When Beck first made his name with 1996’s Odelay critics and punters alike weren’t too sure what to make of him.
His eclectic collection of songs made it hard to categorise him, and if there is one thing critics and music aficionados love to do is package musicians.
Twelve years down the track, Beck is still is earnest lyrically as he ever has been all the while mixing it up musically with psychodelic guitars, the rhythm section quite loud and some house beats (probably courtesy of co-producer Danger Mouse).
Singing about war, drugs and the environment can sometimes seem a bit twee coming from somebody who works in an industry where they will have to worry little about these problems in their real life, but with Beck it seems to work. Maybe because his earnestness has always been overt that we cut him a bit of slack. Overall, one of his better efforts for a while.
