Odelay

Not for me

pretty goated

Good vibes but I didn't found anything special.

This album was all the hype when I started to listen to alt rock radio. Actually I owe it to Beck's Deadweight my transtion from hip hop to alt and indie rock for the late 90s and '00s. This is perfect for this list because it works more as an album experience more than a single song takedown, except for the singles obviously. It encompases every weird thing the 90s tried or did acomplish together with funky riffs, great catchy hooks, old-school hip-hop breakdowns, leftfield samples. For years I was obsessed with Jack-Ass, Where It's At and New Pollution. Devils Haircut is obviously also a top song, Lord Only Knows, Novacane are great too. The first side of the album is perfect, and the second always reminded me of David Bowie's Low kinda vibe. Great representation of the era I grew up in.

Jag har svårt för Beck.

Världens coolaste scientolog. Får bli favoritbetyget 3 igen, denna gång stark.

Hmmmm. Pallar inte Beck. Ruggigt keff. Försmutsar den riktigt Becks namn

inte tråkigt. men är det bra??? vet ej

Good weird

Odelay is like if Paul's Boutique had a kid with "The Chronic," then sent that kid to art school. It's got this chaotic energy that just makes me want to dance around my room like an idiot. Which I did. Multiple times. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Devils Haircut - Hotwax - Lord Only Knows - The New Pollution - Where It's At - Ramshackle

i can see how this is for someone but it's not for me. and the final track being random looping beeps felt very stupid. but i will say there's a ton of variety here, every song has its own vibe, which makes it all feel like it's a bit scattered and lacking cohesion as a musical idea

Another honorary 5/5, not because it is a perfect album but because it consistently surprised me and I feel like every song has some merit or is very good.

Very uneven, some songs I would rate a 4 some a 2. Some part I loved, some I hardly wanted to listen through to the end. Weird!

This is like a garage band, but the garage was filled with all of dad’s discarded electronics and production equipment. I loved the eclectic sound at first but eventually found it was overwhelming the experience of actually hearing SONGS. I like this album best when it is less distracted and is at its most direct: “Lord Only Knows” is the best example, and the song from which the album grabs its name. The sound and production is great but I steadily lost my enthusiasm. What can I say. A strong 3/5 at least.

Beck is a musical technician and shaman at the same time. He composes elaborate and electric riffs and grooves that are as dynamic and wacky as his lyrics. On Odelay his is at the top of his game, mixing commercial hooks and riffs while also experimenting and pushing the listener. I am not sure it means much at the end of the day, but it is an amazing ride.

Like the music. Definitely an unusual Album cover. Lyrics imply brokenness.

7/10 - this is punk. Solid around Fav Tracks: Devils Haircut, Where It's At Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ✅ Will Listen Again? -- ❌ Album Cover -------good boy

interesting.... not lo mio especificamente per mu chevere lo scucharia en el auto

Was a little surprised how good the tracks I didn't know were and how it all flowed. Close to 5 stars from me

For a long time, I couldn't figure out what was on the album cover. Some kind of barrier, with either a cloud or hay flying above it... Considering I was listening to the music on an iPod, where the covers were quite small, it didn't make it any clearer. Only later did I realize it was a Hungarian Komondor dog, and once you see that, you can't unsee it. It's the same with music: you can go a long time without getting Beck, not understanding this chaos of country, hip-hop, electronica, folk, psychedelia, and everything else, how he made this music, why he made it... But then something clicks in your head, and you realize — wow! A unique kaleidoscope album, where everything is simultaneously pieced together from a variety of pieces and yet organized. Embracing the immensity and cramming in the uncrowded, so to speak. A good album, just shy of a four star mark.

Beck is all over the place in the best possible way in this one. Phrygian mode industrial music, hip hop, rock, electronica, funk… you name it, he’s on it. And it’s all good. Beck is known as a very talented multi instrumentalist, but that’s only part of the story. It takes artistry to be able to take all those disparate things and make it into something not only cohesive, but listenable and enjoyable. An incredible talent. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

zroznicowane

this is like a 4.5. definitely good, but it would be nice if he had forgone the random samples.

Better than I expected. Relaxed and cool.

High 5 😁

This album gave me the same impression as most other Beck records - musically competent, wildly creative and original, and yet I feel little to no emotional connection with it. The collage of different genres and the constant shifts between styles are very interesting, and musically more exciting than in his later albums. I really love the experimental pieces, like Derelict and Novacane, but the more melodious, folk-oriented songs like Jack-Ass bore me. Overall, Odelay is probably one of his best ; but nothing particularly grabbed me, moved me or made me want to instantly play it again. Just solid musicianship, certainly enjoyed but also soon forgotten. Beck is definitely one of those artists I respect more than I actually like. 6/10

I usually like albums that jump between styles when it is well done, and Beck somehow makes it work on this one. It’s weird, fun and full of catchy songs. Not every track grabs me, but the best ones are excellent. A really enjoyable album and an easy one to come back to.

A few songs feel a little out of place, but overall this is a super solid record with great hits

Didn't like it. Not my personal style at all.

Fascinating sound and record. Really really unique and every song sounded really different.

Fabulous alternative country 👌

It was kind of like it was on something, I don’t really understand what they were trying to do.

Loved it

I know the point of this album is the mish-mash of genres, but at many points it just felt like gibberish. The overall sound of the music is solid though.

It's such a cool album, but it's a bit too long and there's a couple of skippable tracks. but I'm a big fan and it was the first Beck album I bought, although I think I listened to modern guilt first

Experimental mix of old blues/rock and samples with the cool persona of Beck. The bravery is rewarded with a coherent and fun album.

did not care for it. why there are 3 beck albums on this list will always baffle me

oh my, album 11 on the list and this one was really tough going. I had to push myself to listen to them songs and I am afraid I just don't like the artist's voice / tone of his voice. Music itself while sounded SORTA fun at times felt messy and noisy. Some sound effects were really sore on the ear and I didn't find them necessary to be there at all. Can you even listen to this in headphones? I wouldn't say you need to listen to this before you die, but maybe someone really digs it and sorry to hurt your feelings lol

This was way too much hip hop for me when it came out, but now I’m ready for it and realize this is a good three and a half star album.

Did Cake listen to Beck? This is fine.

I appreciate what Beck managed to do as a creative, blending so many genres in some alright compositions. The sound just sounds muddy and kind of flat. I get Beck being included, this one might not be necessary. Rounded up from a 2 point something.

There are some great songs on here (Devil's Haircut, Where It's At, Lord Only Knows). There's plenty of filler. The grooves and studio work are first rate, but as a songwriter Beck often feels like he's keeping the listener at a distance and being purposefully opaque with his lyrics.

Peak weirdo Beck. Novacane should’ve had a beastie boys cameo.

3.3 I have to say, I dont this is something I would listen to over and over again, and that's probably just what it would need to appreciate the album

This is so so good. Beck always produces bangers. It says a lot that electronic band fcukers made ‘Devils Cut’ in 2023 - a restyle of Beck’s ‘Devils Haircut’. He has so many timeless bangers and this album is amazing.

DISLIKE it started off okay and then i just got bored and liked it less and less as it went on... idk maybe it wasn't the right moment when i listened? all over the place in a way i didn't like and i just zoned out... some of it i wouldn't consider music just an amalgamation of sound

Adventurous and entertaining. I also loved the quiet of the closing song. Lastly - I can't believe this album is 30 years old.

Det mesta går att återanvända från förra Beck-recensionen, det är ungefär samma visa här. Lite mer ganska skramliga hiphopbeats kanske. Singlarna plus nån till är ganska bra, särskilt "New polution". Men han får aldrig riktigt ihop ddt till nåt bra som helhet och tanken på Beck är fortfarande mer tilltalande än vad Beck verkligen är

Ska man lyssna på en Beck-skiva är det nog den här man ska höra. Beck plockar från lofi, indierock, hip hop, country och soul. Föregångaren Mellow gold har förvisso Loser, men Odelay är nog jämnare (om jag minns rätt). Beck har här kvar sitt sinne för sväng och melodier, det känns som han tappat bort det i senare tid. Det souliga elpianointrot i Where its at känns som tidlös musikhistoria. I övrigt nickar jag medryckande till Devils haircut, Lord only knows och New Pollution.

