Odelay

Fun listen, I can see why it made waves in the 90s. Favorite song: Devils Haircut Least favorite: Where It’s At

Coming in hot w the first two tracks, really liked them, the outro on Novacane is the most 90s thing I’ve ever heard. Definitely can see what the apple music summary was saying about the pastiche of styles. And then High 5 is such a vibe shift. Really, the jump from High 5 to Ramshackle to Computer Rock is crazy. Nice parallel between Computer Rock and the Novacane outro tho.

A bit abstract compared to what I normally listen too but it was a pretty relaxed beat. 4/5

I don't hear the genre hopping that people either praise or hate. Most songs are just set to a drum machine beat that stays the same until the next song. New beat, yes he plays with the sounds, but it gets very samey. Until Ramshackle. That is good, although Waronker sounds like a drum machine.

He definitely has different styles across his albums. This style is not one that I like. A lot of it sounds grating, not musical.

Pretty neutral towards him and my opinion remains unchanged

I like Beck as an artist—I like that he’s always evolving and experimenting with sounds. I like that for this album, he came in with his acoustic guitar songs and worked with hip hop producers to create this genre-kaleidoscope of an album. Yet it always sounds like a Beck album, perhaps as it’s always paired with his Gen-X apathy. There’s something admirable about creating an album that is intentionally strange and jarring and still managing to make it a hit. “Computer Rock” is one of the most bizarre ways I’ve ever heard an album end. And yet, it works for this album (and probably wouldn’t for most others).

Really quirky. Enjoyed it. Not necessarily my favourite but its modern sounds blended with alternative forms of rhythm and structure made me really appreciate its quality.

fed! beck er en ret consistent 4/5 kunstner for mig. noget af det lyder meget som beastie boys

Når det er godt er det VIRKELIG godt, men en del mere rodet end jeg huskede

Det må siges at være eksperimenterende.. Er ikke med på alle sange og det virker lidt usammenhængende, udover at det hele er lidt skørt!

This has aged really well over the 30 years (omg) that it's been out.

This guy has two albums in the list. This is ridiculous

Goes on too long. Wears out by the end

Nice and original, and definitely one of Beck's best. Yet it's rare for Beck's music to truly move me.

Beck's slack pop vibe has aged well. Devils Haircut is a solid opener and I find myself enjoying the rest even where its a bit uneven. The things that can make a Beck song uneven can be distilled down to simply saying when he goes too far i.e. the parts where he's too country, the parts where he's too rap, the parts where he's too cute or too funny. As you can see, it's all a judgement call. I acknowledge it's all totally subjective but what I'm trying to highlight here is that, in my mind when it comes to Beck, the unevenness is less about the craft of songwriting and more about excesses in presentation or style.

3-3.5 This album felt longer than 52 minutes (and not really in a good way). I liked Beck’s experimentation, and for 1996 I feel like it was probably very unique, and even at first I thought the album was younger than it was. That being said, the album didn’t feel very cohesive, and I think Beck leaned too much into an idea of idiosyncrasy being a random sound bite thrown in. It got old quickly. However, the changed within rhythm were cool, like when the song felt like it would do a 180 in terms of genre and/or tempo. I’m also not a huge fan of Beck’s voice (I think 9 times out of ten he sounds incredibly bored) but I do think he’s a talented magician and the bored voice works sometimes. Also, I was really interested in the album in the first half but the last half kinda lost me. Nonetheless, I liked how unique it was, I just wish it didn’t fall on this trope of “ah! Bet ya didn’t expect this random quirky thing,” and was slimmed down by a few songs.

A great album, a real classic. I know this whole thing frontwards and backwards and it's one of my all time favorites. Very stoked to get it today.

I know everyone loves this album. I think it’s just alright.

This album grew on me and most of the tracks are fun and the blend of genres is very unique and unlike I had heard anywhere else. I was expecting jt to be more or less straightforward well done indie rock but the sounds on here were really a surprise. However, after a few listens I started really appreciating how these come together. The lyrics aren’t that great on some tracks but the production I guess makes up for it. It’s a light 4.

One of the best albums of the 90s!

Generally meh, a few good songs, also a few that were just unpleasant to listen to

I really enjoyed this. I haven't ever listened to Beck, but will now explore his work more.

Made the mistake of starting this album at 4am. A little too rambunctious for that early. I remember WHERE ITS AT from this album.

I like Beck, but this wasn’t my favorite album of his.

Have always really enjoyed this album. Some of the songs are just a little too strange and don’t really flow well with the rest of the album. But there are some absolutely great songs here. 4/5 Will listen again.

Damn guess I like Beck

ah yeah not bad cool genre blend

Just not my vibe.

Impressive Beck’s ability to jump around to different genres, but ultimately it’s a jack of all trades but a master of none situation. I felt that Beck wanted to show off his ability but none of it seemed truly authentic.

Definitely my favorite Beck project, I enjoyed this FAR more than I thought I would. The genre bending is done incredibly well, and there's such an energy behind the hiphop/rock/electronic mixes that borders on a pre-Daft Punk or Justice sound. Loved it. Favorite track: Novacane

Unique

Some great tracks and an overall staple to the Beck legacy.

