Reviews (page 4 of 13)
A truly wild ride. I really appreciate it but I can understand people being annoyed by it.
Beckin Odelay on omaperäinen sekoitus hip hop-rytmejä, särökitaroita ja kaikenlaista ysärin outoilua. Välillä tuli Beastie Boys mieleen. Kokonaisuus on kuitenkin toimiva.
Really enjoyed this one. Hadn't listened to much Beck other than his popular stuff.
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
Gloriously weird. Such an innovative sound and every song is unique.
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.
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.
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.
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.
--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
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.
More hit than miss. Less rapping though please
im driving through a jungel to the beach in a bent down truck and thats all
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 forgot how good this album was. Way ahead of its time.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
I enjoyed this
#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
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
Good weird
Hørte ikke veldig aktivt, men god variasjon og fine melodier og rytmer
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
Favorite Track: Devil's Haircut
Me gustó mucho, es un género que poco escucho pero me gustó bastente
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.
Known for its unique and unconventional style. Since I’m still early into the album, it’s difficult to fully judge it, but the experimental side is immediately noticeable. The album blends multiple genres together, sometimes even within the same song. The lyrics often feel nonsensical, which fits the chaotic and constantly shifting instrumentals perfectly. Despite that, the whole thing somehow works remarkably well. ++ : Devils Haircut Novacane Where It's At Minus High 5 (Rock the Catskills)
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
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
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
very nice
B E C K
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
This is good. I will listen to more Beck
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
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.
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.
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!
This is some good Midwest emo vibes and I appreciate that
Very weird album but I like it. Mixes in a lot of different sounds from other genres but it lowk works. 7/10
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
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.
lovee the guitar instrumental and experimental tracks highlights: Hotwax, Sissyneck, High 5 (Rock the Catskills)
Was not the sound that I was expecting but a very pleasant surprise. Some tracks better than others and occasionally the genres felt a tad confused but perhaps that’s the idea of an artist challenging the norm and common perceptions. Felt ahead of its time. Will revisit.
This album got a lot of play in the large house I lived at in college, while I wondered why no one wanted to sit around listening to Achtung Baby or Darkness On the Edge of Town. So while I have that alienation from it, I can recognize it as being pretty great now, and especially Jack-Ass which is naturally the most U2 or Springsteen song on it. But a little Beck goes a long way with me.
This one works because of how freely it pulls from different ideas without collapsing into randomness. The collage approach actually feels intentional, and there’s a rhythmic focus that keeps everything grounded. It’s not “complex” in a technical sense, but it’s creative in how it assembles its pieces, and that kind of experimentation scratches a similar itch.
Rock, more projected to the indie with some degree of sound experimentation. I listen to this again? Probably. Overall an original album, projected more toward other sounds.
B+
Pretty good, I liked how noisy it got
"Who are you?" "I'm the enchanting wizard of rhyme." "Why did you come here?" "To show you the rhymes of the universe." So strange having grown up on Beck with KXT. Thought it was niche for years. But hey I kinda thought everything I listened to was niche, like Foster the People, and Phoenix. I just think as a kid you don't realize that kinda thing. Even then for the longest time I only knew Where it's at, which I always loved. Kinda wish I could have listen to all these albums in order, so that I could see the progression. I say that because some of this obviously reminds me of classic rock. Bit of Lou Reed, and the rock I've been listening to in Deep Purple. But it's also so hip-hop. Caught between 3 and 4. This one might take a couple listens to get used to, so thinking 4.
Quite a groundbreaking album. Enjoyable, but far from my favourite of Becks albums. 4 stars (4.5 if that was allowed) Fave track - Sissyneck.
Beck igen. Flera riktigt sköna låtar som Where It's At och Sissyneck. Bra grooves med bas och rhodes. Får bra feeling av den här skivan. 4:a.
I enjoyed this album, but I was also bored at parts. Beck has a fun energy and there's a lot going on musically to appreciate. I don't have much to say here tbh but I'll probably give it 4 stars.
I have no idea what I expected but this was not it. I think I conflated Beck with other rock artists when this is clearly something different. That said, I enjoyed it. Lots of swings, some hits, some misses.
> the Beatles
What a bizarre but enjoyable ride this album is. Beck flies through genres as if he hasn't given it a second thought. Alternative rock, to folk, to hip hop, all the way round the houses and back again. It still somehow feels coherent and well put together, resulting in an intriguing, vibrant listen. There are times where for me the “experimentation” goes a touch too far with some really odd moments, but overall I enjoyed the album alot.
I feel like I need to stop reading the Wikipedia articles. I don't know anything about these people so I want to learn about them, but then it influences my perception. I liked this album, but knowing all of his background with his divorces and artistic parents and dropping out of school after junior high, I don't know if it makes me not like his music, but it just makes me think too much. I don't know.
I can't decide if I liked this album. Experimental is an apt word to describe it. Sometimes Beck does something that works, sometimes it flops (heehawing). At the end of the day, at least it was an interesting listen and wasn't one of the countless bland "nothing" albums that found their way onto the 1001 albums list. Would give it a relisten, so I'll be generous and give it a (low) 4 star rating for now.
Looooved it. Lost me un poco en el medio. Overall, really really good.
fire but kind of crazy
Me gustan sus transiciones
Beck is good
Random
A classic from a fuckin weirdo. We love to hear it.
minhas expectativas tavam tão baixas. assim que dei play, nos primeiros segundos achei que seria mais um country qualquer; e que eu iria odiar. passou um minuto... epa, country rock psicodélico? fui pra metade de hotwax e pensei: caralho, foda! isso com certeza estaria na soundtrack de ssx on tour ou algo assim. álbum bastante único, gosto muito! favoritas: devils haircut, hotwax
Great album. Most songs are good to great. Notables tracks include Devils Haircut, Hotwax, Lord Only Knows, The New Pollution, Derelict, Novacane, Where It’s At, Jack-Ass, Sissyneck, Ramshackle.