En riktig favorit när det begav sig. 1996 gick det nog inte att vara mer inne (för att citera Expressen fredag) än Beck. Såg honom i Köpenhamn på albumturné. I ett mellansegment scratchar en av bandmedlemmarna loss på svarvarna iförd cowboymask (idag mer känd som covidmask). Avslutar med att knäcka plattorna och kasta ut till publiken. Stenhårt! Trots MTV-crack är väl detta hans riktigt stora genombrott. Har mina farhågor att det åldrats väl. Var ett tag sen den spelades. Till min förvåning låter fortfarande riktigt bra. Trots sin nästan maniska behov av att blanda alla möjliga genres lyckas Beck få ihop det. Lekfullt utan att vara konstlat. Här finns blues, hip hop, country, funk i en salig blandning men som på något sätt skapar ett distinkt Beck-sound. Guldkornen är betydligt fler än utfyllnadslåtarna i det så självklart något för långa 90-talsalbumet. Big beaten blandade med trynorgel i inledande Devils haircut, det sköna riffet i hotvax, countryn i Lord only knows och Sissyneck. Och förstås partyröjarn i Where it’s at för att nämna några.

Jag blir glad av Beck. Det ska inte gå att blanda musikaliska influenser på det sätt som han gör. Det spelar ingen roll om det spelas Country-gitarr eller hittepårappas. Inte ens nonsenstexyerna stör mig. Det låter bara bra. Det är bara ett väldigt skönt groove från början till slut. Efter en trea till GnR så måste det bli en fyra för Odelay.

Great album!

Beck's Odelay released June 18, 1996, 17 days before I was born. It is tied for the album which is meaningful to me that falls closest to my date of birth. (1: Ween's 12 Golden Country Greats; 11 days. T-2: Disco Inferno's Technicolour, 17 days.) This was a foundational record for me when I was ~14. Thirty years ago, and still the freshest-sounding thing Beck has ever made! I love that crazy mop dog on the cover. Look at him jump! Really kicks off on a high with Devils Haircut, and keeps it up through most (but not all) of the record. The New Pollution is the hands-down high point for me, a total marvel of production. I generally don't have a lot of patience with Beck-isms further into his discography, but I'm downright charmed by many of the turns of phrase here. Some highlights: "Karaoke weekend at the suicide shack"/"I'm writing my will on a three dollar bill"/"I remember the way that you smiled when the gravity shackles were wild." Which is to say nothing about the entirety of Where It's At. There's a few too many not-quite-hits for it to be an all-timer for me, but I do feel a real warmth for this album.

Einfach nicht meine Stimme

I now hear a lot of the influences from some of the more obscure stuff I’ve listened to here. Beck packages it all up into a more listen-able album.

I do like Beck as an artist but not this album. Just not for me. It sounded a bit frivolous to me. It's a well made record but just not to my taste.

⭐⭐⭐ Kul och experimentell produktion där Beck blandar genres och lägger in oväntade ljud/intstrument och temposkiftningar. Väldigt spretigt album. Det finns några bra spår dock blir helheten snarare kul/intressant än nödvändigtvis något som jag egentligen tycker är bra så det blir en 3a. här Bäst är Devils Haircut, Hotwax, Where it's at, Sissyneck, Diskobox

Hell yeah brother. 2 turntables and a fn microphone! Long time beck listener, what an interesting dude. The epitome of experimentation & throwing stuff at the wall. Some of it sticks. I wouldn’t say this is his best album, or an incredible album, but there’s some good picks on here that became classics of that era. This will be a low rating for some, and I get it. His music is very experimental, his lyrics very imaginative and incongruous or inaccessible at times. It doesn’t always work. But sometimes they click, and you get something super sublime, the stuff he’s known for best.

I know Beck's a weirdo, but there's still this part of me that thinks this is the coolest music can be and I'll be (white, this is very white music) (free, or at least free to wallow in history's last organic musical landscape before Napster etc.) and (21, or 19 anyway – I feel like 1999 is around when this kind of 90s rock+beats eclecticism got definitively superseded, barring a few latecomers like the Avalanches) forever.

Far from a favorite. ★★

Outstanding album. One of the most talented artists of my generation. If he were a British bloke he'd have 6+ albums on the list. If you exchanged the 3 on the list for Mellow Gold, Mutations and Morning Phase there would be no drop off in quality. I don't listen to Beck a lot, but when I do I really enjoy it. The beats on this are outta sight.

i like beck a lot but i just know individual songs scattered across his many albums so i was very excited to listen to one album of his all the way through. where it's at is my least favorite so far.... ok ya theres not really a song that i love on this album. devils haircut and ramshackle are my favorite of the bunch though

The Beckster is just starting to hit his stride with Odelay, and he launches another one out of the park. Where It’s At is the most well known hit (and best song) but there are no skippers on this album. All good. Definitely got some Beatles influence with New Pollution (Taxman) and Derelict (Tomorrow Never Knows.) Album holds up very well 30 years later! (4.49*s) Makes me want to go through and listen to his entire collection.

Caban Bros got me this album for my 13th birthday and got a lot of play on the electronic watermelon that year. Did not know what the album cover was for some time...thought it was maybe some weird tree branch flung over a hurdle and learned it was a dog from the MI cuzzos. Beck really stretches his mixing mastery and unique song development skills on Odelay. So much delivered on this album with all tracks great. I really can't single one out because they all come with something and have changed preference over the years. A lot of styles and swag. Some may not like the incoherent gibberish of lyrics but I think they show the other level skill Beck has. He is an enigma with the pen and writes like a deranged Dr. Suess. No other artist matches it. Got to love this enchanting wizard of rhythm...4.8 stars.

Absolute banger of an album. Beck is often miles ahead of his contemporaries but Odelay is probably the best example of it. The fact that he was producing this in 1996 is a testament to how creative he is as an artist. The whole album is solid from the opening riff of Devil's Haircut to the closing of the odd hidden track. There's not a bad song in the mix and a couple of the hits remain all-timers that scratch a certain itch that only Beck can reach. Beck has never been afraid to do something different and it works to positive results over and over again. His splicing of various styles with annoying sounds, out of the box lyrics and catchy riffs unrivaled. Odelay is Beck's top work among a long career of continuously unique high quality products. Not many artists can be considered a musician-poet who transcends genres even as he reinvents them. The man is still going strong and every time I see him live or hit play on a new release I'm always impressed by how unique and skilled he is as an artist/writer/musician/producer/etc. There are plenty of reasons Beck will always be beloved in my book. Inject this one into my veins. 4.37 stars

I understand why this is "smart" music, but I found it largely painful to listen to, and some nice bass hooks and rhythms don't hold back that dislike. Pass.

85

idk why i'd never listened to beck before really cos this album fucks. from the heavy reverb on the snares mid way thru "devil's haircut" i knew this album was gonna pull some weird bullshit and i was right. and it rules. and yet it's still incredibly, and consistently, listenable? and idk what genre even this is. trip hop? trip folk? who even cares?? once again it's hard to pick a favourite cos it all whips but its probably between like, "high 5 (rock the catskills)", "sissyneck", "devils haircut", and maaaaaybe "derelict". other highlights are the bizarre intro of "the new pollution", the sludged out final fifth of "minus", and the ending of "jack-ass" where someone gets sent to the donkey factory. wild album & im here for it. there's so much to like here its almost overwhelming. easiest 5 we've had in a while. i gotta check out more beck albums,

High 4 honestly.

En inspirert mikstur av sjangere som ikke skal fungere i lag. Men det gjør det, gitt.