I feel like you would feel like the coolest white guy in the world listening to this in the 90's, but iunno about now. Def a well-made album and has songs, but it feels a lil dated and empty to me now. Maybe I'm just in a mood. Not tryna to be a hater.

Meh, busy af

Not my style.

I've heard his name before but couldn't have picked out a song of his. I really like this album. There's a lot of variety. It's full of energy and fun. I like Devil's Haircut, Lord Only Knows, Novacane, and Sissyneck. It's at least a 6/10 for me. It might be a little long, and its, like MOST OF THESE, not really a genre I enjoy, I guess.

super engaging, lots of really cool ideas

Good album. Not my favorite Beck. Has some real highs but some tracks I'm not crazy about.

i normally love all sorts of "weird" music and sampling but for some reason beck never really clicked for me (beyond "loser" anyway). something about the composition just feels so haphazard and either meaningless or like I'm too stupid to understand what he's trying to accomplish. either way, doesn't feel great. i do like the way beck careens into different genres left and right, even on the same track. still, i came into this only really knowing the two big singles and left the same way. i'd give this 3.5 stars if i could just because i like a lot of what it's doing but realistically I'm not sure how often I'll be coming back to these deeper cuts. favorites: devils haircut, where it's at

This album has some great songs but also so many terrible songs or parts to songs. Sometimes it sounds like they forgot how to play a certain instrument and let them parts ruin otherwise good songs. Somewhat reminds me of the Backstreet boys but better music out there for sure.

🐄🔔🖍️

Not at all what I was expecting but I liked it a lot

Can’t think of anything interesting to say about this mess of noise. Jumps around into all sorts, none of which I like. School kids will like it because it’s dares to be different - but that’s it.

Always a pleasure. Immense talent.

Listened Before? Yes Album Art: 5 / 5. Contextless photo that just makes you scratch your head at first. Simple but effective. I used to listen to this album quite a bit in high school, but it has been a while. This is the natural maturation from Beck following Mellow Gold and his (surprise) hit Loser. Still plenty of *weirdness* packed in, but much cleaner production and some more poppy influences. Devil's Haircut has always been a cool song centered around a repeating, catchy bassline and some electronic drums. Feels a lot like Eels releases around this same time period. Hotwax is my favorite from this album. Features a country/hip-hop style beat that somehow I could imagine Cypress Hill rapping over. Eclectic mix that just works IMO. Love how effortless the nonsense lyrics flow out of Beck. The New Pollution is another jam that has an effortlessly cool vibe about it. Derelict, once again, sounds like it could be an Eels song. This is one of the more peculiar songs on here. Starts off kind of like tunnel exploring music and gives way halfway through to some pseudo-Indian influences with a weird droning horn(?) sound throughout. Works surprisingly well. Novacane opens on a dreamy bassline then gives way to a stomp with a electronic sound channeling phazors at full energy. This is another example where Beck hops between ideas in a single playtime and it just works so goddamned well. Undeniable groove. Jack-Ass is a contemplative opium laced track with Beck giving deadpan delivery over one of the more pretty and traditional compositions here. Where It's At is another great one. High 5 is a weird one that feels like it could easily be a Beastie Boys B-side instrumental from Check Your Head? Oddly though, I really enjoy it. I honestly forgot how amazing this album is. Its effortless. Its cool. Sloppy at times, but IMO Beck shines the whole way through. On top of that, it was able to achieve radio success without taking away from what makes him great. So glad that this one exists. 5 / 5. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Devils Haircut - Hotwax - Novacane

Oh man I was disappointed by this album. I thought Beck would be better. Points for being experimental, no points for being bad. There are like two good songs on this album. I thought the album has ended when it got to Ramshackle because it was so different. Couldn't really follow this one.

Beck may be one of the most unique artists I have heard, just so many noises. All I can think of is the Futurama episode where Bender gets cut open by the industrial can opener and becomes paralyzed. But Beck lets him join him on stage so that he can be used as a washboard in his band to play Where It's At. This certainly teeters on the edge of being overwhelming with noise and actually being music. But I would say that this is actual enjoyable music that he is able to make.

Nick is scared of Beck but I really like him. The way he can bend genres has always been intriguing to me. It really shows in Hotwax. Derelict is spooky! Where It's At is such a jam. Have never heard High 5 but loving it. Makes me want to Rock the Catskills. Had this on in the background but Beck makes some awesome shit. This is about as close to a 5 without actually getting one as possible. Might get one on a revisit from me. I hope we get some more Beck albums

Very eclectic in genres but somehow it all fits together.

abc

Too alternative, I couldn't get a handle

👍

My first meeting with Beck, and oh boy, what an introduction!

what is this. rock hip-hop or country. idk idc but what I know it's 5 stars baby

High 5 and Derelict is pretty nice, otherwise terrible songs. Ramshackle is ok. I get it, it's experimental, but it's not the "hey I bought some exotic spices, let's make a fun dish" kind of experiment, it's more like "a test-tube blew up in my face" kinda vibe. Me not likey.

Klingt zu amerikanisch. manche lieder okay, die meisten mervig

Interesting, but I have no desire to revisit it again.

Hot garbage. Couldn’t get through the entire thing. I didn’t like this at all.

not for me

Beck refuses to be classified. Love this album.

