Beck: Mellow Gold (2/4/2024)

Beck: Mellow Gold [DGC/Bong Load, 1994] It is nearly impossible for me to describe this specific Beck album to you because it is a fairly unique entry in his catalogue, simply because of how normal it can be. If I were to choose an album of his to describe as indie, this would be it. Sure, I'd spin it again, but man, it is a long, long twelve songs. Songs like "Steal My Body Home" and "Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997" lack much of the humor and sentiment that made Odelay a classic. Criticizing this is painful, since Beck does make very interesting music. At his peak, Beck's music pulls you in instead of boring you, and the slacker-bluesman philosophy of the musician and the music itself blur into a vision of indie-rock California sunshine. The philosophy is there-you get it just by looking at the track titles ("Beercan,") but the interest, what makes you want to listen to it, is not. Then again, if it wasn't such a mainstream outing by Beck's standards, maybe Odelay would be sitting on the racks at the swap shop. It helps in some way, I guess. [6.5/10]