Vanskelig. Beck har alltid vært litt for kul for meg. Noen av låtene er jo helt der oppe (where it’s at, The new pollution). Devils haircut er jeg ikke fan av, og så er størsteparten av plata bare lyder. Noe av det funker noe av det er bare støy. Snill treer.

Mye bra, mye rart, mye teit. Dessverre er den "oppfinnsomme" og "helsprø" produksjonen er veldig slitsom.

4 stars baby!

Tunefully abrasive, or abrasively tuneful? As much as I tend to not like electronica/sampling/rapping, I do like this very much.

I've not heard all of Beck's albums but of those I know this my least favourite. While inventive, it's neither wild nor wooly enough to really catch your interest, and sometimes feels crudely cobbled together from different genres in a way that leaves the seams showing.

Probably Beck’s best overall album. Like the Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique”, you can really go to town trying to ID all the classic rock, soul, country, and old hip hop samples (if you’re into that sort of thing). 4.5 stars

Odelay is a word. Just look it up in the Becktionary.

The fact that the baby from Nevermind got more famous than Mop Dog on this album cover is a travesty

Three Beck records into this project and the hierarchy is now clear. Sea Change earned a four for patient emotional honesty. Guero earned a four for returning to the playful, genre-hopping energy of this record with polish and confidence. Odelay earns a five for being the original — the record that slightly reinvented something and created a template that a generation of music borrowed from, including Beck’s own later work. The Dust Brothers production here is wilder and more joyful than anything on Guero — more samples, more chaos, more genuine surprise around every corner. “Devil’s Haircut” opens the whole thing with immediate confidence, and “Where It’s At” delivers on the promise of two turntables and a microphone by actually being as good as that line suggests. The genre-collision — hip-hop, country, folk, psychedelia, noise — feels genuinely new rather than calculated, which is the distinction that matters. What makes Odelay a five rather than a four is exactly what it did to the musical landscape around it. Records that reinvent something earn a different category of respect than records that execute brilliantly within an existing framework. This one kicked a door open. Everything that came through it afterward, including Guero, was working in the space Odelay created. “Ramshackle” closes the record with quiet reflection that shows the range without quite reaching transcendence on its own terms. The record doesn’t need it to. Everything before it already made the case.

Ok, interesting but I didn’t love it

This gets better every time I hear it. Is Beck the heir to Beefheart?

Album molto interessante. Andando alla radice dei brani, si tratta di cantautorato che di tanto in tanto sfocia nel rap, ma arricchito di sonorità psichedeliche che spaziano da atmosfere beatlesiane a suoni futuristici. Il risultato ovviamente è qualcosa di assolutamente moderno e innovativo, molto buono.

Дискотека 90 в кибердеревне. Начало альбома обманывает предполагаемой простотой всего последующего, что совершенно не так. Взлетающий звуковой коллапс бьет по ушами в начале, но стоит вникнуть а него и прислушаться это превращается в чудовищно продуманный живой строгий проект. Почти в каждой композиции наблюдается специальный рассинхрон, который надо признаться надоедает уже на середине альбома, но это надоедание - совершенно мимолётно. Альбом можно назвать сборником всевозможных звучаний, семплов и кусков. Соединены хаотически педантично. На протяжении всего прослушивания испытываешь смятение, непринятие и метание. Нельзя не отметить и просто прекраснейшие барабаны, которые греют уши своей структурой и подбором звука. Альбом максимально экспериментальный перенасыщенный и единственный в своем роде. Лично я за всей громадой звуков не до конца понял суть и эмоцию. Оценка финальная 5,5/10.

I've always been a fan of Beck's singles but never listened to a full album. I knew like 5-6 of these songs going in, and the rest were nice also. Great stuff.

fav song - devils haircut least fav song - novacane idk this album felt like jesse eisenberg decided to make a career in music instead of films

Not my cup of tea

Oozing with cool as Eli likes to say. Incredibly eclectic and a great mix of the sample based pop rock and like his kinda cowboy thing he’s got going. Incredible talent and an all time 90s classic

Where it’s at! Odelay odelay odelay odelay. Yeah this shit rocked hard. Just oozes cool and the production is off the charts. Great songs too. Fire. Feeling 4.5 but maybe that’s disrespectful

Beck gets credit for putting a wide variety of music on this album. Some of it was good, and some of it was bad.

Awful lot of Beck on this list. Even though I liked one of his albums, I still don't like Beck. This album was probably my first exposure to Beck in the real time. Similar to Cake in both the deadpan delivery and my friend Chyna liking them. Highlights: 'The New Pollution' (only because it is essentially a Beatles song with random sax in it), 'Jack-Ass' (only because it is essentially a Bob Dylan song with random xylophone in it) Lowlights: 'Hotwax', the smoke-alarm beeps in 'Where It's At' Wiki failing Grice's maxim of quantity: "Track 13 includes a minute-long hidden track of noise."

I quite actively hated this

The amount of genre-hopping and the growth from his last album is impressive, but considering the rest of Beck's discography, I've always thought of this as kind of bridge album that he made before he got really good.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I only knew Back as the “Loser” guy, and this sounds like great development from the sound of that song. I considered rating it higher, but I feel like this album wears out its welcome as it goes on, though maybe that’s because I was tired when I listened to it. 3/5

An interesting mash up of musical styles and beats but I’m never emotionally drawn in by Beck

Didnt like it

interesting sound, would like to listen again

Allora, ci sta, mi gasa ma non tantissimo, è un po ripetitivo/palloso

Heard of beck, but only because of that one song. I know he’s not my style so low expectations. Devils haircut is pretty cool. Good writing and production. A little goofy which I’m expecting all of this to be. Not a fan of the short guitar bridge. I’ve heard hot wax before I think. This one is pretty good but I hate some of the production choices. No need for the mic feedback, adds nothing and honestly kind of ruins a good chorus. Good lyrics again aside from that. A little too much going on with this one. Nice change of pace with lord only knows, this is what I expected all of the songs to be like. Good pop song. Cool (but short) guitar solo. None of the songs sound the same from start to finish which I can’t tell if I like or hate. The new pollution is really fun, love the sax/keys solo. Catchy aside from that as well. Love what they did with the sound engineering at the end. Highlight the sax. Derelict is choppy and disorienting. Not a fan of this one. I can appreciate the uniqueness and his range, but I just don’t like the song. Really good guitar/production as a whole on novacane. Bullshit lyrics. This is the beck I was expecting. Terrible autotune ruins what’s actually a well written song. Another really choppy one, should’ve ended 3 times before it actually did. I like Jack ass a lot. If he stuck to this style I think I’d like the album a lot more. Awesome harmonica on this one. Where it’s at is a banger. Carried by that guitar riff. Lyrics are whatever. Production is so damn good. Minus is fine. I like the guitar/production again but the vocals are so bullshit. Hate the last 15 seconds too. Sissyneck is better. Pretty good pop song. Good production again. Readymade is forgettable. Fine song nothing special to it. High 5 sucks. This dude should just not be rapping. Skipped this one half way through I just couldn’t. I actually like rmashackle a lot. Couldn’t be anymore different from high 5. Emotional well written song. Did not like computer rock at all. One of the worst outros I’ve ever heard. Kind of encapsulates the album. There’s a lot of good but also a lot of “what was this dude thinking.” Musically it was really impressive, but as an album it was meh. 2.6/5 stars.

"Oh, delay..." the album that took years & years extra to make. Great joke from Beck off the bat. One of the classic albums of growing up. 4 mega hits and solid rest of the catalog. I always remember Odelay as a barometer for rating albums... you get to 4 mega hits and that's a classic album. I love Beck. Seen him... maybe 4 times now including the Bonnaroo What Stage b2b with Tom Petty. Beck's encore was the a puppet show of exactly dressed mini-versions of the band playing on a tiny stage. One of my favorite days of music ever.

It felt repetitive after a while. I also understand that his style is all about nonsenses but it felt contrive in a not that interesting way. I wish he did more variation in the music rhythm.