Een beetje heftig soms maar overall goeie muziek om mee te werken

Beck managed to get a lot of praise using breaks and samples that were played out 6 years previously in hip hop.

I don't know. It's pretty bland for me. Nothing really stands out. Beck has its style, but here, it doesn't show. 2.5/5.

Mostly great songs! Novacane is by far the worst on the album, but otherwise enjoyed this one.

Beck is awesome, weird and I love all of this

DECENT

Some good stuff, some boring stuff. Album could be great if it was a few songs shorter.

An art student attempts to create OK Computer

I like some Beck songs, but I mostly found this album good but not really to my taste.

The 90s encapsulated in an album, doesn't make much sense but damnit it's catchy.

Reminds me of high school and my friend ross.

Glad to say, I've heard it many moons ago. Love it..nice intro tho

1996: Remembering high school

Nice

4/5 banger so good I didn’t like the newer album loved this one.

This is the higher end of a three.

Ok aber schon langweilig

3.5 rounding up since I rounded the last Beck down

What a decade. Enjoyed this.

Realno 3,5 al ne mogu dat to, a nije za 4. Beck dobar čovjek.

Amazing first half, but trails off into average in the second half.

Great album from Beck! Very strong alternative, folk and lo-fi sounds that are synonymous with Beck's style. Highly recommend!

Like weird 60s psych stuff or wild electronic randomness. Some classics in there but I feel like I like it less on this relisten.

goddamn Beck is good. Why don't I listen to him some more??

The review currently topping this section, mentionning Beck's "thrift store hodgepodge aesthetic', is just pitch-perfect. I have nothing meaningful to add to it, except for one thing: that sample of Them' version of Bob Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" on "Jack-Ass" is one of the most brilliant ideas the nineties has ever had. And it speaks volumes that, even without that wonderful electric guitar loop, Beck's song is still one of the best folk-rock tracks to be found in a repertoire already filled with so many wonders. 5/5 Number of albums left to review: 414 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 271 (including this one) Albums from the list might* include in mine later on: 142 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 179.

For whatever reason, Beck has never clicked with me.

Ok because I actually hated this album so much I wanted to skip every single song because it made me so angry. Like actually it was awful every aspect of it from the weird robotic sounds that fit nowhere but were everywhere to the singing which was just trash this time. NOT a fan.

Man. Is Beck hit or miss or what. This is our third Beck album thus far - best album cover at least. I just don't know about this one - I love Guero, don't like Sea Change so if this one is the tiebreaker .... it's not going well after one listen... OK one more spin through - Odelay is the ultimate 90s slacker music. And I don't like it. I'm sort of comparing Beck to himself which may not be fair, but when I know the best of what he's done and then hear this it's just not that inspiring or even catchy. Very few moments of getting chills, or staying in a groove, it's a weird and misguided pastiche of mangled beats and samples - very few if any songs have any flow whatsoever, and at worst a lot becomes atonal ("High 5" is the equivalent of opening the spice cabinet and everything spills out onto the floor). In fact I hate to use this word because it's thoughtless but I keep falling back on it being boring. Which after 2 listens is where I'm committing. 4/10 2 stars.

It's Beck. He does whatever he wants. Some of it's great, most of it just exists. Usually I like the first half of an album better and lose interest after a while. On this record I like the second half better. Favorite song: Minus.

Cool album. Might be more inclined for a re listen if I did drugs.

I was excited to give this a listen for the first time in 20 years, but it kind of fell flat for me.

I’ve got a devil’s haircut in my mind. All very simplistic but catchy. I can’t barely play any instrument, but I think I could replicate this album on my own. Novacane slaps. This is a very 90’s album. Several songs contains twangy country steel guitar, and will mix it with samples of rap. Not my favorite, but it works.

Funky and wacky sounds. Prefer it over the previous Beck album yesterday (Sea Change).

3rd listen (2, 4) Beck 1997 Took me a while to get into this one. Now, I'm lovin' it. Standouts: Where It's At, Devil's Haircut, The New Pollution, Jack-Ass, Sissyneck Others: Hotwax, Derelict 4/5

The first album on the list I’ve never listened to, by a band I never really got into. Beck isn’t totally my cup of tea. I find most of the audio distortion he uses to really grate in my ears and his talk-sing style I’ve never found too appealing. The one song I liked was “Where It’s At” and even that has an annoying squeaky sound during the chorus. I found some songs completely intolerable, and the ones that were listenable were rather boring. And that hidden track of computers having sex was enough to even put Ciara over the edge. I can’t ever really see my listening to this again and though I tried, I stand by my thought that Beck just isn’t for me.

not great but it was cool every once in a while so a low three makes sense

Great production, boring melodies, confusing album. No standout track.

3.5

I just can't force myself to listen to this album again. Way oversaturated on Beck decades ago. I do not like this album Sam-I-Am.

Consigo ver sua importância porém não gostei muito

‘Odelay’ hangs together quite well. Beck goes folk, country, rock, grunge, lounge and exotica and the Dust Brothers add beats and production, complementing the album perfectly without ever overpowering proceedings. The Dust Brothers and Beck…what a combo…who knew?