Already loved this album, some songs I hadn’t heard were great. One or two songs weren’t my taste, but it was largely excellent. I’d give it a 4.5, but that’s not an option.
The vocal tone reminds me of Cake. Really enjoyed it for that reason, amongst others.
Might be my favorite Beck album. All the influences. All the styles. All the vibes. 4+
I listened to this in the desert, and the turned into a desert rock party love this album. I knew the hits but had never listened to the full album. Great.
You know, normally I would be complaining today about Beck of all artists getting 3 albums on this list, but Odelay is not to blame for that, so I won't be doing that. If you're going to have a Beck album on this list, which you probably should, this one's pretty much the way to go. It's his highest-selling album, I'd say it's his most highly-praised album, and it's arguably Beck at his... Beck-iest? Yeah, let's go with that. Odelay is the definitive Beck experience. And you know what? It's pretty good! I'm not the biggest Beckhead on the planet (if that's not what Beck fans are currently called, that needs to change), but I know a good album when I hear one, and Odelay is just that. One thing that I really respect about this album is that it doesn't really stick to a defined style. It's hard to pinpoint what genre this album is and that's neat. It's mostly a rock affair, but there are just enough influences from genres like hop-hop and electronic music to feel like it's own thing entirely. There's a pretty heavy focus on sample usage in the instrumentals of the album and I think they're used quite well. The album feels a little ragged in its production and tone, but it's in a way that feels cool and speaks to Beck's character as an artist. I like it. The writing is quite vague and most of these songs don't really seem to mean anything significant, but it creates an interesting vibe that I can get behind. I like the songs well enough. Songs like "Devils Haircut," "The New Pollution," and "Where It's At" keep a consistent enough tone to make the album flow naturally but do things just differently enough to give you a reason to each one rather than just going back to the same song over and over again. Odelay is a cool album. I think I personally prefer the style of Sea Change, but Odelay is much more of a "traditional" Beck experience, and I think it deserves its flowers. 4/5.
the old age question, this time for beck: is this his best album? in my opinion no, i like many of his other albums, but this is definely one of his best experimentations and a must listen, specially if you are really into the 90s aesthetic of music.
Great album
Nice, i didnt know it but it is suprisingly good. I think some kind of rock, sth like beatles but more interesting. It was good for sleeping in a bus😅.
Very experimental album. Love some songs don’t love some others. A nostalgic sound for me. Love this album but in doses.
Forgetable but not boring. Type of music I sometimes listen to. Some tracks were bad especially one (I don't remember title) with elecrtonic sounds which I really wanted to skip byt was too lazy to. But I liked it and it's not that big deal.
Solid mix of a load of stuff. Dog on the front too
Listened to this before and found it really entertaining. Seems to have aged well.
Would not buy
O Beck é um cara multitalentoso e que eu sempre quis ouvir e nunca parei para isso, o Odelay me mostrou que eu realmente estava perdendo, o disco é muito bom, a coesão das faixas é facilmente notavél. "Lord Only Knows" é um músicão!
Great bit of early Beck.
It's Beck! Some bangers, some just funky tunes. A fun listen, but not one I'll go to over and over.
A very, very good album. It upsets me that it's 30 years old because I remember buying it I need to listen to more Beck
Unique with much variety.
I've heard the hits, but I really enjoyed the rest of this. It was experimental but I thought it worked well together as an album, and every song was fun to listen to. It's very catchy. I especially liked Jack-Ass and Ramshackle.
Reminds me of a fun Jungle Boat ride at the mouse’s magical kingdom… but seriously Mr. Hansen’s genre blurring 90’s masterpiece still slaps!
Novacane is the best
4/5
neat. if dubstep had a trailer park cousin it would be beck.
hotwax is very good!!
You can always count on Beck for a fun album! Definitely a very experimental mix of sounds... but they somehow work out in the end. A bit scary to listen to at times, but an earworm all the same. It has its hits: Devil's Haircut, The New Pollution, and Where It's At, but overall, as an album, it is not my favorite.
TWO TURN TABLES AND A MICROPHONE 🗣️🎤
It had been a long time since I listened to this in its entirety, and was interested to see how it aged... It was awesome at release, and it's awesome 30 years later.
Incredibly eclectic album that set the tone for the 21st century in sampling, bending genres… some real jams in here. There’s some stuff that I rubbed against, I wish I could give it 4.5.
Was ik helemaal vergeten! Veel van die liedjes vind ik heel leuk
Gran manera de comenzar éste recorrido. Odelay es un álbum lanzado hace exactamente 30 años pero conserva intacto su espíritu "cool", noventoso, pero que trasciende cómodamente la barrera del tiempo. Todo aquí suena experimental, un mundo en dónde cualquier combinación es posible: indie, rock alternativo, electrónica, hip-hop. En lo personal, los singles de éste álbum me retrotraen a mi niñez, a aquellos primeros recuerdos en dónde este tipo de música, seguramente, sonaba por todas partes. Suena fresco, chill, ideal para disfrutar en cualquier momento. El momento ideal, en verano durante el día.
very intresting
This album is amazing! It sounds so great, so ahead of its time. A real unique sound
Classic Beck. Lots of great energetic songs punctuated by a slow song I’d never heard but really enjoyed.
I've always been on and off with Beck but for my tastes, he definitely hit his groove with Odelay. It's a beautifully chaotic mess of an album; pure nostalgia for me, unmistakably 90s, so much so that some might say it's dated but I think the production holds up.
I love the 90s
Really enjoyed. I foresee Beck becoming a new fav of mine.