I really liked this one

mm es como q pasa muy desapercibido, no me parece nada wow, no termino de entender el tip de musica q es, supongo q un rockcito medio alternativo. es un meh total. 5/10

I’ve always felt that Beck was quite overrated. I think a lot of the time the added sound effects, drum breaks and other gimmicky instrumental bits are there mainly to cover for the fact that many of his songs aren’t that interesting - as if his answer for writing a mediocre song isn’t to try to improve the writing but to just add “cool” effects on top to distract. It comes off to me as very showy but with little substance. That said, there are a few songs that are catchy enough to grow on me a little.

Absolutely brilliant album from Beck

Baking vookies through the album I liked it

Sea Change is a top 5 all timer, the rest of his albums are jokey, Gen X sarcastic slacker garbage.

A truly wild ride. I really appreciate it but I can understand people being annoyed by it.

Wow. Amazing. Okay. Alright. Let’s do it. Hurry up. Come on. What’s up?

Beckin Odelay on omaperäinen sekoitus hip hop-rytmejä, särökitaroita ja kaikenlaista ysärin outoilua. Välillä tuli Beastie Boys mieleen. Kokonaisuus on kuitenkin toimiva.

Lowkey kinda love this. So chaotic and I feel like it sounds like the chaos in my head

on the first listen i thought it had a major drop-ff in the second half, but i listened again and its a special type of weird. kind of blends rap, country, hip hop, electronic...jarring at times but ahead of its time.

Really enjoyed this one. Hadn't listened to much Beck other than his popular stuff.

This is an album I feel like I should like, but don't. NOW called and wants their track back. This is what I would have listened to because it was "popular" but deep down inside I didn't care for. Take that nostalgia. I liked Derelict but at that point there are other artists that do that track better.

This is my third Beck album of the challenge and probably the one I was most familiar with before sitting down for the daily listen. Looking back at my previous reviews, I found Sea Change and Guero fairly average overall, so I was interested to see where Odelay would land for me. For me, Odelay contains Beck’s best song — “Devils Haircut”. What a brilliant indie tune. It instantly grabs your attention and perfectly sets the tone for the album. There are plenty of other strong tracks here too, especially “Where It’s At”, “Minus” and “Sissyneck”. What stands out most about Beck is how distinctive his sound is. You know it’s him almost immediately. Odelay jumps between genres in a completely carefree way, blending indie rock, hip hop, blues and alternative music together while still sounding cohesive throughout. The album constantly shifts direction but somehow keeps that unmistakable Beck identity from start to finish. My only real criticism is that the album does feel a little too long at 14 tracks and over 50 minutes. There are a couple of songs early on that could probably have been trimmed without hurting the overall experience. Still, this is comfortably the Beck album I’ve enjoyed most so far in the challenge. Favourite tracks: “Devils Haircut” and “Sissyneck” Least favourite tracks: Everything is worth listening to, although the album could definitely have been shorter Album artwork: Cool album cover

superb

앞서 들었던 롤링스톤스의 sticky Fingers 에 요상한 사운드를 혼합한 맛이난다 괴상한 소리를 지르질않나(Lord Only Knows) 갑자기 색소폰 솔로가 나오질않나(The New Pollution) 마치 아빠가 주말에 가끔씩 해주던 냉장고에ㅜ있는재료 다 때려넣고 만든 볶음밥 같달까 근데 맛있어..이런게 얼터너티브록의 맛인가보다

Empezó super bien y pensé que había descubierto una nueva joya, pero después me aburrió horrible

I frequently found myself tapping my foot to the groove here, but I think that's all the further I got with enjoying it. Nothing grabbed me too closely, and there were more internet dialup noises for no reason during the album. I don't understand why bands feel the need to do that. Ultimately, this feels like the type of music you put as background to a travel montage in a movie. Perfect 3.

I kinda liked the first song.

Damn it, dis is groovy. I'll give it a 3 or 4 tomorrow based off how much pleasant residual funk remains in my system.

Gloriously weird. Such an innovative sound and every song is unique.

this feels like music fallen out of time and context

Heard Before? Too many times. At first I resisted it, then it became my favorite album of the 90s, now I never need to hear it again. Notes: - while Beck is certainly in top form here as a songwriter, vocalist and lyricist, make no mistake - this is a Dust Brothers album, and their finest moment. - from start to finish, a glory box of exciting sounds, quotable nonsense and genre-mashing. - the Deluxe Edition is completely unnecessary, but worth hearing once if only to look behind the curtain. Verdict: "Silver foxes lookin for romance / in the chain smoke Kansas flash dance ass pants" Listen Again? I'll need another long break, but yes.

Outside of One Foot in the Grave Beck is the ultimate greatest hits artist. His hits are seriously great, the rest, eh. I listened to it and wondered if maybe his hits are just stockholm syndrome as they were all played on the radio on a near constant basis. It could very well be that I really don't like Beck besides his first album and I only like the hits because I've been programmed to by radio station being paid by his record label. Maybe I have tricked and I don't like any of the music I think I do and I've been programmed to enjoy it! Ok so for serious, it's alright. Not a Beck fan so even though I can tell the songs are different his style sounds the same throughout the album.

wow dit was chaotisch. Telkens wanneer het een beetje logisch klonk, moeten ze het weer helemaal omgooien. Ik denk niet dat ik het heel goed vond eigenlijk. "People say this album is ahead of its time and groundbreaking. I say its a pretentious mess of experimentation that doesn't work." (2)

Some tunes are not bad at all, though it is too inconsistent.

Beck smashes together different instruments, musical styles, sound effects, and lyrics, and yet somehow it just works. Some of (many of?) his lyrics make no sense, and it seems as if when he was writing he thought like this: "I need nine syllables in this line And now I need ten syllables right here." The result is actual lyrics like these: "I packed my suitcase then threw it away. I fell asleep in the funeral fire." (Derelict) "She's got the lily white cavity crazes. She's got a carburetor tied to the moon. Pink eyes looking to the food of the ages." (Novacane) "Heads are hanging from the garbageman's trees Mouthwash Jukebox Gasoline" (Devil's Haircut) But...when I'm listening to it, I can't explain it, but I really like it! It's like even Beck's weird shit just sounds so good and seems more put-together and "polished" than other similar artists of the time. It's a more professional mash-up and it's obvious that he knows what he's doing.

Still have this CD, this was one of those inescapable albums when it came out, so many hits. It's still solid, I hadn't sat down and listened to the whole thing in more than a few years. Yup, good shit.

Really disappointing because I thought beck was supposed to be good. Couldn't bring myself to finish listening

Allora interessante ma un po’ ripetitivo dopo un po’

Ahead of its time!

I haven't listened to this one in a long time until now. Some really solid songs, but a lot of boring as well. Probably rank it closer to a three and a half

Like all of Beck’s output, it has fantastic highs and some average stuff. He is an original though. You do you Becky Beck

