Beck - Mellow Gold
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Free Music Notes for Mellow Gold
Free Music Review: Quirky Alternative and Imaginative Alternative Rock
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first heard about Beck I was definitely interested. He came out in the early-mid '90's, when alternative/indie/underground music started becoming more mainstream. Beck was a quirky imaginative artist. He would show up to his gigs in hometown L.A. with indian feathers on his head and a cheap small boombox. He became known with the release of his hit single off Mellow Gold called "Loser". "Loser" became an anthem type of song with rock fans singing it everywhere. Its chorus was catchy and entertaining with "I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me". The fun song was even nominated for a Grammy in 1995.
Mellow Gold also contains "Pay No Mind", a more hippy mellow rock song, with Beck's interesting funny lyrics and vocals. Then there is "Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997", which is the most bluesy Beck gets. While the music is sorta bluesy, Beck's vocals aren't -- they are pretty much monotone -- but the guitars are slow and methodical. "Soul Suckin Jerk" is filled with odd noises, funny lyrics that are hard to decipher at a lot of times and Beck's vocals in a more "rappin'" style. Overall if you like odd, quirky alternative and imaginative alternative rock music then you'll love Mellow Gold.
Free Music Review: Beck experiments with lo-fi vocal effects
Hit: 5 Stars
I have to admit, I didn't actually listen to this until after his latest album, "The Information," came out. However, this incredible masterpiece of excessive vocal mixing, obscure record-spinning and electronic buzzes is probably one of Beck's most creative albums ever.
No one can fathom that Beck has the weirdest lyrics ever, but this album almost takes the cake with the lyric about "dancing on the roof, shooting holes in the roof" in the wacky romp "Soul Suckin' Jerk." In spite of Beck barely making sense with his metaphors, he finds some of the coolest samples ever. I love the sample of the pissed off drunk in "Truckdrivin' Neighbor."
While this is really the only Beck album that has a parental advisory sticker on it (and deserves it), this is also Beck in his rawest and most tumultuous state of mind. He sings about the "s**t-talking, street-taking, truck-driving neighbor downstairs." He engages in a hard rocking song where he screams in a lo-fidelity microphone "Everyone's out to get you, mother-f*****!"
Even if it is his rawest album, though, I have to really give credit Beck for bombastically hilarious sound effects that even Kurt Cobain couldn't touch. There's nothing like listening to the over-saturation of guitar feedback at the end of "M*****f*****".
Don't worry, there are moments when the album stops getting excessively goofy. "Pay No Mind" is a sympathetic song about how Beck makes every effort to pay no mind to the collapse of music industries. "Mountain Dew Rock" is a great mix of buzzing electric guitars and harmonica sounds.
This is really an album for big fans of Beck, curious about his past work involving wacky samples, lots of vocal special effects and lo-fidelity production. There's something magical about the crackling screams to a blues bass line in "Sweet Sunshine." Only Beck can do these things. That's why Beck is one of the best.
Free Music Review: I love Beck!
Hit: 5 Stars
What can I say? I have all of his cd's and yes they all sound
different but that's what I love about him. Bravo Beck!
Free Music Review: What about mtv?
Hit: 5 Stars
I am a Beck fan. I like this album very much. But I just need to know. Why isn't MTV Makes Me Wanna Smoke Crack not on this album? I mean, it's the song that you're gonna read about if you do a little research into this guy. Yet it's not currently available on any cd. And I don't think it's available for legal download either. I get that Prince made Erotic City a b-side, but at least eventually it turned up on a greatest hits collection. Where is MTV? Obviously the song could turn up on a compilation someday or as an extra on a cd reissue of Stereopathetic Soul Manure. But I really think it belongs on Mellow Gold along with Loser. Oh, as for a review of Mellow Gold...
This is probably Beck's best. Buy it. Learn it. Tell a friend. Make Beck and his record company lots of money. Pretend to be super cool and tell people how you saw Beck perform MTV Makes Me Wanna Smoke Crack at the Greek Theater in L.A. Just like Brock Landers.
Free Music Review: (3.5 stars) Endearingly bizarre
Hit: 4 Stars
I've essentially been listening to the hilarious country-rap "Loser" on repeat for the past few days. It's essentially the slacker's anthem, with a set of bizarre lyrics and a chorus that would have been self-pitying if it weren't sung with all the sincerity of "Yellow Submarine". I mean, who but Beck would've written a song with a main hook of "Soy un perderdor, I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?" And who but Beck would've made those words sound hilarious? I'm sorry, but I cannot take that song seriously. Good thing I'm not supposed to, and good thing it's fricking awesome. Of course, that song also got Beck labeled as a novelty act, but if you ask me, the next two songs disprove that and prove Beck's eclecticism. The album is grounded in folk: Dylanesque folk-blues on "Pay No Mind (Snoozer)" - with a solid chorus, and wonderful harmonica solo; and furiously stomping psychedelic acoustic rock on "F***in' with my Head (Mountain Dew Rock)" - yes, that's its real title, and yes, I love it as well. Those three songs set expectations pretty high, but it hits a bit of a rut afterwards: "Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997" is "Pay No Mind (Snoozer)" sans harmonica solo; "Soul Suckin' Jerk" is "Loser" sans self-mocking, ironic hilarity and hook; "Truckdrivin' Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Street)" is music sans enjoyment. And I hate the stupid muted vocals on "Sweet Sunshine". That was a bad idea. Thankfully, Beck quickly saves himself: the stoned, sample-laden "Beercan" is a blast. And the slow, trancelike "Steal My Body Home" is not only some of the most convincing attempts to blend Eastern and Western music I've ever heard (with a guitar part that sounds kind of like "Black Hole Sun"), it also again proves Beck's will to go way out there. And, just to break the mood, he throws in this weird kazoo solo that has nothing to do with the rest of the song. See what I mean? For the record, the other dronefest "Blackhole" is awful. He also parodies death-metal on "M*****F*****", which I like, because I hate death-metal! Slayer sucks! So does Slipknot! Beck doesn't, though. Oh, and the experimental "anti-folk" or whatever "Nitemare Hippy Girl" has one of the coolest titles ever. Not one of the best songs, but great title! The best is incredible, and it's amazing that a song as self-consciously brainless as "Loser" is brilliant. I don't love all of this album, but I gotta give the best of it my props - especially "Loser".