Beck is cool
- EXTREMELY underrated - maybe best beck album ive listened to - i love the gritty hip hop influences - i really ljke how its not sticking to one genre - i find it funny how i was doing a slideshow on readymade artworks while the song readymade from this album was playing - fav would probably be 'diskobox'
An enjoyable listen, and I respect the experimental approach - highlights include the microtonal kalimba sounds on “Derelict” and the unexpected Schubert Unfinished Symphony sample on “High 5”
Inventive and designed. Created instead of played. But good
𝘖𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺 is one of those albums that leaves me genuinely torn between a 3/5 and a 4/5. It’s messy, inventive, and stitched together from an almost absurd range of influences — yet that unruly charm is exactly what makes it work. The beats, the samples, the weird jokes, the genre collisions: none of it should fit together, but somehow it does. Even when I’m not sure how much of it I truly enjoy, the sheer creativity pulls it upward. In the end, that originality earns it the 4/5.
I'm starting to really like Beck with this 1001 album journey. This is the second of his albums that I get to rate, and Sea Change was already a 5/5 album for me. Odelay is such and elegant blend of so many genres and styles. While Sea Change is mostly (modern) folk, I was very surprised to hear in Odelay all the elements like sampling, winds, synths, and the very significant Hip Hop influence (Beck even raps here!). Still, there's a lot of rock, a lot of guitar, some folk and even some psychedelic music. Some of my favourite songs were "The New Pollution", "Derelict" and "Where It's At". On a side note, I found it funny that "Derelict" (and a few other songs to some degree) really sounded like Little Big Planet music for me. Probably because of the mix of Indian instruments with electronic percussion and synthesisers. I think I still prefer Sea Change, but I see the brilliance in Odelay. I'd say this is probably one of those albums that takes a few listens to really get into it. I listened to it twice today and for now I'm rating Odelay a 4/5 (actually a 4.5/5). Maybe in time I'll change it to 5/5.
Good.
8 / 10
So much variety—and yet Odelay is, in every minute, clearly a Beck album. His voice never sounded better.
only listened briefly but Beck is cool
I loved this! Well very nearly loved it, close but sometimes a little slipped gear. I wish I had loved it in my teens.
Another artist that I listen to infrequently thinking "this is incredible!" and then don't listen to again for years. This is excellent though - kooky lyrics over awesome beats and samples, and some all time classic Beck tunes. I probably prefer Mutations or Seachange, but this is super fun.
Its a good album like his others, good mix of experiments. Showcases his talent.
His fifth album. Alternative Rock / Indie. I like it, Beck's satirical and surrealistic approach with his cheap aesthetic works for me. This album is one of his best. The New Pollution, Derelict, Novacane and Where It's At are all good tracks. Good album.
Enjoyable in multiple states of mind! I found this album surprisingly relaxing
This rocked! So glad to have had an excuse to listen to this one front to back!
There’s something a little dated and 90s about the sound on some tracks, which is my a terrible thing. It was probably as a result of others copying Beck’s sound in the hopes of grabbing some of his popularity. A bunch of tracks are great, some are so-so, but the album as a whole is a good listen. I think you can hear the Dust Brothers production, there are echos of Paul’s Boutique here. It would feel a shame to give this three stars so I’m just going to give it 3.99999 stars and round up to four.
That novacane song made me want some
Classic of the vaguely-folkish-alterna-rock genre.
Banger. Underrated. Beck has always been a bit underrated though IMO.
Got a devils hair cut on my mind... Really nice and experimental
Novacane השיר הכי באנגררררר אבל זה מזכיר את פוסיפר וזה מצחיק המוזיקה הזאתי זהם פשוט עושים שטויות כל היום ומלא דברים מפגרים אה ורק עכשיו הבנתי שהכאוור זה כלב שקופץ האמת אבל זה באמת מאוד מיוחד לא משהו שאני אשמע אבל זה מגניב בקטע שלו האמת באמת אחלה של אלבום
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - So much fun on this one. The Dust Brothers production is awesome and pretty much every song is great with some particularly fantastic tunes sxcattered throughout.
I reeeeealllly liked this. I loved derelict, novacane and devils haircut… the instruments at the end of derelict gave the album such a cool vibe. His voice reminded me of pearl jam at some points. It was super good but sometimes it felt a bit jarring so that’s why it’s not at 5 stars
3.5 stars 2 Beck albums in 3 days? Ok. This is considered his masterpiece and growing up getting into his music, I felt like I had to love it, when really I was always a bit lukewarm on it. I enjoyed all the singles, and some of the album tracks were fine, but as an overall album I wasn’t crazy about it. I haven’t given it a full listen in close to 2 decades, so I wanted to be open minded. This time around I enjoyed it more than I expected. I appreciated elements of the production I think I missed as a teen. This could possibly be that I was used to listening to illegally downloaded mp3s that may have been compressed to shit and this time I was listening to it with lossless audio. But overall when compared with Guero, which I had preferred as a teen, it feels more fresh and original and inspired. I enjoyed the rawness of some of the tracks that used to annoy me. Although I will say that “High Five” still annoyed the hell out of me. I still don’t hold it to the level that many others do, but I can appreciate how it represents an important place in the mixing of genres at a time when most artists were very set in their genres. I’ll definitely continue to return to this again in the future.
Beck takes you on a ride with Odelay. While I’ve heard a few of these track, namely Devil’s Haircut, Where It’s At, and The New Pollution, the rest of this album was fairly new to me. This record is paint splatter as music. It moves from hip hop to electronic to country to folk and back again, rounding out with the subtle acoustic Ramshackle, which even in the final moments is followed by the noisy Computer Rock. At around 54 minutes, there’s no denying this record is a moderate lift, made more fatiguing by the whiplash of genre work and sampling. It’s fantastic and fun. For its time, Beck took some major chances here. I feel like my recency bias would be perfectly positive without the unnecessary inclusion of the hidden track. Overall, a fun experience!