Вы когда-нибудь встречали человека, которого очень хочется полюбить или хотя бы подружиться, но не получается ввиду его странностей? Зачастую это слегка аутичный любитель советских поездов и/или ценитель саундтреков к американским фильмам 80ых, который держит в голове тысячи мелких фактов о своих нишевых интересах и с огоньком в глазах рассказывает о них в рандомные моменты. Немного замкнутый, по-настоящему забавный и очень эрудированный, но порой срывающийся на откровенную дичь, что не позволяет сформировать к нему однозначно положительное отношение. Вот эссенцией такого человека является альбом Odelay одного из самых знаменитых "неудачников" в мире Beck'а. После случайного оглушительного успеха песни Loser 1994ого года, ставшей чуть ли не американской аналогией Creep Radiohead, но с более ироничным и весёлым посылом, исполнитель попытался переизобрести себя в процессе записи более фолкового и томного альбома, который так и не вышел и был отброшен им в творческих поисках. На пути к обретению музыкальной самоидентификации Beck судьбоносно познакомился с продюсерским дуо Dust Brothers, которые до этого работали с Beastie Boys, что точно оставило мощный отпечаток на получившемся релизе. Заперевшись вместе и днями напролёт экспериментируя с купленными на распродажах винилами и уценёнными инструментами, ребята создали что-то, что тяжело описать однозначным жанровым тэгом. Тут есть и заводное подобие сёрф-рока, скрещенное с хип-хопом, в Devils Haircut, и гибрид бистибойзовского саунда и кантри со скримовыми вставками и соло на губной гармошке на Hotwax, и вводящая в транс Derelict с одновременно мистическими и мечтательными нотками, в конце переходящими в ближневосточную народную музыку, а также Minus, звучащий так, словно был срезан с саундтрека к легендарному "Скотт Пилигрим Против Всех" за полтора десятилетия до выхода картины (саундтрек к которой, кстати, писал сам Beck уже в статусе культовой фигуры альтернативной сцены). Подобно тем самым фактоидам в голове странненького друга, на альбоме смиксована куча интересных музыкальных находок, утрамбованная томным похуистичным вокалом, перемежающимся энергичным речитативом. Тексты тоже отличаются крайней абстрактностью и пластами культурных отсылок, которые тяжело выкупить не знатоку спустя 30 лет после выхода. Это всё круто, интересно, весело и даже в большинстве случаев до сих пор свежо, но это по-настоящему тяжело распробовать и полюбить. Так же этому мешают несколько необязательных и серых на фоне своих франкештейновских собратьев треков, чьи названия я даже не стал запоминать.

Fun ride and some of the Beckiest Beck, I wish we could give these half ratings

i only know one beck song (think im in love) and ive never heard of this album before - some parts reminded me of radiohead's amnesiac - i thought it sounded like the dust brothers and then i realised they produced the album - some songs would be ok as background music but the rest was just a mess frankly impressive how an album with so many different things happening in it still managed to sound so boring

Like other Beck albums, I really like his style and sound and a lot of individual songs. But it feels really long and has a lot of things I would skip if I were to listen again. He has such a unique style and sound but the album as a whole isn’t perfect to me. Top Songs: Hotwax, Where It’s At, Ramshackle

You have to be in the right mood, but this really is a great album. I’ve owned it since it first came out but find I appreciate it more now.

I was pretty excited but a little let down on full listen. Very unique but it doesn't all hold up too well. When he's on it is groovy but some of it just sounds like noise. 3.8.

This unknown artist's (that no one has ever heard of before) album starts of promising. Devil's Haircut started chill, but i liked the more intense ending. Derelict was intriguingly awesome. Novacane helps simulate OD-ing on medication I think, all over the place, but cool. High 5 is a weird switch-up. The whole album I think is summarized by Novacane - some awesome jams here that are made confusingly difficult to categorize and listen to; the latter issue specifically hurts it, because the songs become erratic and experimental to an extent that is detrimental, if raw and earnest. There "needs" to be more "meat on the bones" here of some nice, uninterrupted yet nonetheless bold tracks. Thusly my logic is: "very fun, but can't quite go 5/5".

What a fun album! Admittedly some songs were hits, some were misses, but I really loved the style of the album. God bless 90's record execs greenlighting artists like this looking for any alternative weirdness in an effort to find the next Nirvana. Anyway, all I knew from Beck was Loser before this, admittedly a track I don't really love and some tracks here follow in that same tone, but others more than make up for it. Will be revisiting this.

Not for me

Not my favourite from beck but I like the uniqueness of this album and how it plays with sound and genres

Maybe I’ll need to revisit but found it hard to get into.

While appreciating the experimental side of this, it's not really for me and I found the album mostly quite jarring.

troppo rock, non mi va al momento. però in realtà è bello, solo non per me ora

Where it's at? I got two turntables and a microphone Love “Devil’s Haircut,” "The New Pollution," and “Where It’s At” from the radio, of course. Car radio, mid-90s A very enjoyable genre-hopping mess. Hip-hop played at the wrong speed, noises popping off here and there, sampled bossa nova, all united by Beck's lyrics that veer between some kind of open road Americana and - what. It feels very much of its time, and/but a fun listen. This review is just as disjointed as the record, which is to mean that I'm enjoying it. Am I going to give this crazy record 5 stars. You just watch me, I just might.

Come on 1001, give me some songs that I would want to listen to again. I don't want to feel like I'm in a Rock'n Roll History class.

I loved this album in the 90s and I still love it. Some of it is experimental, but the thing about experimental music is the more you listen to it the more approachable it comes and it just becomes a jam. 4.4.

This was pretty good! Lots of experimentation that didn’t always land for me, but I enjoyed it overall. 7/10 Quite Likeable

Often good. Often a bit much.

Needed more washboard solo

There’s a lot of spaghetti on the ground that didn’t stick to the wall.

Significantly better than the Beck album about getting dumped but 3 stars is where Beck will always peak

Pretty creative but also bit annoying. Felt like a beastie boys rip off

Will go out of my way to avoid listening to this again.

Beck at his best. This terrific album shows the diversity of Beck: there's some rock, some blues, some weirdness, some almost hip hop in here. A sensational piece of art that demands relistenings. Top tracks: "Where It's At," "Devil's Haircut," "The New Pollution," "Jack-Ass," "Novacane"

--Devils Haircut...weird and fun --Hotwax...funky fresh --Lord Only Knows...the hip hop vibe continues but we start bending into country. it's great --The New Pollution...fun, casino heist music --Derelict...my balls, el capitan --Novacane...a lot of fun twist and surprises all over this LP --Jack-Ass...the lazy river single --Where It's At...one of the reasons the 90s was the best --Minus…mmm, crunchy --Sissyneck...more hip-hop country. great groove --Readymade…the great vibes continue --High 5…MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE --Ramshackle…something calmer for the closer. appreciated --Computer Rock (hidden track)...delete this

4 or 5 for me personally. Given what it represented at the time, and how it impacted me personally, and that I can still listen to and really enjoy. Can’t say it’s objectively better than other albums I’ve rated lower, but I appreciate the groundbreaking nature, while maintaining a high degree of musicality.

So what you’re telling me is I just like depressed Beck (Sea Change for the win) better than I do whatever this eclectic but annoying bucket of songs is. It’s not a terrible album but it feels like one full of intentional ticks and quirks meant to hide a complete lack of personality and while it kind of works (I do largely love what the Dust Brothers are doing), it ends up being more irritating than fascinating and much too long and I don’t have the patience for such quirked artifice.

Never listened to Beck. I know he did Loser, which I have not heard, and isn't on this album. After listening to this album I still have no idea what sort of music Beck plays and I have little interest in discovering it. This was a mess of weird experiments that did not go well.A shame, because the first track was promising.

Not every track hits, but I can't deny the vibes this guy gives in his music. The genre switch-ups keep things interesting while staying within the type of style you'd expect of Beck by now. Favorite Tracks: The New Pollution, Novacane, Jack-Ass, and Where It's At.

nope

More hit than miss. Less rapping though please

A good chunk of the songs here have been lurking around my playlists for a long time! "Devil's Haircut" "The New Pollution" "Where It's At" and "Minus" are my faves on here, but "Jack-Ass" and "Ramshackle" might also be getting added to the mix!

im driving through a jungel to the beach in a bent down truck and thats all

Idk, nejakej rap, kriceni,.. ale dobry bicí

Very cool. Super eclectic but somehow definitely feels like one voice and one album. Love the funkier soulier stuff. Just slightly less keen when it comes to the more country, singy bits.