Two turntables and a microphone song from like the 90s. Other than that it's ok... they were high making this

A collection of nonsense

Eclectic sounds fused with familiar grooves. a taste of the future and past. A fun ride.

Bfp. Bad finished process. Some alright songs but all this experimental shit is bad and annoying and idc about it.

beck cares about the "artistic process" more than the finished product. whatever the fuck that means. 🗑️

Enjoyably weird 3.5

Good but not music genre that I would not normally listen to.

Very good

It’s a sound collage. This was even better than I remember. It makes me want to sit down and write again. 5 stars

I know almost every word.

Not as good as I remember it being. Still a few songs that I really love on here, but the rest are pretty forgettable.

Devil’s Haircut is repetitive and doesn’t really go anywhere. A lot of this has what I don’t like about rap—boring looped beats. Oh god, a sax solo. Someone reputable told me they liked this, and now I’m questioning their tastes. Novacane and Minus have some slightly better harder sounds. Overall feeling very meh about it.

It's like they took a good alternative album and just put random noises in random spots. There was weird ass synth, some squealy guitars, and some beeping(?) Wasn't a bad listen but it did at times feel like it was trying to be different just to be different

its ok for backgroud noise

Countrified hipster funk from the mad folky and the dust brothers.

This album is like candy for your ears.

Although Beck is placed in my top 30 most listened to artist of 2023, I never really focused on his solo work (yes of course I've heard loser). I mainly know him from Possession Island (Gorrilaz ft. Beck) and from Night Running (Cage the Elephant ft. Beck). I'd definitely say I'm pleasantly surprised by listening this album, but almost ashamed that I never looked into Beck, because this is definitely an amazing album. It contains so many layers and different aspects, I'd definitely say I'm a fan after listening to this album. I'm happy to be introduced to this masterpiece!

Beautiful banger

Pretty darned cool set of tracks. Like what all he put together and added his own touches to.

* lord only knows is pretty good * jack-ass is good too!

particolare, non male

This was on heavy rotation in my post-college days, I loved the inventiveness of the production and the wide range of styles that somehow all held together over the course of the album. Beck's lyrics are nonsensical yet also convey a mood or theme. This album also confirmed that he wasn't just a one-hit wonder after "Loser", and he went on to have a great career for decades after.

Malisímo álbum.

Rock alternativo. Está bien. Un 4.

Top tier heist movie music. He's got his own sound and tends to lean a little more on the poppy side of the fence although there's some old school hip hop and rock riffs mixed in. I think Beck hits that balance pretty well which keeps the whole album pretty fresh and exciting

Begrudgingly enjoy this album.

Derelict est très bien, Novocane aussi. Globalement je connais peu Beck mais j'aime bien.

Ahh, un des rares albums jusqu'ici qui est aussi fermement dans mon top personnel. Après réécoute : ça va un peu dans tous les sens, on sent qu'il tente un nouveau truc à chaque chanson. Mais c'est cool, j'adore toujours.

Får aldri heilt taket på Beck

Beck's masterpiece. With production from the Dust Brothers, they create a storm of folk and hip hop, grabbing chunks of any other genre (punk, grunge, Latin soul, etc) that gets in the way. A very nearly perfect album.

I've been a Beck fanboy since this album came out and I'm not going to stop now. This is the first album that I distinctly remember being blown away by reading the liner notes. Best track: Devils Haircut

Eccentric and eclectic. There’s no one else I’ve heard like Beck and I appreciate his genre bending approach, but I don’t need to listen to it every day!

jaunty

Lovely indie album, memories of festivals past

Excellent

This is so 90s in the best possible way

Did not realize the extent to which I grew up on this album specifically

Good listen. Not in my top 50

some nice songs, very repetitive as a whole.

This is not my favorite Beck album, but I can't deny it may be the most influential. Solid music all the way through.

Not a patch on guero

Wonderful unique LP

Great! Sorta eclectic but I can see how its groundbreaking

Great album from the 90's. Beck is quirky and fun. The album is entertaining. Nostalgia of MTV.

Haven't really listened to this album since 1996. Great listen. For the uninitiated, Beck is a mix of cool alt, rock and soul with a little country influence sprinkled in.

I've always had a complicated relationship with Beck. He seems like exactly the type of artist I would love, and I've tried to get into his music, but it has never quite stuck with me. Odelay, maybe his most critically acclaimed record, is no exception. The biggest singles, "Devils Haircut" and "Where It's At", are fine, but have always seemed extremely repetitive to me. The rest of the album just rolls off my brain like water off a duck's back, even after multiple listens. I never find it bad or unenjoyable. It's just so...fine. There's a lot of musical experimentation here, which I can appreciate, but things like the electronic elements he often incorporates just isn't my taste. Overall, it sounds like an artist doing a lot, without any of it fully working.

8/13, 62%

I don't really know how I feel about this other than a whole album of Beck feels like a lot to take in. There's just... so much quirk. It's quirkful. Quirkbundant. Just... absolutely stuffed to bursting with quirk. At the end of the day, I guess I enjoyed it more than I was put off by the quirkiness? It's a 4, I suppose. But it's a soft 4.

