Beck
Odelay

THE REVIEW

“Odelay” is a melting pot of sounds and rhythms that blend into a new and coherent language. The first track “Devil’ s Haircut” kicks off with its relentless pulse, the epidermic and meticulously raw riff, an indefinable hybrid of pop-rock and rap entwined in a polychromatic and irresistible musical pond. A true gem.

The tones change already with “Hotwax”. A kind of moody folk-rap with electrified and absolutely unpredictable and admirable inlays. A hallucinatory and multifaceted four-minute journey. “Lord Only Knows” comes across as the coy ballad, so seductive in melody and so Latin in rhythms, always revisited with an electric twist. “The New Pollution” immediately starts as a special song. The original rhythms pair with varied and absolutely fascinating vocals in their cheesy parts (paradoxically); the piece is then enriched with keyboards and sax, giving birth to a true masterpiece of variety and coherence. Indeed, even when uniting distant and hard-to-reconcile sounds, everything here seems natural, almost obvious. This is one of the greatest virtues of this work.

Another change, “Derelict” is a slow psychotic trip. An exceptional mix of cheerful tones (in the maracas) and depressive (in the voice). It still manages to stay fresh in its slowness; thanks to the numerous background sounds and changes in vocal tone. “Novacane”, embroidered on a foundation of dense sounds, explodes in its dry riff, coupled with electronic sounds and filtered voice. Pulling with its advance between powerful bursts and calm moments; notable the final synthetic solo. The enchanted carousel of “Jack-Ass”, as polychromatic as ever, is the calm after the storm. “Where It’s At” is a carefree, festive, and playful electric ballad. It is one of the most hybrid results of the album, always on the edge, without a reference point.
The bass loop of “Minus” grafts onto a carpet of bells and blues guitar. Urgent rhythms and electric roars pervade the whole track; moody and irreverent like many on this album. Sweet melodies like “Sissyneck” do not feel out of place on this album. Thanks to the musical richness of every single piece. Here, for example, we find a very catchy guitar loop and tribal rhythm. But it is impossible to meticulously describe the songs of Odelay; they are too rich and varied to be cataloged and divided into groups.

This is Beck's real innovation; he constructs an enormously broad sonic block, an undefined but immediately recognizable musical language. “Readymade” starts with aimless sounds to grow with guitar, here with a rusted sound, with keyboard incursions, and the horns that add the final touch. “High 5” has the typical hip-hop sound, revised and corrected by Beck according to his needs. Indeed, we find a succession of brilliant ideas; the impudent refrain, the filtered voice, the danceable rhythm, the guitar distortions, the interlude crowded with subtle and psychedelic sounds. In short, another extraordinary song that goes beyond musical genres. “Ramshackle” sounds very folk, deliciously acoustic and delicate. It’s an exception to find such a pure and simple ballad on an album that waves contamination as its flag. The result is excellent, in any case. “Diskobox” is the closing track, a stunning burst of hip-hop energy accompanied by classical piano and DJ sounds.

In conclusion, “Odelay” is a fundamental album for rock music in the '90s and, in general, a model to follow when it comes to the ability to reinvent musical genres, blending them together in a unique and unrepeatable way. Beck gives his all in this work and it shows. All the songs that compose it are special and never repetitive.

In short, a varied, beautiful, and innovative album.