Love when a project is not constrained too heavily by genre

I listened to this album driving around aimlessly on my lunch break, having made my way through a good chunk of my checklist for the day. The only Beck songs I knew by name going into this album were Loser and Debra; despite this, and for reasons I don't fully understand, I was somehow expecting Beck to sound more sophisticated or classical, as if those two songs were outliers wihtin his catalog. Again, I have no idea where this perception of Beck came from, because it was woefully misinformed. Rather than any kind of classic rock, this album is essentially the blueprint for modern day solo indie rock artists; some of these tracks wouldn't sound out of place from an artist like Joe P. Odelay is a folk-tinged indie rock album full of heavy distortions and occasional screams to keep things edgy and punk, containing personal and confessional lyrics delivered in a vocal style that prioritizes emotional conveyance over classical skill; Beck's voice is so enchanting to listen to, it feels like I'm being hypnotized. The production quality is fuzzy and rough-around-the-edges, contributing to that indie aesthetic. There are also eccentric little touches here and there, like the random horn sections which show up sometimes or the early Beastie Boys-style hip-hop sensibilities which intertwine with the rest of the instrumental influences to give this album even more character and personality, immediately taking its place as one of my favorite albums of the project so far. I am now incredibly excited to hear from Beck down the road. Highlights: Devils Haircut, Hotwax, Lord Only Knows, The New Pollution, Derelict, Jack-Ass, Where It's At, Sissyneck, Readymade, Ramshackle, Computer Rock

This is definetly one of the most eccentric albums out there. And its also a whole piece, I cant really pick just some tracks because this whole album is an experience, combining different genres and fusing tastes together, from rock, country, jazz and electro themes. I really appreciate the creative process

I forgot how good this album was. Way ahead of its time.

yeah ok

Fun and experimental. Didn’t expect this much genre hopping. Maybe individually the tracks are not stellar in their respective genres but as a whole it’s a fun listen.

There are some absolute bangers here but its the slow down beat songs that really shine on this album.

It has been a really long time… Yeah, I remember wanting to like this album more than I did. And that remains the case. I would actually count myself a Beck fan, I generally enjoy his genre mishmash. But this album doesn’t… flow. Just when I start to dig it, it takes a hard right, or left, and enter in the video game noises. It’s Brechtian. I’m not a fan of Brecht’s plays and I can’t say I enjoy this album. None the less, I do appreciate it. So 3 stars. Boolean rating: yes, I suppose I am glad to have heard it again. But maybe not again after this.

bastante bizarro la verdad pero me gustó MUCHO posta me encanto

It’s Beck, what’s not to love!

Fun album! Rockin' and quirky. I like Beck and I like this era of music in general.

Odelay is ok not my favorite beck album. But still great. Not perfect. Mid 4. 4/5

Starts off really good but it gradually gets to be weirder and weirder. I did like all of the samples and throwbacks Beck used here, the songs he sampled are very different yet work in this scenario as well. It definitely had it's moments but a number of the songs on here made me really wanna turn it off.

Eh, it's okay.

Apple music has a note about the album that says a producer said not to release the album, and you know what? That producer was right, and the fact that Beck has a career at all is shocking. Doesn't even have loser on the album so what is the point?

I really like Beck. I should listen to him more. A lot of people are doing it now, but his musical approach was fun and unique at the time. And he has fun lyrics. This is a great album. Many of the songs got radio play.

Second of 3 Beck albums in this experience and I think I may be slowly turning into a Beck fan. I don't like this one as much as I liked Guero. I just didn't think the songs were as good on this one as they were on Guero. Maybe that would have changed if I listened to this one first? Who knows? Still enjoyed it though. 3.5 rounded down to a 3/5

Helt ok, litt kjedelig.

Går an å høyre på, men lite som utprega seg veldig for meg

This album is absolutely all over the place, genre-wise. I think that might have been what stopped me getting into Beck as a young teen, because it's bluntly quite a confusing listen. Now though, I think it works well. There's the occasional bit of dissonance, particularly when he goes quite screamcore, like on Minus, which really ruins the nice slacker vibe. While I'll always prefer Sea Change era Beck, it's good, and in glad I had the chance to come back to it.

Nice.

90's pop punk folk trash maybe relisten when youre not a mess lol

I feel like I've wanted to like Beck a lot more throughout my life. But I do not like this album. I have attempted it once before and it just does not sit right with me. I'm hanging out for it to end.

Just a fantastically laid back record. Hits all the right spots for me, even thought I know it's a bit flawed din places.

Love how weird this is and so happy it exists. Will I ever relisten to the weirdest, more unpopular tracks of this album? Mmmm, no.

I was torn between giving this album a 4 or a 5. Compared with my favourite albums, which I consider to be perfect masterpieces, it would be a low 4. However, Odelay is the 14th album in my 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die journey, and it was certainly the first album that was engaging and enjoyable from beginning to end. Its eccentric twists and unpredictability make it a great soundtrack for people with ADHD like me. After enduring The Cramps and Talking Heads, I'll do the honours of awarding Beck with my first five-star rating.

There’s a pretty big handful of Beck songs that I really like, and a couple of them are on this album. This is not my preferred back era, however. For some reason, I never really got into this album, so I’m curious to spend some more time with it. I definitely like the idea of what's going on here, but as a whole I don't see myself revisiting too much.

Devils Haircut - 4/5 Hotwax - 4/5 Lord Only Knows - 4.5/5 The New Pollution - 4/5 Derelict - 3/5 Novacane - 3/5 Where It's At - 4/5 Minus - 3.5/5 Sissyneck - 3/5 Readymade - 3/5 High 5 (Rock The Catskills) - 3.5/5 Ramshackle - 3/5

-truly a "mixed feelings" record for me. The highs are quite high, but there's a lot of stuff that aged poorly, doesn't hit right, or is just too dilettante. -the singles are absolute stand-outs. New Pollution sounds great to me and, even though I've heard it a zillion times, Where It's At is still a surprisingly weird song to have become a moderate radio hit. The best parts of the album are the ones that lean away from all the dabbling and posturing, and instead just try to build a steady psychedelic groove. -as a kid, I wondered how the hell Beck wrote and recorded these songs. As an adult I can't help but hear this as a Dust Brothers album with Beck singing on top. -there's so much stylistic hybridity going on here it feels like Beck is being a self-conscious appropriator, which isn't always as cute as he thinks it is. Beck is a pretty good epitome of postmodernism (derogatory). -there are absolutely some songs on here that sound like Kid Rock.

Shrug

I enjoyed this

What was this guy smoking? But it works, a blend of genres that leaves you questioning!

#936. I'm pretty sure I heard at least a few people back in the day say that this was a really good album. And not that I didn't believe them, but I guess I just had better things to do that day then listen to it, and then I just never got around to it. Well, now that I have, I guess I agree with people. It is good. 4/5: yeah

My only exposure to Beck before this was the Futurama episode... Not really sure what to make of it, very mixed feelings. Firstly, and probably most importantly, I'm not a fan of Beck's vocals. His tone just makes him sound bored, and as a result it also makes me feel bored. The album is absolutely all over the place, it's definitely experimental, and deserves some credit for that aspect, but it's also just totally incoherent and well, just a bit odd? There were definitely moments where I started to get into it, and then it would just descend into some gigantic noisy mess with no redeeming features... Overall, "meh" out of 5, which I'll call a very low 3.

I like experimental music, this is experimental, I'm unimpressed. This feels like experimentation for the sake of being different rather than experimenting to make music do more. Cmon guys this is 10 years after sonic youth and MBV's peak, the bar for experimental music is extremely high and you put out a soft rock album with occasional "noise" that doesn't add anything to each track. The layering is barebones and doesn't lend itself to the immersive feeling I tend to get from experimental music. There were a few moments where it all came together and it was REALLY good but then it falls apart. Like Novacane - woah really good guitar section -> lets play the rest of this song with phone dial beep boop beeep beeep. Low 3

This record takes me back to a happy time.

