Soundbite

Beck “Guero” Geffen Records

For Beck Hansen, the bearer of the hopes and dreams of a
generation of rock critics, making the world safe for skinny white
boys just seems to go with the territory. In just over a decade,
he’s inspired the anti-folk movement (“Loser”),
predated Eminem (“Two Turntables and a Microphone”),
updated bossa nova (“Tropicalia”), single-handedly made
up for the dearth of good Prince material with a hilarious
soul-funk ballad (“Debra”) and bared his soul on an
atmospheric breakup record called “Sea Change.” Now
that the original slacker icon is married with children and has a
Bowie-level discography, where does he go from here? Much like
Radiohead’s “Hail to the Thief,”
“Guero” draws on Beck’s deep catalog for
inspiration. If “Hail to the Thief” is the glitched-out
child of “OK Computer,” “Guero” is the
long-awaited hi-fi sequel to “Odelay.” The album marks
the return of the Dust Brothers to Beck’s production booth
and, with them, the loose garage folk and hip-hop rhythms they
brought to “Odelay.” Beck’s past work with
Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich has rubbed off as well; “Sea
Change” harmonies and layers upon layers of instrumentation
abound. More importantly, the humor so crucial to Beck’s best
work is back. “Guero” is high energy, catchy and most
of all, unabashedly fun. Many of the songs, hip-hop style, drop
science during the verses and save the melodies for the choruses.
“Earthquake Weather” is the most infectious example of
this, with Beck straining for high notes in between DJ scratches
and guitar jams. Beck has really mastered the art of the recording
studio at this point, and the only constant from song to song is
the insistent beat. Handclaps and tambourines share space with drum
machines, and every track bursts with a fresh rhythm. Guitars of
all sorts are laid over the percussion, ranging from the soft Latin
chords of “Missing” (formerly titled
“Brazillica”) to the familiar grungy riffs of
“E-Pro.” “Scarecrow” takes a page from the
Radiohead spooky guitar manual, slipping an eerie lead line under
country-tinged guitars and a rock-solid beat. Beck fills in the
nooks and crannies with everything but the kitchen sink. Horns,
keyboards, electronics and ambient dialogue are among the most
noticeable instruments, and that’s merely scratching the
surface. The vocals sway easily between straight-ahead melody and
relaxed hip-hop inflections with Beck’s clever lyricism at
the forefront. “Shoot your mouth if you know where
you’re aiming,” he raps on “E-Pro.”
“Go It Alone” has more handclaps, “na na
na” chants and a particularly irreverent vocal take.
“The sky is burning in my rear view mirror,” he sings,
a line that wouldn’t be out of place on “Sea
Change.” The difference is, this time, Beck’s not
looking back. Ironically, the album’s only flaws come from
relying too much on the past. The least original songs are grouped
toward the end. “Farewell Ride” steals most of the
“Devil’s Haircut” riff, and the gimmicky
handclaps and “yeah, yeah, yeah” chorus of
“Rental Car” sound a bit tired after 13 tracks.
“Rental Car” does boast a bizarre breakdown at the 2:14
mark, featuring unintelligibly foreign female vocals. Album closer
“Emergency Exit,” with Beck singing through a
megaphone, might be another “Odelay” knockoff if not
for its careening, haphazard rush to the finish. Final act aside,
“Guero” is Beck’s most accessible outing in ages.
He remains a nearly unparalleled musician at the top of his game,
and the intricate textures of the arrangements provide plenty of
new adventures for listeners if the attraction of the beats and
melodies ever fades. For the first time since “Odelay,”
Beck sounds like Beck again. “Now I’m turnin’ it
on/ Now I’m workin’ my legs/ Hell yes,” he sings
on “Hell Yes.” It’s about time, and
“Guero” is well worth the wait. -David
Greenwald