Meh! Another Beck album... how uninspiring. I always try to look for the positives in each album review, but Beck has failed to deliver every time... and no surprise that this album is just as lame as the rest of his stuff. Best I can say is there are small sections of some of the tracks that are quite promising, but then each good bit of a track is hedged either side by uncoordinated changes, his vocals dire, and lyrics are sooooo lame. I really don't like this guys style of music. It's not that it is totally unlikeable, (or rather it's not as bad as the depths of despair with country and western music), but this album of Becks it's just incredibly bland and booooooooring, even though its livelier than the last album that was up for review. But hey, sure its all horses for courses, and if it rocks your boat then turn it up to 11.

Boring

Mmm, paar vette nummers, veel filler.

Good

I enjoyed it.

not my thing- the sirens annoyed me

always fun

Always wrote Beck off as being boring dad-rock, but he's made something really out-there with this album. Will deffo come back to it

Kinda hated this. 3-4/10

How in god's sacred secretion's name, does BECK have a SECOND album on here? And what in the most insidious of infernos is Beckerton trying to do here? This album has less direction than Columbus with a broken compass. Hold this sympathy 2, and may I NEVER have to listen to this confused man ever attempt to rap or speak Spanish ever again.

some very good songs sprinkled in + all in my playlist however there are some moments in songs that dont need to be there but still a good album

Great album! Beck is so creative and it comes through on every track.

Strange music. So catchy.

The eclectic sonic palate of Beck’s Odelay makes this a one-of-a-kind listen that anyone could find something they’d enjoy inside. A great album that symbolizes the diversity of sounds the ‘90s offered.

note to self: pass along this record to boyfriend

This isn’t as good as some other beck albums but he does do a good job of making some amazingly unique music. This is some funky alternative with an array of sounds. Most of the songs are still catchy and enjoyable. This album is good but not near his best. 6.5/10

Really enjoyed this! knew about half the Songs, either because of Radio or being played in social situations. Was worried 50 minutes would be a little long, but it held my attention well.

Fuller realized version of Mellow Gold. Varied, fun, and creative.

It's okay. I'd listen to it again probably

I JUST ADORE THIS ALBUM, is the first you're recommending me but I listen to it before, it's a masterpiece

I'm generally a Beck fan. The album I listen to the most is probably Mutations. Odelay is more straightforward than some of his other work, with typical backbeats and less layered instruments. It's fine but I like other Beck records more.

One word: eclectic. Lots of different genres packed into one album, and while musically it’s diverse, I find that it’s hard to settle in. Still a solid album though. Fav song of the album is either Hotwax or Where It’s At

Felt like a less charismatic and unfunny Gorillaz album.

I mean it’s Beck. Cool music if you’re a mum or dad. Otherwise not cool. Stand out tracks: Devils Haircut *probably one or two more but meh* 2.5/5

doggie jJUMP

Just a weird good time, very late 90s Beck.

Favourite tracks: devils haircut; where it's at; new pollution

Realmente tiene un sonido que se mantiene vigente, incluso forma parte de esta nueva no ran nueva camada se brit pop rock. La junta de elementos completamente equilibrados, en una mezcla y produccion mas que decentes se roban el disco. La sideas fluyen y fluyen en armonia, creando un disco que cierra en casi todos sus aspectos 7,80/10

Hotwax // Novacane // Where It’s At // Ramshackle // 2/5

Not my favorite

-------------->

not bad. didn't rly do anything for me but i can appreciate the artistry

Was dreading this but it was ok. Just ok.

Had a lot of really interesting sounds, and was really cool to listen to. Not something I would listen to normally though.

New sound inspired me

Some great songs, started to feel a little repetitive. Realized I had no idea what Beck's music sounds like.

buen disco

Wasn't into Beck at the time. Mid90s heyday. But have grown to respect him as an artist over the years. Thus album is unstoppable. The hits keep coming while the strong album tracks more than hold their own.

An interesting and eclectic collection. I generally liked the mellower numbers the best, in particular Novocane

Pretty ok

beck has some good ideas and there must be a reason for him being so liked but oh my god i find him so fucking irritating i feel like there's a kid next to me trying to tell me the plot to their favourite video game that they can't remember properly when I listen to this music. for that reason fuck this album its a 1

3.5, where it’s at and sissyneck are very strong tracks but think some other ones try for abit of an experimental rock and don’t get it exactly right.

Odelay is an album that could only have been made by a relative newcomer when it was made, when the death of Kurt Cobain left a huge void in the industry, and alternative music had not yet been codified into the grungy rock sound that would later typify the late 90s and early 2000s. Odelay is unabashedly weird, and Beck expertly weaves and bends genre in a way that is so skillful that it almost sounds like he's not doing it. His knowledge of music has to be incredibly prodigious to do what he does. His use of changing genre never feels surface level.

The Dust Brothers really gave Beck the platform to properly express some of the ideas he had in his head. I've had this album in my collection since it came out and have always enjoyed it. Now relistening to it, I find the fun that this album exhumes very catchy. It makes me happy. Not all songs are amazing, and it might not be a masterpiece in music history, but it sure as hell is a great album for any collection.