Some great songs some not so great but massive variety and experimentation that is enjoyable start to finish.
closer to something i'd listen to on the daily that's beautiful dad favorite song: jacck-ass
From the very first chord played I felt like this album was going to be great, it drew me in straight away and kept my attention right through till the last song. Apart from the fact it makes you feel like there’s an alarm going off somewhere on several different occasions, this is an incredible piece of music. It’s experimental, it’s different and it’s produced at the highest of standards. I was only familiar of his biggest hit ‘Loser’ coming into this album, so you can imagine the surprise I got from hearing the range of this record. He’s got elements from all of my personal favourite genres, got hip hop sampling techniques, funk, blues and obviously rock. He does it in a way that’s not someone trying to reach as many ears as possible, but instead someone who’s clearly very absorbed by all these genres and wants to present them all without being tied down to just one sound. It takes a real talent to do this and keep the music so enjoyable to listen to and not just sound like a cluster-fuck of sounds. Learning the collaboration with ‘The Dust Brothers’ that took place during Becks career comes as no surprise. They worked a lot with the ‘Beastie Boys’ and you can hear the similarities in both sampling and song structures. I really like the album structure here, it was selected in my opinion, in the perfect sequence. Favourite songs are: ‘Devils Haircut’, ‘Hotwax’, ‘The New Pollution’, ‘Novacane’, ‘Where It’s At’, ‘Ramshackle’ and ‘Diskobox’.
Whammy, groovy, laid back...nice!
Iconic album from the 90s, good to hear it again.
I think Beck’s goal was to cover every genre on this album and did a great job. Not in my collection yet but will be.
Love it
Interesting song and arrangements; musically rich and engaging.
Really plesantly surprised with this one! IDK why I was so convinced I wouldnt like this going in. Really cool vocals and I love the instrumentation.
Never listened to Beck before in any capacity, not sure what to expect besides this should be good / high level technical guitar playing. - So far good, interesting kind of laid back recording style that makes it feel very natural. Pretty enjoyable alt-rock with some incredible synths. Some of the music is good, but not really ear-catching or overly interesting. Quality but maybe more of a specific vibe. The album is kind of losing me overall but its still good. Back middle and end of the album is drawing me back in. There is something to be said for the experimental nature and range of the album, it is really enjoyable. I like the variety in the genres of the songs, Beck does a good job of maintaining a musical throughline where it still feels like his music. To a music critic they'd probably give this a 5, me personally I'll give it a 4/5.
Echt een ideale werkplaat: de tijd vloog voorbij en het luisterde super chill weg. Speels en groovy, met af en toe wat experimentele geluiden, maar dat maakte het juist leuk en nooit storend. Ik heb er oprecht van genoten en dit is zo’n album dat ik makkelijk vaker kan opzetten als achtergrondmuziek tijdens het werken.
Forgot about some of these. Classics but never listened to the full album
Devil's Haircut is a good start. Love the album cover. I love Beck but his earlier music has straight nonsense lyrics. New Pollution has a retro feel, like girls in go-go cages should be dancing behind Beck. I don't need all the high-pitched computer beeps on Novacane. And I just realized there is a lot of distortion on this album. A lot of found sound too. Maybe I don't like this album as much as I thought. Jack-Ass is good right up until the braying title character at the end. That is one of the most annoying sounds in nature. Where It's At is the hit, but Jack-Ass is a better song. High 5 (Rock the Catskills) sounds like a Beastie Boys knock-off. And it has a lot of annoying sounds. Ramshackle gives you a sense of where Beck's albums could go. It's a great song. And then Computer Rock ruins it.
Sounds cool so far! Some of the songs sound great then they have to add some bollocks over it. Nice variety in types of songs it seems. Deredict is not it some rap elements \i'm enjoying it, very uhh experimental lost a point for that if it continues, why do they end every song with some random bullshit. Its pretty entertaining though. Groovy in all I am appreciative of it, ending was nice. This album really frustrated me, I really enjoyed the the instrumentals then the 'additions' came in, It really would've been a five if this geezer didn't include an audible insight into the ghettos of new york.
Very impressed. Derelict is one of the best songs I've heard that incorporates Indian classical - the pair of sarangi (I think? Hard to tell with effects) and the keherwa taal tabla interlude was genuinely stunning, and fit amazingly well into the flow of the song. Very inspirational song. More generally, the discordant music style was fun to listen to, and thoroughly interesting. The metal sound effects did start to get stale tbf (Beck must have a lot of metal pipes), but they were quite funny. I think it's a 4.3 for me. It was very enjoyable to listen to and was also quite inspirational, but it isn't an album I'd listen to on repeat.
Love. Some songs too intense like novocane but otherwise fire
Own it -- prefer Morning Phase
Idk where my notes go but u liked this album great for tripping or meditating
The evidence of what a game-changer this was in 1996 is by how pedestrian this sounds now, bending a lot of the ensuing decade's pop in its direction. It's still fun and loose, but I liked Beck better when his life fell apart and he made Sea Change and when he went high brow with Song Reader.
Certainly a Beck album. Mostly good but sometimes it's a bit too much Beck. Also just screams 90's. 8/10
Not bad at all, will listen again
This album is a classic. Pretty dated? Sure. But just a cover-to-cover joy. Could it have stood a little more editing? Sure. But it was the 90s. 8/10
I have always been a Beck fan, and there are many songs by him that I love, but I'm not sure I've ever connected with any of his albums other than Midnight Vultures. And while Odelay has some bangers on it, there are a couple of stinkers too. All in all, though, a solid listen.
favorites: track one: devils haircut, track three: lord only knows, track ten: sissyneck
Odelay was great album to listen to all the way through. I can understand why Beck has his reputation as being an eclectic artist, as there were all sorts of genre influences through the album, including indie, rock, folk, and even rap! "Where It's At" was my favorite song in that immediately set a mood that I vibed with. Aside from that one, none of the individual songs really stuck out for me, but as an album listening experience, I think they all mixed together well.
aye it was tidy, i think it’s just harder to get into beck, but i did like this album
I very much enjoyed this album listen! I’ve always thought that Beck was such an interesting and experimental artist. I love how he blends alt rock and rap with sound sampling and electronic overlay. It felt like he was really trying to produce something unique and different which I admire and respect. Overall, I thought this was a great album and I would listen to it again in the future!