Enjoyed it. It was eclectic and had a 90s vibe

Was a great album that I was aware of but had never taken the time to listen to. Was great listen. will defintley be in the rotation. 4 stars

ye ol genre hopper

Good weird

This was definitely a Beck album. Some of it was great. Some was a bit too experimental for my taste and I didn’t find it super cohesive. Still an ok listen when in the mood. 3.5/5

Hørte ikke veldig aktivt, men god variasjon og fine melodier og rytmer

I had medium expectations, and this did not meet it. Album is a hodge podge of style and sounds. I get that it is unique, but feels all over the place

This man is a treasure. Practically every album is jam-packed with aural delights. This one is no different. Greatness. It's def higher than a 4, but not quite high enough for the round up.

I like Beck but I’d never listened to a whole album before. I thought this was super interesting Playlist add: "Hotwax"

Favorite Track: Devil's Haircut

Me gustó mucho, es un género que poco escucho pero me gustó bastente

Wild and weird. Too experimental and strange for my liking. It was all over the place. Some of the songs were pretty entertaining but then others made me wanna plug my ears. I definitely appreciate the uniqueness of this album but could not see myself putting this into my daily rotation. Favorite 2: Hotwax, Where It’s At

Still great

Это уже интереснее

Experimental, full of energy and all Beck you can get. Hits and all songs feel fresh and something you've never heard of as you listen through it. You'll sing and dance all the way to the end.

just meh

who told this guy he could rap get your head out your arse boy

My parents had this album when I was a kid and I always wanted them to put it on because there was a dog on the cover. Same with Trouble at the Henhouse by Tragically Hip. And I remember loving it. Almost every single song is a save.

The New Pollution was played daily when I worked at the Gap in the early 2010s. Otherwise, not quite my tempo.

Really liked this one.

Never listened to Beck's earliest releases aside from the radio hits. I definitely like the more melodic stuff from him, which this album doesn't have a ton of. This is probably one of the higher 3's or a low 4 for me which feels like I have so many in that in-between range. Oh well. Low 4 for today - there are some skips, but there's enough fun stuff to warrant the higher rating.

Rv

Beck is a friend of a friend so I've always been rooting for him in the sense that he was "one of us". The 3 times I've seen him live were spectacular. I wish I had understood this record more when it came out. It's really almost the end of postmodernism as the irony is starting to shift into authenticity. But is still very postmodern, and in fact really a perfect example of the form. He's a brilliant lyricist, one of my favorites. His detour back into Scientology in the 2000s was disturbing but I think he's left the fold once again thankfully. So many songs I love and my journey with him mostly started with this album, which still sounds like the future. Great to listen, it's been a while.

I got nothing from it.

Okay, first time I gave this 2 stars, but I get it now. Listened to it on the road and felt it.

Call me impressed. You don't hear about Beck much these days, so it's easy to forget that records from his earlier career hit as hard as they did. (Presumably. I wasn't alive in the 90s.) Every once in a while, amidst each musical genre craze – mainly grunge, hip-hop, and pre-emo during this period – there arrives something essentially uncharacterisable because it's so darn varied. No single genre can be ascribed to the exotic conglomerate we call Odelay. At times it gets a little overwhelming and hard to follow. We're given the likes of country, folk, pop, (post-)disco, soul, even industrial rock in some places. I call this the "something-for-everyone" approach, but when wielded to its extreme, its value depreciates. After all, how can you get excited for a new Beck record, and recommend it to your non-Beckian friends, if you have no idea what Beck is supposed to sound like? In Hotwax, you have a DJ-esque electronic influence combines with (of all things) harmonica and honky-tonk piano. The New Pollution reminds me of the Beatles' Rain – specifically the bassline – and it's fun to compare and contrast the other elements. That sax part roars like a 70s Pink Floyd track, which is completely outside the Beatles' domain. I kind of like it, though. Later, we're blessed with Where It's At, an instant hip-hop-esque classic with a pretty sweet keyboard part. Of course, the problem with a scattershot record lies in having some tracks be, well, kind of bad. It's inevitable, I guess. Derelict ends up being the first suspicious song here, mostly because it abandons all the juicy vocal and instrumental hooks that acted as the common thread in previous songs. Novacane (hey Beck, you spelled it wrong) would normally be on my "bad songs" list, but I have to remember that it would be a huge highlight on most 90s hip-hop records – the groovy keyboards and guitar help a heck of a lot – so it gets a pass here. That instrumental in the middle is pretty fire. The one at the end is... inventive? Like Derelict from earlier, Minus ends up being a complete mess of a song. Yet I sort of enjoy the laid-back, messy atmosphere. Most of the songs after this point are much the same. Diskobox is alright, but I think it's a bonus track, so it has no bearing here. Overall, a rock-solid record. 4/5 Key tracks: Hotwax, The New Pollution, Where It's At

3/5, started strong but couldn’t hold the attention unfortunately

Deserves 5 stars just for Where It's At. It was so cool at the time and just weird enough.

Some fun and good songs and some that i didn't enjoy alot

I really enjoyed it, although i felt kida distant from the songs. Maybe something that could grow on me. Definitely will give it another listen someday.

I don't think I can fairly judge this album given how nostalgic it is

Beck is a master of getting a bunch of different genres in a blender, putting it on "High", pouring the mix out, and then sprinkling goofy, expressive lyrics over it. And this album is his style turned to 11. Having said that, the criticism of people saying "is he just messing with us" is perfectly valid.

very nice

4/10

I haven't listened to this album in quite a while. It'll be fun to revisit it. Yeah, I probably don't listen to this album enough.

B E C K

Haven't heard this albumin a long time. Reminds me of the 90s living in Austin. Good times!

Not a fan

Loved the experimental vibe of this album. Obviously has the popular songs but the other tracks are so weirdly good.

At once blissed out in the fuzz and also packed with energy, this was Beck's big leap from lo-fi interpreter to the masses out to a poppier sound and superstardom. It's a really good record that only just tails off at the end, but still ends strong on the mellow, acoustic classic "Ramshackle." Some of his best work, setting Beck apart from most of his post-grunge contemporaries.

Charmingly idiosyncratic and worth further exploration.

Supremely cool blend of rock, blues, hip-hop, folk, electronica, and whatever else pops into Beck's head. Great arrangements and production. Not an album I've ever gone back to a whole lot, but I've always dug it. 4/5

As a hungarian a huge plus for the artwork: KOMONDOR

This is good. I will listen to more Beck

Please see Teen Dream review

I liked this album well enough. I think some of the songs were recognizable for me

never really listened to beck much but i liked it. i don't think i realized how hip hop and sample heavy and eclectic this was. i could see this being a 4 with more familiarity

This is cool and different, and a little strange. I don't really vibe with all of it, but I appreciate the effort. At the end of the day I think it's an okay album. 3.3/5

boring

snnnzzzz

Most bands pick one lane to excel in, Beck wants to be good at them all, and frequently is

I appreciate Beck’s creativity and genre bending style, but most of his music doesn’t really hold my attention. There are interesting sonic details in every track, but only a few songs stand out.

His best work

Highlights Devils Haircut, Hotwax, Derelict Novacane, Where It's At, Sissyneck I vibed with this hipster psychedelia. I knew I would like it even before I went through the record since I was familiar with a number of tracks from before. Beck is pretty hip and cool as an artist but this is his peak (at least from what I've heard). Just listen to Hotwax or Novacane... At times, the style borders with some of the artsier hip-hop acts - especially those of the lo-fi sort. Here and there it also offers a hint of country (Sissyneck). All in all a very colorful and vibrant record. The lyrics are a bunch of mumbo jumbo and i paid them no mind after the first couple of minutes.

3.5

3.5

4/22/26. Love the quirky nature and alternative sound, I appreciate Beck for trying everything and executing pretty well. Where It's At is an old favorite, but a lot of good gems on this one.

Some smart songwriting and brilliant production. Not nothing that really stands - don't quite get the critical acclaim with Beck.

This is a great snapshot of the 90s. I recommend this album to vibe with on the home speaker system, or while flirting with the too-cool-for-you girl hanging out at the record store, who might actually be a time traveler from 30 years ago. DON'T FUCK IT UP.

