Beck
Guero

THE REVIEW

"Stop me if you think you've heard this one before" sang the Smiths almost categorically about twenty years ago, and the story, it seems, repeats itself. Without resorting to the idea of "stopping someone," I must admit that I've had a few thoughts directed at Beck. Because Beck Hansen, known as Beck, pleasantly surprised us, constantly catching us off guard with albums like the overflowing "Odelay" or the eclectic "Mutations," moving from the funky "Midnight Vultures" to the ultra-relaxed "Sea Change". We were all waiting to see what the blonde singer from Los Angeles would come up with this time, with his strange mix of country, folk, blues, rock, funk, and more.

This time, however, the doughnut came out with half a hole. That is, all the ingredients that brought our artist fame and success are there, but the alchemy this time is far below expectations. The post-rock "E-pro" with its semi-metal riffs or the Cuban rap of the following "Que Onda Guero" add little. "Girl" winks at the classic pop song (by Beck's standards, of course) with its somewhat Beach Boys chorus and the subsequent "Missing" starts to introduce some mild novelties (Caribbean and vaguely calypso rhythms, old reminiscences still from the "Mutations" album).
The songs are there, it’s just that in general, given past performances, we expected a bit more courage from Beck or maybe it's our problem, always setting expectations too high and ALWAYS demanding the Masterpiece (which this album is NOT).
With track 6 "Earthquake Weather," the pace slows down, the sound is dirty and lo-fi, and the song is captivating. The next "Hell Yes" returns to Hip-hop registers, adding nothing (and perhaps even "subtracting") to the album, much like the following "Broken Drum," which seems lifted straight from the "Sea Change" sessions. "Scarecrow" can easily be skipped, while with "Go it alone," he returns to lo-fi registers, slow rhythms, and vaguely 60s melodies. With "Farewell Ride," Beck takes us to Texas and tackles a dirty, dusty country-blues with all the class he's a master of. Then there's the classic Beck-style rock of "Rental Car," quite classic with some Metal hints (the best part is the almost Jodal vocal interlude, completely out of context, making it great precisely for that!), "Emergency Exit," cute but dispensable, and finally the bonus track "Send A Message To Her," very classic and almost "banal" (for what it means when talking about Beck!).

In short, nothing new under the sun. A cute album, listenable and at times with some bright ideas, then the usual "great craftsmanship" of our artist and the classic ability to make acceptable songs that, in other contexts (and with other authors), we would barely give a passing grade. Beck, let me say it with affection: we want more from you. We want the ideas of "Odelay" (who remembers the braying mule?), we want the eclecticism of "Mutations"... in short, amaze us, surprise us, slap us but show us what else you can do. We're willing to wait, take all the time you need but FROM YOU, and only from you, we ALWAYS expect the best! (If not from Beck, then who else... Morrissey?!)