Beck

Odelay

Music For Music's Sake

Review Score:

(10/10)
The best way to describe Beck is to say that his songs are music for music's sake. They dont' always (or usally, really) make sense, and I suppose you could say they arent' "real music", in the sense that most music is (like the Beatles or Van Halen or most music that you hear, really). But it IS "fun music", I suppose you could say. Odelay is like..PURE Beck. It's Beck at his best. One Foot in the Grave was interesting, in it's own folky way, as was Stereopathetic Soulmanure, and "Mellow Gold" was way cool, of course, but "Odelay" is all of the best qualities Beck has rolled into one. You dont' know what the lyrics mean all the time (usually it's just like poetry - there is no real meanign - it's just words that paint pictures in your head), but you make the songs yours after a while - and that, perhaps is the best thing about listenign to Beck - there is plenty room for interpretation. "Devil's Haricut" is a good rock number - it starts off the album nicely. "Hot Wax" is just..genius, really. Just a nice groovy song. It makes Beck look cool, for such a little guy he is. It's a nice song and whatnot. "Lord Only Knows" is good for like..some long night drive that you are on alone, or some long walk on your own (I used to take long walks and listen to Beck), and it's night, and..it's just a nice song. "Derilect" is the worst sogn on the album - to be honest, it kind of sucks. "Minus" (kind of an ode to..the feeling of being a teenager or something, I geuss. That's my interpretation atleast) is a good one - has a nice manic energy to it. Novicane is also pretty cool. The others I would list as best songs on the album are "Jack-ass" and "Ramshackle", which are kind of..introspective songs, I suppose is how you could describe them. WHo knows what they wil remdind you of - that's the way it is with Beck songs. The others are okay. "Where It's At" is the one that was always on the radio back in the summer of 96. MOst people would most likely say that it's THE best song on the cd, and they'd probably be right, but after hearing it for a long time, the other songs seem more appealing, imho. High 5 (Rock The Catskills) is also pretty cool - it's kind of funny when the "do you like designer jeans?" part comes along. Sissyneck is intersting - good lyrics, like "writing my will on a three-dollar bill". Readymade is so/so. "The New Pollution" is also pretty cool - it was on MTV all the time back then, but not the best song, imho. Dont' get freaked out when you have your cd player on highest volume and Jack-Ass has ended, becuase there is "bonus noise" on this cd, and it's kind of a shock (epecially if you're stoned or something). Anyway, that's all I have to say about Odelay. Go and buy it and you're pretty much guarenteed to like it. Keep in mind that it grows on you.

More Reviews: