Regarding "ironic" artists, Steve has an argument that bullshit is bullshit regardless of who is propagating it. In other words, Combustible Edison was still playing fucking lounge music, and no amount of hipster cache can dress the emperor.

Though more of an exercise in pastiche than straight revival, I think Beck's oeuvre is not againg well. Some catchy tunes save his records from being unbearable. The folkier records hold up better.

(edit: Consolidated Edison is not a band, but the NY utility that likes to fuck you in the ass)

Stereopathetic soul manure- Interesting, crap

One foot in the grave-Interesting, not crap

Mellow Gold-Over saturated crap

Odelay- See above...

Mutations- Sublte, not crap

Midnight Vultures- A crowning achievement.
Totally under appreciated. Time will tell...

Sea change - Great sad bastard music, not crap

Guero- See mellow gold/odelay axis of crapitude.
It borrows heavily from these albums

Not crap, i have my own waffle iron, thanks.

Cyanide Breathmint, his cover of asshole...

I really liked One Foot in the Grave.

I think Mutations is just about perfect.

I never really understood the buzz over Odelay. I thought Mellow Gold was kind of funny. Some of the music was OK.

It's so strange to me that he put out albums like One Foot in the Grave and Mutations and then put out Guero .

This is pretty lame, but Sea Change was accidentally my first makeout album. I think it's a pretty sad collection of songs. I don't think it's an extraordinary CD or anything but it is definitely very sad. It's a shitty thing to have associated with that breakup.

Makes me embarassed to vote NC, I guess.

But seriously, listen to Mutations for a week or two if you haven't. It will grow on you like barnacles on the ocean liner that is this retarded simile.

I kinda like some of his music, and the ode to Kraftwerk in one of his video's was cool, but...

He's a scientologist now...

CRAP

One Foot in the Grave - on occasion.
Mutations - maybe the same.
Although I haven't listened to either since 2002 or so.

The single with Heino on the cover makes me sentimental, which I suppose is the reason why I keep the other stuff around as well - remember the times when I listened to music that wasn't timeless.

Midnite Vultures was hideous, just hideous. I quit after that.

Harhar.

poolboy wrote:Midnite Vultures was hideous, just hideous. I quit after that.

It has the same cover art as the Shock City Shockers record, and that is Not Crap.

I like Beck but not enough to actually own any of his records. When a song of his plays on the radio I do not bitchslap the driver and tell them to change the station.

Once upon a time I owned a copy of Odelay; it was used to fill up an introductory order for a record club, which was also how I came to possess two Beastie Boys CD's. About a year ago, I decided to cull my compact discs, and opted to get rid of Beck and the Beastie Boys--whom I associate with one another--in one fell swoop. Not once have I regretted this decision.

Steve once remarked to me that if you took all of the various elements he hates about contemporary rock music, put them in a blender, and turned it on, you'd end up with a blender full of Beck.

Crap.

i think Beck was raised a Scientologist. for years he talked about how his family was presbyterian and jewish, but i think i've read that he went to those Apple schools.

I'm going to say CRAP, but with a major caveat. I really, really like old Beck. I think Mellow Gold has great stuff. I have copies of his old tapes and early releases, I like that. I like Stereopathic Soulmanure to a degree, and really like One Foot In The Grave. However, that crazed-turn-everything-into-folk-music guy seemed to die with Odelay. When that came out, I was wondering why everyone liked it. I didn't. And it only got worse from there. Sea Change is okay in a sort of adult, singer-songwriter way but not near as radical as I found his early works. I am sure the Beck of old is dead, killed by irony and hipster doofusism. Seriously, what the hell was going on with that Prince shit???

i don't have any of his stuff but when i hear it i think 'alright, keep rocking'.

there are worst things you could play at me.