Odelay Review: A Collage of Sounds
9/10 — Beck - Odelay (1996)
Pros
- Inventive sample-based production
- Catchy singles
- Genre-hopping fun
Cons
- Nonsense lyrics
- Style over substance
Odelay was made with the Dust Brothers and follows the slacker hit ‘Loser’. It’s a sample-heavy record that mixes country slide guitar with breakbeats.
What works
‘Where It’s At’, ‘Devils Haircut’ and ‘The New Pollution’ are hugely inventive and fun, and the production has an ear for texture. Beck’s absurd lyrics and shifting voices keep it light on its feet.
Where it falters
The lyrics are mostly nonsense, and the album can feel like a style exercise.
Verdict
A creative, funky and endlessly playful record.
