dollar bill, you try to do the hot-dog dance with a paper bag on your head, but all you can think about is having one last cigarette, but you don't how you're going to hold it when you've only got one finger and it's pointing at the noose hanging over the door, a hemp knot beckoning you to fallow fields where your bankrupt corpse will be laid, but then you're not sure if you can trust that promise when, with your last dying moment of consciousness, you hear a donkey braying outside your window.

Not for me

I like Guero a lot better.

I love Beck and I love this album. Beck is unique and cannot be replicated. Funky beats, great vibes, killer sounds, what more can you want?

A perfect genre bending eclectic post modern masterpiece.

favourite song: readymade really enjoyed some of the songs here, not so much some of the others. very hit and miss which makes it hard to rate, torn between 3 and four stars really.

Groundbreaking

Ich konnte mit der Musik auf diesem Album nicht warm werden.

i likey the crazy.

Vintage, classic Beck and at least one of the best of his career. Devil’s Haircut and Where It’s At are classic 90’s tracks. Lord Only Knows is a very good tune as well.

Trippy infectious beats. Very creative.

Exceptional hooks. Odd lyrics and humor. A re-invention. Kudos.

3-

Classic album. It’s definitely Beck’s peak cultural relevance so very worth having here. Surprisingly out there for such a popular album too.

it didn't age very well

Other than 'Where It's At', I'm not a big fan

Bangers.

Boring

Shut up Beck.

Becks follow up to Mellow Gold imo not as great but still great, you know. Actually I think it's better nevermind. Is Guero better than this do I have to listen to Guero again?

Alt country stuff is good. A bit too noisy for my liking at times.

Sometimes fun.. always corny

I am finding more and more that interesting albums from the 90/00’s feel played out in the 2020s but think it’s because they have been rung out and squeezed of all novelty by the imitators.

I think they had an old printer and a 56k modem in the studio. These background sounds are horrible

ganz grossartig, ein highlicht der 90er

You know, Beck is more diverse than I initially gave him credit for. Sea Change was the second album I ever recieved from this list, and the first I rated a 5/5. It's super chill and dreamy, and since it was the only Beck album I was familiar with until today, I thought that's all he did. But wow, this really changes the pace and I love it. There are some moments that are bordering on metal and hip hop, and even blended with the overall folk rock sound of this album, it still sounds amazing.

Mag ich. „Where it’s at“ is immernoch'n Banger!

Not as cool as Guero

SOY UN BECK FAN 🤪🤪 devils haircut, hot wax, where it's at

just a dang perfect album

Not my thing. Kinda jangling on my nerves…

Beck does not have a place in my music library. I’ve tried over the years. Truly tried-with friends who proclaim him to be the coolest of dudes. I am certain some will disagree when I call out unimaginative guitar licks, redundant background beats, and lyrics unable to reach my soul through my ears. I remember being disappointed when he opened for U2 a few years back. And when I heard him, he did not disappoint my disappointment.

Feels very experimental but not in a good way. Like he didn't have a direction in mind and just threw in random stuff to see what sticks. Sometimes I was confused whether I'm still listening to the same album Still, not bad either, there's a lot that I liked, but mostly elements, not full songs. Best song: Derelict

interesting on the upper end of 3s

Devils Haircut, Hotwax, Novacance, Jack-Ass, Where It's At, Sissyneck, Ramshackle... + la pochette.. 5stars bravo. Belle année 1996

favourite: lord only knows, novacane least favourite: derelict it's fine, some of the songs are annoying it's too long too mayb 6-7/10

An interesting mix of hip-hop-like sampling courtesy of the Dust Brothers on a few tracks (e.g. the opener and Hotwax) along with taking cues from various subgenres of rock such as folk, country, punk, and grunge makes for an album that sonically is kind of all over the place and some of these attempts are somewhat abrupt or weak at some points, but somehow manages to be a consistently great experience due to Beck's versatility at tackling these different genres as a multi-instrumentalist (seriously check the personnel notes to look at how many instruments he plays on this lol).

Bizarre and a bit nonsense at times but truly unique and risk taking. Deserves some a close listen as even some of the simpler seeming songs genre bend in both subtle and blatant ways. Off the beaten path for sure but worth the trip.