A few great songs and an overall interesting album.
Pretty good I like the musicality and unique sounds. Very vibes.
Nunca tinha ouvido falar de Beck ou desse álbum, um grande 10/10 e surpresa para o dia 02/01 de 2026.
Very enjoyable. Like an acoustic grunge, with a spoken work feel.
Better than I remember it being, and a very welcome relief from recent fare. Jack-ass is one of the gems on this album, and I swear I saw a live version of Beck doing it with Willie Nelson. Can't find it in the internets, though.
This was a nice reminder to listen to this album. It's probably been 6 or 7 years since I listened last, and there was small element of a trip down memory lane in doing so now. I had forgotten, for instance, just how many snippets of this album's lyrics were part of the common lexicon among my friends back when I was teacher and then a grad student. For a while there, "Do the hotdog dance" was actually a way of saying that you were going to Houston... Anyway, memories aside, this remains an excellent album. Beck had plenty of great beats and his wordplay is weirder than fuckall and, together, they make for a great listen that has aged well. It might not be my absolute favorite album we've listened to, but definitely a strong 4.
I probably need to listen to this more. Some good stuff for sure.
Good stuff!
Yes!
I knew this album relatively well so decided to play the Deluxe Version which I'd never heard before. I didn't buy Odelay at the time it came out, probably 10-15 years later only really being familiar with the singles. I really liked several of the B-sides and some of which (Gold Chains, Thunderpeel, SA-5, Feather In Your Cap.and Brother) I would have swapped out for some of the filler tracks on Odelay. I think there's a case to be made that there is a 5 star worthy album in there if it was sequenced right but like Mr Hansen I'm a bit of a slacker and can't quite be bothered so 4 stars it is.
remember that grammy awards a few years ago when beck got a nomination and everyone was like “who’s beck?” wasn’t that a crazy time
I’ve listened to this so many times pre-2000, that I don’t know if I need to give it another listen today. It might diminish it in ways that time does. I think it was a 9/10 then hopefully it still is. I’ll give it a solid four stars.
When this came up, my first impulse was 'another American rock band? This list is beginning to get predictable!' However, this album is nothing like predictable, and although it's guitar heavy, it's too simplistic to call it rock. Lots of elements are crammed in to make a distracting piece of work. The New Pollution reminded me of Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles, and Where It's At was packed with fun and cheekiness. It's just different! I'd only heard Loser by Beck before today. This has made me want to explore their other work. A solid 4☆.
After Mellow Gold, I didn't listen much to Beck, but this album was (and still is), well, gold. I, in particular, love eclectic albums, and of course Odelay didn't let me down on this. That, combined with the bright future and optimism of the '90s (or was it just in my mind?), meant this album has been spun numerous times on my mp3 player - strolling through the park after a wild night out on a sunny Sunday afternoon. A perfect blend of fine melodies and good memories. 4/5
Easily one of Beck’s best. Funky beats, cryptic lyrics, and weird noises make up his signature album style. Not every track hits as some show his more out there stylings, but overall it is a very enjoyable album.
Really enjoyed, almost a 5
Beck is super weird, but the good songs are really good. Saw him spray vitamin D milk all over the front rows of a concert one time. Core memory.
Incredible album. I had never really heard of him before this challenge and have absolutely found a new artist to listen to regularly. I love genre fuckery and when musicians clearly love music so much and just play around with it. Not a 5/5 because I would like to request this man to not try and rap again.
4/5 Banger after banger after banger. Sooo experimental and fun, an absolute joy to listen to. I already enjoyed Beck's music before but this album was a whoooole new look into his music. Only docking a point because of Novacane, it feels like he just went ham on a dial-up machine.
This feels like a “founding father” type of album for indie/alt rock - a lot of the songs sound familiar but I think it’s because they’ve been influential on today’s music. Not a ton of individual repeat listeners for me but it is overall a vibe!
Consistently vibey, not necessarily incredibly catching music, but a cool groovy rock album.
Very fun album, crazy beats with the mix of English and Spanish lyrics.
8/10
An album from my generation finally! So good. I realize I had never heard the whole album- this is a fun project
Nigdy jakoś nie potrafiłam się wkręcić w Becka, chociaż mam spory sentyment. Ta płyta była porządna, nie wyróżniała się, czasami trochę wtapiała w biały szum, ale potrafię docenić jej walory, szczególnie instrumentalno-wokalne. 6.5/10 równane w górę pewnie z samej sympatii.
Idk how to describe it, but this album makes me want to sit on the beach in California. I truly enjoyed this album and it makes me want to explore more of Beck's discography!
Really hitting after a surprisingly small amount of listens. But most importantly, this made me feel cool whilst I was listening and that's an extra star in anyone's book
3.7 / 5 This is obv. not bad music since it's Beck. But I gotta say, this album sounds particularly american for some reason and I can't put my finger on why. The vibe going on in "Odelay" is often very laid back which I appreciate, ig it's one of those albums that qualify for the realm of "take your time to fully listen to it". Apart from it sounding too american-folky-ish for my personal taste, it's still a good album. Deserves no less than 3 stars, but doesn't really push into much higher territory. Overall solid performance from a musician that I rarely listen to, but who never disappoints me.
Great album. Love the mix of hip-hop style samples with grunge and folk. Beck really defined a sound in the 90s
2nd best Beck album. Love The Dust Brothers.
Really strong creative and fun. Skip novocaine.
Pretty enjoyable and diverse rock album.