6/10

infectious beats interspersed with distorted guitars and beck’s signature weirdness. he makes that quirkiness seem effortlessly cool. so good. highlights: “devil’s haircut”, “hotwax”, “where it’s at”…

Yeah, this is a pretty cherry album. Odelay indeed.

I had this album growing up and I forgot just how good it was.

Nice to listen to, but nothing really grabs me. But what I can say is that I like his screams on this album. It has a mix of screamed vocals, ballads, dub, his typical guitar sound. + Derelict + Readymade + Ramshackle + Diskobox

Uniformly excellent work by the weird little dude

This is indeed a great album. It has lots of great songs. Devil's Haircut, The New Pollution, Jack-Ass, Where It's At. And one that wasn't on the radio called Ramshackle. Good stuff here.

Damn, that Scientologist sure can rock! Great album. "Sissyneck" and "High 5" are highlights.

Hipster alt-rock with mumbling vocals. 2/5

Dope 4.5

Not bad! Quite eclectic. Some bits give me Eels vibes.

Cool guy and cool album

Bit of a wacky one isn't it, seen chronic drunks less all over the road than this seemed to be, a music equivalent of those candy pick and mix where you get a bunch of everything, I'm happy with the gummies but for more often than I had liked you get a mouthful of fucking liquorice.

Interplay between the samply motifs of the guitar and the oscillating energy levels makes for an interesting listen. Has a country feel to it.

6/15

не понравился

A messy album. The singles are catchy but the rest sounds like various streams of consciousness which were handed over to the Dust Brothers to make something of. I struggle to find a thread or story holding this all together. It all feels like it's trying too hard to be 'quirky', and ends up more wack than wacky.

The slacker feel sounds tedious. I felt like I was transported back to a crappy early 90's bar. How the chuffers did this break through to the mainstream? Gawd, it's shit.

Starts of well with Devils Haircut but the majority of the rest is crap, wtf is the buzzing during Novocaine about? Made it very hard to listen to Has probably ruined the Futurama episode for me too

Do I hate it?? no.... but I definitely don't love it Favorite Track: Lord Only Knows 3/5

Met vlagen is het Pixies na een hand vol slaappillen. Met vlagen is het Fatboy Slim als Norman Cook een saaie Duitser was. Met vlagen Bob Dylan als hij wel had leren articuleren. Af en toe draagt de wind een zaadje weg waaruit later Gorillaz is ontstaan. Ik zal niet zeggen dat het slecht is, maar ik verveel me echt helemaal de tering. Het experimentele slaat bij mij niet helemaal aan merk ik. "Novacane" en "Minus" laten zien dat Beck wel muziek kan maken waar ik enthousiast van word, maar hij pakt niet echt door op dit album.

Oof, how do I feel about this one. Loved it at the time, and hearing more or less anything on it evokes memories of his band mates horses head mask's manes blowing in the summer breeze across the stage. But oof, it's dated hard, hasn't it? A lot of it is Beck does Big-beat, he's got two turntables and a microphone, which again I loved at the time but man that sound has dated. The more timeless stuff makes less use of this sound and have remained my favourites over the years, Lord Only Knows and the wonderful Jack-Ass. I think I might prefer that to the Them song it samples, wonderfully. I still enjoy the magpieing from all sorts that's going on here generally. There's a lot of Beastie Boys going on, with judicious use of samples in a similar vein. I keep thinking of a Tarantino soundtrack, and that's not helping with the whole 'dated' vibe. Diskobox is still cool though. Why is that not on the 'Deluxe' version? So yeah, played it to death on release, still enjoy a track or two when I hear them, but the album as a whole sounds sort of cringe now, and that's why I'm surprising myself and not giving it a 5.

Pretty decent album. I like the general vibe but not really getting into the songs too much.

Really great 90’s alt album. Beck has some really fun hits.

Fun, cool and unapologetic Beck.

Each song is like an average performance of a different genre. Didn't like it very much.

I love this album. The music is stellar, with the catchy ‘Devils Haircut’ and the weird ‘Where It’s At’ being my favorites. The production is great and the samples add to the music. Simply amazing.

This was a bizarre experience. Second Beck album already and I was like eh...but this was quite fun. Some real contrasts. Got a couple of nice tracks for my playlists.

listened

Good vibes

Do not like this album that much.

I had listened to Mellow Gold a lot when it came out. Just have just been Becker out when this came along. Way better than I remembered it.

Groovy

I had no idea what was on the album cover until I’d seen it 50X. Lots of hits with that classic Beck variety of sound.

Really liked this!!! Giving that classic “loser” beck sound with some maturity. Thought this sounded great.

Pretty good. I loved how unafraid it was to throw some very experimental sounds and breakdowns into each track, despite the vibe of the rest of it. It's not necessarily that album that you can just throw on whenever, but it executes what it means to quite well. Feels like a less tame version of what bands like Wilco would go on to do with their turn-of-the-millennium work. Favorite tracks initially were Hot Wax and Where It's At, among others.

Too much going on, over produced.

It's fine. Not eye opening. Fine.

Pish

this is a GREAT album but I think barely not a 5. Some of the 'aesthetic' feels too dated (90s) to me. But it's def fantastic and an easy 4. Oh man right from the first note though - it’s such a beautiful mash up of live/real guitars and drum machine and samples and noise… Like the beat in the chorus of Devils Haircut is the Amen Break right? Such an innovative record.

