Beck - Guero

ALBUM REVIEW

If you are familiar at all with Beck Hansen's music, then this album should come as no surprise.

He's been the most dazzlingly funky white boy since he hit the scene with "Loser".

I love all his albums, and this one is no different. He continues to create musical tracks like fine cuisine. They may have some of the same ingredients as something he's prepared before, but they are each unique and delicious in their own right.

Although it may go against critical acclaim and thinking, I'm glad that Beck decided to steer back towards his roots on this album. His last outing, Sea Change, was not exactly something you'd want playing on suicide watch. Somber folk to the nth degree. Well done, but not really something you want to have in heavy rotation.

This album maintains it's fair share of samples and wonderful beats, courtesy of the Dust Brothers. It also manages to work new levels of musicality to the tracks. Even though by definition Beck's sound is the brainchild of the mixing table, there are songs here that you can really feel the band on.

With that, I'm sure this album will translate very well to the stage. If you've never had the treat of attending a Beck concert, please do so at your earliest convenience. You will not be disappointed. He is a consummate performer, and his DJ will make your head spin.

Let's examine each track along this trip by the barrio, through the backwoods, and into outer space discoland.

We kick things off with the radio single "E-Pro". It may not win any songwriter awards with it's na-na-na chorus, but the thing here is the beat. While it's courtesy of my favorite Beastie Boys song, it's tweaked here with some guitar crunch that goes down like a bowl of Boo-Berry on Saturday morning.

"Que Onda Guero" is straight from the street corner bodega. You can practically feel the dusty heat of the city, as Beck gives props to the latino backstreets. From the muted horns that sound like they're blasting from a circa 1982 boombox to the loping syncopation of the whole song, it's a gem.

"Girl" could easily be the very best musical bastard of the Beach Boys and Arlo Guthrie ever spawned. If you took the surf and the folk, and mushed them up with Beck brushing up on his croonerism, then there you have it. It's bright, cheery, and just generally a feel-good tune. (Not to be confused with feel-good movies, which I traditionally can do without)

Ah, yes. The cool breeze wafts past the cabana, and the smell of cocoa butter is only surpassed by pina colada, and here we find "Missing". With more bossa nova than a little bit, Beck dons an almost lounge delivery, and chalks up another favorite of mine. Although he doesn't go to this well too often, when he does, he usually comes through smooth. [see also "Tropicalia" from his Mutations album]

How often does something so white get so purple? If you don't believe in channeling, then you just might after hearing the way "Black Tambourine" puts Deep Purple's "Hush" in Beck's hands. There's something in the swagger of Beck's voice on this track that makes you believe he's the long lost cousin to the Rat Pack, and only the two of you know it. Toe tapping good times to be had by all.

"Earthquake Weather" breaks out the lava-lamp mack vibe. There's enough psychedelic bells and whistles here to give you a flashback even if you're sober. Just lay your head back in that beanbag chair, and mellow out.

There isn't one track on this album that I don't like something about, but this next one I like everything about. "Hell Yes" is as much fun as the title implies. It's 100% digital funk destined for cardboard and shelltops from here to Mars. Domo Arigato, Beck san.

For those who really did miss the Sea Change sound, "Broken Drum" is about as close as you're going to get this time around. It's lingeringly slow tempo is backed by the almost sleepy delivery of Beck's vocals. I know it may sound weird, but I think that his voice sounds good when he slows things down like this. Not my A+ favorite, but not a dud either.

Lyrically the strongest song on the album, "Scarecrow" has a echoing, eerie feeling to it. Self-examination must be hard to sing, but it seems Beck has found a way. Not exactly an uptempo number, but I think there's charm there if you're open to it.

Now, it's time to slide on down to the Delta, and visit the revival tent for some hand-clapping testifying. "Go It Alone" is a bluesy treat with certifiable badass lyrics. Not that Beck tends to strike me as a tough guy, but he sure can write like he'd like to be.

Nothing like a funeral song to get you going. Here, we find Beck with his cowboy hat on again, and amidst the dobro licks; you can hear the dust of the trail on "Farewell Ride".

Okay, now we have the pick me up track. If you ever wondered what would happen if Jimi was awakened by a Strawberry Alarm Clock, then check out "Rental Car". We've got the snazzy backup singers, and the organs, and a groovy sound that's really far out.

Although it's flavored with many things, "Emergency Exit" is at it's heart an old spiritual. The rhythmic pounding of the beat, and the melodies here speak to the songs of labor; of the field, the hammer, and the struggle.

Now, if you bought this at your local music chain, or pretty much anywhere else in the US for that matter, that's where your party ends. If you went for the deluxe treatment, then you can get the special 2-disc version of this album that snags you a DVD and some bonus tracks for your dollars.

If you don't want to quite go in for that because you think it's gauche, then you could just upgrade to the Japanese Import of "Guero" and come away with 3 very tasty bonus tracks.

The first of which is "Send A Message To Her" which finds Beck trying to convince you that Pete Best is a sucker, and he's really the missing Beatle. I challenge you to not find this song catchy.

Then we have a loud bunch of feedback freakout that would seem like a frenzied mess anywhere else. Maybe "Chain Reaction" is nothing more, but it's worth finding out for yourself.

Lastly, we have a show-stopper of a jungle beat with "Clap Hands". With the titular hand-claps within, this song can get the animals running better than Tarzan. I feel bad for any fan that doesn't have this Beck song.

So, there are some songs that I could skip over here if I was making a Beck compilation. That being said, there are also many that I couldn't think of leaving out. This isn't a perfect album, but it's a new experiment. Sometimes the science is in the method, and not every result. I would definitely recommend this album to you all, even if you've never bought a Beck album before. There are enough styles and subtleties layered within to provide lots of replay value for a good long time...

Rating = * * * * out of 5 stars