The arrangements on this album are something else and 5 or 10 years ahead of its time. Where its at is an excellent pastiche of the era. Devils haircut is good fun. The new pollution tops it all with guitars and drumming dueling with becks 60s delivery. The rest of the album is so so but those 3 songs are great in any era
I was doing some similar going-through-the-classics-list listening before signing up for this site, so this marks my third try at Odelay. On paper, Beck seems to be right up my alley - prominent baselines, some weirder experimentation with sounds, that alt-rock feel. The first couple times, however, I ended up walking away feeling underwhelmed by Beck generally. Couldn't say why, but it didn't live up to the hype. Well here we are, third listen and it's firing on all cylinders. NOW I get it. It's got that 90s irony without the navel-gazing self-seriousness. All those electric Rhodes pianos and fuzzy pedals make for a ln album jammed with character. It's the album equivalent of that super-charismatic weirdo stoner guy you knew in high school. Fav tracks: Devil's Haircut, Novacane, The New Pollution, Where It's At
I remember listening to this before and found it pretty chaotic but entertaining. 4 stars for sure
This is bizarre and quirky, but groovy as hell. I definitely remember hearing "The New Pollution" and "Where It's At" back in the day. Overall, this is the right kind of bizarre and groovy for me. Not perfect, but i really enjoyed it. 4 stars
This was such a weird album! Combined pretty much every genre I can think of and had barely sensible lyrics, yet somehow managed to be coherent and fun to listen to! I'd definitely recommend and look forward to checking out more of Beck's stuff
like Cake mixed with Red Hot Chili Peppers, good stuff just not really my thing
My dad raised me on Beck so I’m biased but I can’t help but love it. While the rapping can get a bit corny at times it’s still such a blast. 8/10 Favorite Tracks- “Devils Haircut” “Novacane” “ High Five (Rock the Catskills)
Allegedly a pun on "oh delay" because the album took so long to make, this one still sounds amazing 28 years later with those Dust Brothers on the two turntables. Odelay manages to playfully jump over every existing genre that the late 90's threw before us and it remains a highly listenable work.
Cool music from beck like expected. Good songs throughout nothing incredibly special to me though.
Considers out there when it first came out, this album has held up surprisingly well. Great revisit!
So much sounds the same but it's a fun vibe
The word unique about this album has been said many times already, but this is really an unique album - great mix of many genres in the mid 90s that works so well. I like the sixties sound overall too. The ending falls a bit flat but it's such a great album overall.
This started off so well then got so chaotic haha the overall sound and vocals felt quite unique
bangers
A good album that’s an odd mix of Rock/pop/hip-hop.
Okay, so I really like The Neighbourhood’s “Chip Chrome and The Mono-Tones” and holy cow there’s so much influence from Beck on that album! This is a cool record. He’s got a really eclectic style. There’s a wild amount of almost rap rock on here - very Beastie Boys. I haven’t really heard anything else like this, really enjoyed it.
It always disappointed me that the album was not an indie pop rock classic like Devils Haircut - that kind of put me off for years, but I was wrong this is more than just a 90s hit single . Sounds like the beastie boy, the Beatles and Lynyrd Skynyrd And Beck where amming and Beck was three to write down all of the good stuff, he dropped his pad and mixed up his notes Genre skipping and idiosyncratic that hits most of the time while mostly staying southern rock with hints of rap - kind of like Kid Rock if he actually had any talent
Heard before, cool album
4.5
I'm historically not that much of a Beck fan though I don't dislike him I think most of his albums either land in the three to three and a half category for me . This might be my favorite album of his at least my favorite one that I've heard so far. Honestly it's mainly for the first half of the album which really not only rocks out but has a great Sonic landscape. Going way way out there to the point where I'm just like going I'm just can't hang with it. Songs like "Sissyneck" or "High 5" or basically just garbage tracks to me . But on the bright side when the album is strong it's really, the first three tracks absolutely kill, and "Where It's At" has always been a favorite of mine, and the closer "Ramshackle" is really strong. Cute vinyl cues are strategically placed on the album, like the sound effects between "Jackass" and "Where It's At" where it has the end of the side silent grovelock followed by the sound of a needle drop on side two. They also do i kind of nod to *Sgt. Pepper's* with a strange audio lock groove at the very end. Those were definitely nice touches. 8.25 ★★★★
Very cool and experimental. I love the bass sound especially. 4.5 stars
Very eclectic musician. This is a great album. So much going on. Gotta go back and listen to his whole catalog.
Now this is the kind of white boy rapping I can get behind
I went back and forth on this album. At first I found it to be a bit too nihilistic. The slacker / stoner too cool for school vibe was my absolute jam at a younger more impressionable age. Now that approach rubs me the wrong way. I also felt like there were glimpses of a softer melodic style but just when I started to enjoy them they were yanked back and replaced with some jarring vocals - to great effect. The second time I listened to it, it felt completely different. The mix of sounds and styles, and the complexity felt like they came together to be super effective and artsy. Like a neon sign buzzing in a window. This time around I was up for it, the fuzz of the vocals, the sharp synth sounds and nonsensical lyrics all felt perfectly in place. I suppose a third listen would be in order to settle the score but unfortunately I don't have time so will have to go with my gut. This album was good, maybe even very good, but it is shoved in you face and if you're not in the mood it just feels a bit sour.
I just got done whining about the dull and depressing Scottish electro-pop of CHVRCHES. I stand by my description of that as a fistful of downers at a rave. This is somehow the opposite: somewhere among the samples and real instrumentation, psychedelic textures and nonsensical lyrics, this is a bong rip on a sunny day. Is the little bit of rapping all that great? No, but the flow is fine -- it's just laidback and mostly meaningless. That can be fine, in my judgement: Yes got by on pure emotion despite a purely word salad approach to lyrics. The feel of this record is all Southern California relaxation. Your grass might be burnt but you've got a cold beer and a lawn chair. And, again, probably a joint. You don't have to like Beck and there are plenty of reasons not to (you may have feelings about his family's role in spreading Scientology around). It's worth listening to a few of his albums, though: the laid-back-yet-propulsive rhythms, the open-sounding drums but sample and effects-heavy recordings, the disaffected but precise vocals -- this was all heavily imitated through the 90's by people who wanted to break big (and A&R assholes who thought they'd cracked the code). Are the horns samples cheesy or perfect? Can they be both? Why does this sound like I'm outside in Bakersfield, cooking in the sunshine? I'm giving this 4/5. You should be cautioned that I'm an elder millennial and some of that score is nostalgia. I think that the 90's are worth understanding and this is a record that'll help you. Plus, it's pleasant if not groundbreaking.