Someone listened to the Beasty Boys

What an intriguing album, always been on my "To Listen to" list but finally getting around to it. It's great, Where it's at and Minus were highlights for me.

Intriguing at times. Overstimulating at times.

Much stronger 2nd half

Very cool record! I really liked it. Beck is more interesting than I thought

Some absolutely great tracks... and a few that are much less so. Could lose some tracks for a shorter, more focused album.

Top 3 Songs: 1 - The New Pollution (4) 2 - Jack-Ass (7) 3 - Where It's At (8)

Not horrible, just not my bag

I really like Where It's At. I sort of like some of the other songs. I really don't like some of the songs. I rate this a balanced 2.5 rounding up for the album art. I do think this album belongs on this list and I'm more or less happy to have heard it.

Still sounds mostly great. Some bangers in there. Wee bit 'of its time' in places. Have you watched a 90s Tarantino movie recently?

Love the singles but I prefer his more reflective / dour stuff to disco cowboy Beck.

Cool album.

Great album, plenty of variation, some good songs and fuses styles.

Yo soy un disco quebrado Yo tengo un chicle en el cerebro 8+/10

Meh, don't care for Beck

3/5 Interesting. A bit uneven, but totally radical at the time it was released.

4.3 + I mostly love this rummage through the dankest parts of Beck's musical mind. Especially the whacked-out country-western fuzz rock on "Lord Only Knows" that takes some chaotic detours before ending in a strange hoe-down. "Hotwax" is also fun insanity, as well as the "good-ol' boy" ditty "Sissyneck." But, I don't love everything on here - "The New Pollution" can grate on my nerves and I usually skip "Minus" and "Readymade."

Ok album but not for me

Remains one of Beck's best albums. Devil's Haircut is a favourite. The video is stellar. If I don't know what to listen to, I can pop this on, and go from beginning to end.

"Odelay" by Beck is an album that defies easy categorization. It's a mishmash of different styles and genres, blending elements of rock, hip hop, folk, and electronic music to create a sound that's uniquely Beck. Overall, I would give the album a solid 4 out of 5 rating. One of the strengths of "Odelay" is Beck's ability to blend seemingly disparate elements into a cohesive whole. Tracks like "Devils Haircut" and "The New Pollution" are built on funky guitar riffs and catchy beats, while "Jack-Ass" and "Sissyneck" have a more laid-back, country-tinged vibe. Throughout it all, Beck's distinctive vocals tie everything together. The production on the album is top-notch, with Beck working with a team of talented musicians and producers to create a sound that's both polished and raw. The album is full of interesting sonic textures, with elements like scratchy vinyl samples and distorted guitar riffs adding depth and complexity to the songs. Lyrically, "Odelay" is a bit of a mixed bag. Some of the tracks, like "The New Pollution" and "Where It's At," are full of clever wordplay and cultural references, while others are more straightforward. However, even the more simplistic lyrics are delivered with enough energy and conviction to keep things interesting. If I had to nitpick, I would say that there are a few tracks on the album that don't quite measure up to the rest. "High 5 (Rock the Catskills)" and "Readymade" are both decent songs, but they lack the same spark of some of the album's other tracks. Overall, "Odelay" is a fantastic album that showcases Beck's unique talents as a songwriter, musician, and producer. Its eclectic mix of styles and sounds make it a true standout in the world of '90s alternative music. If you're a fan of Beck or just looking for something a bit different, "Odelay" is definitely worth a listen.

Not really my style but it wasn’t bad

Really forgettable: Didn't enjoy a lot of the tracks and especially towards the end it started to lose my interest and sound very samey

great

Beck is such a word-saying guy. He's absolutely obsessed with saying words. Every time I've looked up the meaning to a Beck song, it's just that "this song is gibberish". Good for him and the maggot on his sleeve. This guy could sample a giraffe farting and rap his grocery list over it and I would be like "ah, classic Beck". Classic Beck. 4/5

3-4

Really laid back vibe, not the most exciting album but Where It’s At does liven it up. The production is interesting but I don’t really vibe with the vocals.

Mish mash of sounds. Tries to incorporate some alt rock, electronic and hip hop. Worked on second song but wasn't a fan of many others Novacaine is good

One of those artists who can keep coming up with new sounds and ideas. And make them entertaining.

Koiranäyttelymusiikkia..Tylsää kuunneltavaa.. PASKAMYRSKY... kyseessä ei olekkaan koiranäyttely musiikkia niinkuin album cover antaa olettaa.. MITÄS VITTUA... genret on sekasin kuin intian rautateitä mylläävät maglevjunien rattaat... Ei ole mitään järkeä.. Intialiasmies katsoo....... katse....... oikea-vasen............ oikea-vasen......... radan yli turvallisesti. Tässä oli albumina jotain hienoa.. Ensimmäisen kerran kun kaikki avautui.. elämysalbumi.. toisaalta tässä ei ole mitään minkä kanssa kasvaa... Napsahus biisit vain...ja hurjia ääniä... nice... mitään ei jää käteen vaikka vedetäänkin joka hihasta meikäläistä huoneisiin albumin aikana.... Tämä ei ole vain meikäläisen jauhantaa.. Myös tilastollinen fakta: Metacritic score: 9.8/10 (1996)[17] Vitun hyvää jee!! 8.5/10 (2008)[18] Paskaa... Paska.. sonnansoitatusta... tajuttu vuosien varrella.. Toivottavasti tämä tunne ei koskaan lähde.. Tämä tuntuu hyvin kauniilta albumilta ja ajanjakso millon tälläinen saatu tallennettua musiikkishistoriaan.. hyvin kapea hetki että voidaan läpimurto saada aikaa.... Aah... rakastan..

