Record Review - Guero by Beck

Mainstream music criticism is usually riding a wave, not starting a wave. Case-in-point: Beck's Sea Change album got the praise which Mutations deserved. It's not that the former is not great, it is just not as varied and musically and lyrically diverse as the latter. But since Mutations came hard on the heels of Odelay, the critics were unprepared for that sort of brilliance and it took them a few years to catch up. Now comes Guero, a mediocre melding of Odelay-Midnite Vultures with Mutations-Sea Change. The album, though it shows flashes of goodness, does not make it, perhaps BECAUSE of the presence of the Dust Brothers, who sculpted Odelay. For die-hards or non-owners of Mutations, Odelay, Midnite Vultures only. We will continue to listen and correct ourselves in future postings on this site if the record turns out to be a grower, not a show-er.

Two and one half stars (out of five).

- Alan Suback