Not nearly as interesting as the other Beck album I listened to but still okay. Good variety of songs and production

Ok

Listened to before? No Context? Beck's breakthrough album following the his hit "Loser", securing him in the 90s canon; considered arguably his best album. *Reviewed in a holistic format.* If somebody asked me what "slacker pop" was, I'd play them this album. I mean, it's the natural conclusion of the 90s. You have Nirvana making alternative mainstream—specifically, the slow, laidback sounds of grunge. You have hip-hop/rap hitting the mainstream. You have artists like Alanis Morissette blending pop with alternative rock and singer/songwriter sensibilities. Odelay is like taking all of that and putting it in a blender. It's like Sonic Youth had a baby with Eric B. & Rakim. I can imagine Beck taking the same approach to rapping as Rakim, with sitting down and all to get that laid-back sound. While definitely not as good as Rakim—I mean, high bar, so doesn't mean too much—he gets his point across. It's artsy, but it isn't high-brow. It's full of noisy fuzz, but it's infectiously melodic. It's city-folk and alternative-pop and slacker-jazz and funk that makes you do some self-reflection. Like any good hip-hop record, there are layers of samples and noise that feel as if they were created through some "so what if..." and heavy use of Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V. Every track is its own collage, and the sonic palette knows no limits, but its cohesive through the overlay of fuzz and the—I apologize immensely for this terminology—vibes. There, I said it. There are some great vibes here. I was trying to get through this review without saying "vibes", but we all knew there was no chance of that. While things do get a bit repetitive, even that feels purposeful. It's like a fifty minute jam or a psychedelic record or an ambient album. I'd have to say that my favorite song on here is "Jack-Ass". The folkiness of it is so perfectly done, and the lyrics combined with his vocal style are so beautifully calm. This is definitely a song I'm putting on as much as humanly possible during Autumn. I'm torn between a four and a five here. My primary criticisms boil down to: a bit repetitive and a little too vibe-centric. I mean, as good as it is, it's still like if you distilled you're local Vans store into an album. But there's something to be said about capturing that so perfectly. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it. Ultimately, I will have to go with a four. It's a bit bloated and it'd feel disingenuous to give this the highest rating allowed. This is one of those instances where I wish it were out of ten, so I could give it a more nuanced 8/10. That said, I would say this is a very important album, as it was an early example of genre-blending with rap in pop—as well as a precursor to 21st century alternative-pop and indie. I would also say this is an excellent, creative album. And, really, that creativity may be what compelled him to leave so many unnecessary tracks on here, and that's okay. I'm in complete favor of artists throwing ideas at the wall and ending up with a bloated final project because of it, as long as they're the ones throwing the ideas rather than some focus group. Also, I love the dog on the cover so much. Fun fact I learned while doing some background research on this album is that Beck accidentally ended up living down the street from the dog's puppy!

Classic

I never was a big fan of Beck and today didn't change that. The music is to repetitive and somehow bleak while playing kind of up beat chords.

I bought this over 25 years ago, and sadly it has dated, and I found it hard to listen to….

Bit of nothing!

Some of Becks greatest

Beck throws all his influences at the wall and sees what sticks... it all kinda sticks and sounds gnarly and stuff, but also why?

No me gusto para nada lo tuve que sacar

no fer me son

Hat mich sehr an die Futurama Folge erinnert, wo Bender gelähmt ist und Folk Musiker wird und Tatsache.... Beck ist der Musiker mit dem er gemeinsam auf Tour geht :D

war mir dich bisschen zu experimentell

3+ ganz okay

I like some Beck, and I have immense respect for him as a creative, boundary-pushing musician. But this genre merge between hip-hop and 90s alternative rock just doesn’t work for me. The fact that so many of the singles received nonstop radio airplay doesn’t help. An interesting artistic statement that doesn’t translate for me.

I'm a big Beck fan. I never was a fan of this album. Some good songs. It was a really drag. I can't believe it but it's getting a 2

I do like when rap mixes rock sounds and vice versa. But I couldn’t help but feel bored to most of these songs. 5/10

Raro amigo, pero bueno, nunca pensé escuchar hiphop country

Never liked Beck, especially this album. Why did it win Grammy and not Mellon Collie? People tend to confuse eclectic mix of genres with talent, like “oh, that guy uses elements from this and that, he must be great“. The hell he’s not. No one needs the combination of various genre elements just for the sake of combination of elements. That alone doesn’t make the music “great”. And here’s the good example, a form without substance.

This is some good Midwest emo vibes and I appreciate that

Gw banget jir

Very weird album but I like it. Mixes in a lot of different sounds from other genres but it lowk works. 7/10

eh 3

Eh not really my thang

I like a bit of Beck... this one is on my shelves and I'd forgotten how good it is, if a little more polished than his previous lo-fi releases that I prefer. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ ★★★★☆ (7/10) Total reviewed : 290 Already owned : 66 Purchased : 15 To buy : 3 Nope : 206

1. Devils Haircut 2. Lord Only Knows 3. High 5 (Rock The Catskills)

Would listen again

odelay! one of the negative reviews on here read that this album sounds like beck just threw stuff at the wall and hoped it stuck: i agree! when it stuck, though, it was awesome. when it didn't, it was awkward at worst. what i like most about this album is that i can sense how much fun he had making it. i don't hear that often. added to playlist: novacane, high 5, lord only knows, ramshackle.

Best Song: Where It's At This one is tough. Do I listen to it with my 1996, college aged, all that matters is going to class and partying rose colored glasses or do I compare it to listening to it now, in 2026, with a job and responsibilities and a deep rooted sadness that only age can bring. Music should be timeless so I guess listening to it today, I have to be a little more critical than I would have been in 1996. Some of this still holds up while some of this is just a whole big collection of suck. I will be generous and give a 3/5 just because some of the songs are still pretty good but overall, it's pretty mid if I'm being completely honest.

Álbum excelente! Todos os elementos musicais que Beck experimenta nesse disco soam fantásticos. Obra Prima. Roseselsa Quietsea II.

No me pareció buenísimo, pero me gustó

269/1089 this is such a unique mix of genres that i wasn’t expecting at all. i quite like it but i need to adjust there are some sounds (like the awful squeaking in Where It’s At) that i find off-putting but it’s mostly good production and vocals etc i liked the back half more than the front actually faves: Ramshackle!!, Sissyneck and High 5 66/100

Odelay belongs on this list for its innovation and place in the culture. On the other hand it’s never really connected with me emotionally. I’ve occasionally wondered who this music is for. It’s not a unicorn, but nor is it a vital part of any scene. The best I can offer is it is a reflection of the times.

lovee the guitar instrumental and experimental tracks highlights: Hotwax, Sissyneck, High 5 (Rock the Catskills)

It’s easy to forget how fresh Beck’s music started, as he has firmly transitioned into being an established artist. Odelay however is the sound of a young Beck tilting at windmills. A lot of credit here has goes go to the production of the Dust Brothers for their production, as well as Beck, matching his songs with more hip hop style beats at times that give the album its distinctive sound. The singles are great, but so’s the album!

This was very much not for me.

Despite loving Where It's At, Devils Haircut and The New Pollution at the time of release, I'd never listened to all of Odelay. It's such a weird mix of alt-rock, bluegrass licks, and hip-hop sampling - just endlessly funky with Beck's sort of disinterested, talky-singy thing pulling everything together. I particularly loved Hotwax, Lord Only Knows, Minus and Sissyneck. Derelict comes across a bit Bjork to me - it reminded me of Army of Me in places. Novacane and High Five (Rock the Catskills) were both a bit Beastie Boys. Readymade felt a bit Eels thanks to the vocal delivery. All the way through I was thinking this was a 4 or 5, but probably a 4, but then I realised I had no real reason not to give it a 5. I basically like every track (most of them I really loved), I wanted to listen to it again as soon as it finished, I intend to come back to it again. So I talked myself into it. 5/5