No es el disco que más me gusta de Beck pero está bien

Weird and wild, bus coherent still, impressive

I like Beck but this hasn’t aged that well

I remember finding this album intensely annoying when it came out. There are a handful of good tracks surrounded by annoying crap. Alas, my opinion is unchanged after this listening.

See previous day's review haha Still not my favourite Beck album but a good one

I can't pin down what to even call the genre of this album. Splashes of rock, rap, electronica, blues and more. Definitely unique. I'd've ate this up if I was like 19 when it came out. Got a cool factor.

Love Beck, this album doesn't miss.

Love beck!!

Beck has a ton of 5 star songs, but I don't know if he has any full 5 star albums. 4 rock hard stars out of 5.

Beck's finest. And a staple for 90s alternative music

Devil's Haircut is brilliant, and there are some other great tracks on here

3.5 stars. Fun and at times wacky. Gets a little experimental-ish at times which I wasn't a fan of, but overall enjoy Beck and this earlier work even if track by track it's hit or miss. Standouts are "Where It's At" and "Devil's Haircut"

Excellent!

Very, very good! Deserves more than 3 stars but not quite 4. So many sounds pulling together. I really enjoyed it.

While 'Where It's At' is one I truly enjoy, I couldn't get into the other tracks. Not something I'll be seeking to purchase. 2/5

Got an arch-90s feel which I never really liked - didn't love this much at the time and still haven't warmed to it

Some great tracks but the rest of the album leaves much to be desired

No one ever said that Beck didn’t take chances and make some unique music. Some of it sticks, some of it falls short. Yet I’ve never met anyone who told me that Beck is their favorite. Sad thing is that many people seem to love DMB to no end, but I can’t understand why Becks uniqueness doesn’t draw a similar cult following. Some things just don’t make sense, but what makes sense is that Beck makes very interesting music. If it were 4 songs on this album and some decent accompanying tracks I may keep this is rotation, but it just doesn’t have unanimous draw.

It's not bad, but it's not my cup of tea.

Beck? Dat is toch die Zweedse detective van Sjöwall en Wahlöö? O, de artiest? Kennelijk is deze muziek ook in de jaren negentig uitgebracht, maar het zegt me eigenlijk helemaal niks. Het zwabbert een beetje tussen de genres en laat geen indruk achter.

Beck weet bijna elk nummer te verpesten met irritante piepjes, wegdraaiende geluiden etc.

Gruizige americana vol met samples en gekke beatjes. Beastie Boys meets Cake. Het kan aan mij liggen, maar het klinkt wel enorm 90s. Het is wel ok, maar niet helemaal mijn stijl. Gewoon 3 sterretjes.

Banger

Remains great after all these years. His music gets kinda out there sometimes but he’s so listenable.

Wack

Bunch of garbage

Honestly overrated.

The way I feel about this album, is the way I feel about all but one Beck album. Meh, it’s fine.

Never been a Beck fan.

I’ve always liked Beck, I think He has bangers on all albums but this album is not my favorite. My favorite is Guero by far. Almost every song on that album is awesome my favorite being Earthquake Weather. I know this is supposed to be a review for Odelay haha but I think the wrong album was picked.

Oh lord. I know this whole album, but that doesn’t mean it deserves to be on this list. It’s fine. So far most of the albums are “just fine” and I don’t know how I feel about that.

I think Gran Turismo and Tony Hawk ruined Beck for me. It’s background music! He uses really interesting sounds and cool beats, but his music too easily slips behind anything else going on.

I think I liked this album more in the '90s. Good background sound. Around track 6 I wanted something different.

The album was about the last time I paid attention to Beck. I definitely owned it on CD at one time. It's very good, though like always with Beck (up to the point I was keeping up anyway), there is this pervasive tone of kind of detached intellectualized calculation - what might less charitably be described as smugness, but I think it's more just the typical curse of post-modernism preying on the brainy type. In songs like Jackass this album occasionally transcends this and expresses something with genuine sincerity.

Needs another listen to properly form an opinion, but I did enjoy it

Pollock: Excited about this. Devils haircut is Ok. Honestly not loving it right now. A bit too almost punky, 90s rocky. Discobox surprised me that's for sure. IDK, this somehow has me interested in Becks music but not that into this album. Could be one of those tricky mutliple listen scenarios, but it has to be a 3 max. Probably a low 3. Best: Discobox Worst: Overall: Yeah just didn't speak to my ear aesthetic. I can sense that I will like a Beck album, very unique. So its a low 3, but has potential

you know normally i like beck but this one really goes off the rails with the whole 'experimental' vibes and it doesn't work for me