So many different genres, and Beck does em all. Dancy and melancholic, some Folk, some Rock, Electro and HipHop. Great one. Fav: Devil's Haircut
This is the Beck I first heard back in the day and what I mostly still associate him with. The whole wacky, unorganized, goofball aesthetic lyrics, with a pile of genres mashed up together via samples or just noodling around is his calling card to me. The album as a whole does go off in to a more nonsensical direction and is definitely free form. I have to wonder how many times a sample or an instrumental clip was recorded, smashed in to a song, and Beck or his producer just decided "eh it's good, just go with it" because there are some really jarring breaks in these songs. It's still a fun listen though. The singles are obviously singles, and even though the lyrics don't make much sense you can tell they are more "traditional" songs in the sense that they maintain a beat and don't stray too far outside of the "alternative" genre of rock than the others. I did like the non singles too, but maybe less so than the others. All that to say that it's pretty good. I like that Beck exists and I like that he writes all sorts of shit and I like this album.
Fun, cool album! I love the sound of this.
Some classics on here. Goes a bit experimental and almost improv sounding with the beastie boys rip offs
So bizarre. Some songs definitely didn't meet my taste, some others I absolutely loved! I really wanted to listen to the whole thing just to see what would come up next — and yet it still felt surprisingly coherent as a whole. Cool.
Bought this, actually his fifth album, when it first came out and really love it. It feels quintessentially 90s but has a freshness missing from many of its contemporary albums. Interestingly I didn’t really buy much of his after this, only Midnite Vultures, which I also highly rate. Perhaps because the album is totally a 90s album and seems stuck there or because though there are not any obvious samples the album takes a fair bit from the group Them.
Decent background music
Impressive song writing
I liked this a good amount. Beck’s baseline rap rock style is definitely not my favorite, but there was a lot of variety here that held my interest. “Where It’s At” and “Ramshackle” were highlights.
Me & Beck go like Leather & Beck
Solid album.
I really enjoy the energy this album gives, it’s reminds me of my own energy, Idk I feel like I reflect allot with the music, I enjoyed how experimental it sounded but it didn’t sound boring, overall just a great album
I enjoy Beck's more commercial songs and try to understand his more obscure work. I fail, but I enjoy the process.
Such a great album. Totally captures the time period it comes, and yet doesn't sound dated. In fact, Beck's output predicted the future of music a lot better than most of what was coming out in the mid-90s, imo. This album is also a reminder of one of the best aspects of the 90s - it was a a period when such an incredibly eclectic mix of music got mainstream attention. This album is weird, and so was the 90s, and that's what we love about it. Some of the negative reviews surprise me (but to each their own, of course!) I love the ridiculous variety of songs on this album - I don't find it haphazard, disorganized, nonsensical. It's crazy and weird in certain ways, but also every song is fully composed. And the range of genres and sounds Beck draws from makes total sense to me. Maybe it is that we are essentially the same age? His frame of reference is completely familiar for me, and when I listen to Beck I've always felt like he was connecting a lot of the dots of my musical life and figuring out where it should go next. The music also captures LA in the late 80s/90s extremely well - the sounds and musical techniques on this album were all over LA for sure.
We need more Alt-Rock randomly deciding to not be Alt-Rock for a bit. That's this album. Stays in an Alt-Rock kind of framework but does everything to not completely fit itself in said framework. Some Country here, some Rap there, just random stuff. I love random stuff, so I love this record. Bonus points for the saxophone.
Man, I actually really like Beck and didn't even realize until I started this. This was another big hit for me. Loved Guero and really liked this. Dorky but confident slacker ADHD genre-hopping. I liked this one slightly less than Guero but still good!
i want to say i've outgrown this. i know it's junk food and it's not good for me. but i love it still.
I bought this when it was originally released. I can't remember exactly why I bought it and it's been a long time since I listened to the whole thing. I was happy to find it is better than I remembered. An interesting mix of hip-hop with alternative and I guess "slacker" rock. Devil's Haircut and Where It's At are the hits, but the rest of the album is worth listening to. Overall a good album. +1 for the flying mop on the cover which really is a dog.
Have heard maybe 3 tracks from this before. Never clocked until today that Beck's thing is just hip hop with rock aesthetics and sensibilities. Pretty cool! Love the first half, starts to drag in the back. Update listened second time and was kinda over it.
Liked this way more than ‘Sea Change’, thankfully. Catchy and weird and grabbing from various sounds of its time. Some songs overstay their welcome a little bit. The rhythm section work were my favorite parts.
Great album.
A great album. Three or four strong numbers.
Mostly enjoyable listen.
This site has already thrown Beck's Sea Change at me, which I thought was pretty good. I knew this was an earlier album, but wow I did not expect this. Completely different. Some parts good, some parts not so much, however I was consistently impressed with the variety in this album and likely all of Beck's work.
Fantastic album!
bought it when it came out, been a Beck fan ever since. He changed it up and music is better for it. Listen to Morning Phase it is beautiful
Great album. Unique. Fun. All the things.
...an take a left. Then go down the road right about 2 miles. You'll see a barn. Don't turn there. Go to the next intersection. Don't turn there either. But make sure to look both ways before you proceed. People are crazy. So once you clear the intersection there a billboard that says "THE END IS NEAR AND SO IS SALVATION" - turn right onto the path the runs behind the sign. If you see the all all you can eat Chinese buffet you've gone too far - foods not great but there's A LOT of it. It's easy to miss. The path not the Chinese buffet. Uh -so you travel down the path the runs behind the sign for about 10 minutes. You'll pass basically nothing - and a lot of it. Don't let the deter you. Focus, light a cigarette, crack open an RC cola and look out for the rock. And keep your eyes peeled cause it comes up quick. And you don't want to pass this landmark. There'll be no Chinese buffet to save you. No. If you miss this stop the end isn't near. It's just there. So yeah - that's where it's at. Say hi to Steve for me.
7/10
4/8
Great groove, fun lyrics, will definitely listen more.
4 out of 5 One of the best. Almost all bangers and should be 5 stars except for some of the screechy loud noise songs
Pretty good album with some solid songs, but some a little bit more experimental that don't hit quite as hard. Still, an enjoyable listen.
Better than i remember !
Sweet album. Had me going all the way through and ends on a completely different and lighter note, which was pleasant. This is the first Beck album I’ve listened to, and I definitely want to listen to more from him. Great music all throughout.
Really enjoyed this. I haven't listened to Beck very much but I enjoy most of what I hear from them.
I've been listening to the latest Geese album lately, and I only bring this up to express how important Beck is when it comes to weirdo rock. He's got a very identifiable voice but his stuff is so bendy in the genre to pop, hip hop, his acoustic sets. This one is truly just a weird mix of acoustic guitars, electronics, some weird rap singing. A good listen ovearll.
Really good for the most part but a couple of tracks were a bit too samey
Loved this album in high school. Still holds up.
Beck is probably smarter than most of us. Creative album that changes it up with each song.
I've not listened to the full album before. It's so very Beck. I love Where It's At, and I like a lot of the less experimental tracks. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Devil's Haircut, Hotwax, The New Pollution, Where It's At ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it. Saved a bunch of tracks.
Beck is the right mix of weird and catchy and super-talented. I kinda want to be him.
This American Life's transitions owe Beck an explanation.
Delightful! Only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars were the random obnoxious electronic sound effects thrown in there seemingly just to kill the vibe…. Otherwise, it’s a ‘90s ADHD gem.
I've always enjoyed this one. Unique in its style, Odelay has a nice mix of music, rhythms, and energy. It's music that stands out from its contemporaries.
You can hear so many version of Beck on here. While some of his other albums dive fully into one sound, Odelay is where he's best at just trying on all of his different personas while nailing each one. 4.5
It's been years since I listened to this album and it was great revisiting it. I really enjoyed it.
p776. 1006. 4 stars. Inventive theft of samples used to enhance some great songs. Point deducted for filler and outstaying its welcome.
Turns out I like beck
Beck is one of those artists whose legacy is everywhere but not by name. Very cool collage sound and totally a progenitor of the indie rock I grew up with. This rocked!
I have a vivid memory of hearing "Where It's At" for the first time. I was driving across the country for my first post-college job in Washington state and had spent a night with a college buddy in St. Louis. I was pulling out of his parents' neighborhood when the disc jockey announced with much fanfare that he was going to play the first single off Beck's next album and I immediately loved it. The album came out a few weeks later and was a big part of the soundtrack of the summer of 1996 for me. Based on this album and Paul's Boutique alone, I think the Dust Brothers probably belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I would give this 4.5 stars if I could.
Beat heavy adaptations of traditional styles.
It's interesting how the generator seems to really like giving me certain artists albums all at the same time. Feel like I got all the Beck albums within like a 100 day span, haha. Generally enjoying this one more the Guero with its more 90s vibes vs the tex-mex vibes of Guero (although still has some of that sound). Weird Beck is on full display here. Really enjoy songs like Lord Only Knows. A little surprised that this album is vibier than I was expecting. Was expecting something a little more rocky, in line with other songs of his like Loser. But yeah. Good album, but still think Sea Change is my favorite from him.
Hadn't really listened to this much, but it has got some fantastic tracks on it.
It's not my favorite Beck album but i do love it. I forgot how well it fits together and how many differ ent directions it takes sonically.
tokig stökig
Now you are speaking my language. Very compelling album.
Considered as one of his best albums, with a clear and consistent opinion as to being one if the best guitar players of the rock era. Also known as a fantastic studio artists which has been known for duets with other bands and people
This really is a mixed bag of experiments. That comes with positives and negatives. The perfect song to describe it: Novacane. The first 3 minutes were amazing I even threw it in a few playlists but then came the most annoying synth solo I’ve ever heard. Straight up sounds like Human Music from Rick & Morty, only blasted to volume 10 and actively making my tinnitus worse. This album honestly had 5-star potential. Tracks like Hotwax, Jack-Ass, and Where It’s At are proof of that. But then some songs drag it down into 3–4 star range. Rating this was tough, but I landed on 4 stars due to having cool album cover art. I respect the creativity, even if I’ll never agree with that Novacane solo. 8/10.
Two turntables and a microphone!
Rounding up from a 3.5.
Great album too many throw away songs to rate a 5, wish there was a 4.5
It’s an intestine fusions of genres done well… from the literal ass sounds in jackasss to the rap cut which sounds like rakim cut it has a lot of fun quirks and moments
Хороший альбом, определенно звук 90ых, бум бэповые и хип-хоповые корни в сэмплирование и барабанах вместе с смешными звуками и мелодями. Нечего больше добавить кроме того что это хороший вайбовик альбомчик из 90ых с несколько коми приколами. 7/10 Highlights: Hotwax; The New Pollution; High 5; Diskobox
Banger, would listen to this again.
Innovative use of layered samples thanks to the Dust Brothers, paired with Beck's nonsense rhythms. Works for me
solid, fun, varied
It's an album I've listened to many times in the past, an album I like a lot so much I own it on CD, but it's been such a long time since I've listened. So getting this I was kinda worried I wasn't gonna like it as much as I first fully heard it around 10ish years ago. But I was wrong. It's pretty fucking good. It's very unique and Beck at his best is when he is interestingly unique. It's an album that's a hodgepodge of different genres, sounds, and feelings. It shouldn't work and honestly it doesn't a few times, but it's the uniqueness that kinda pulls you in a little bit. I don't think this album is for everyone because of that, but I still recommend it just to hear the unique sound of Beck.