Beck - Odelay Deluxe Edition review

In 1996, Beck released his 2nd major label release “Odelay” and left an influential footprint so large that its impact can still be felt today. With its b-boy hooks and b-side samples, brilliantly assisted by the production wizards of the time – the Dust Brothers and Mario Caldato, Jr. of Beastie Boys fame, the record contained all of the true essences of 21st century cool without sounding like the attempt was ever made at all.

With “Odelay”, Beck picked right up where his first commercial achievement “Mellow Gold” left off, only full of more freak-out energy and ass-wiggle than ever thought possible from a skinny white boy hailing from LA. Tracks like “Hotwax”, “Jack-Ass” and the CDs 1st single, “Where It’s At” bounce along with the help of cerebral beats and lyrics full of equal parts sage wisdom and lysergic gibberish. Wisely making it the final song of the CD, the hypnotizing acoustic dirge “Ramshackle” is the perfect closer to this sample-perfect, simplified groove-based time capsule of the mid 90’s. The remaining songs that complete the CD are all worthy of closer attention and are essential parts of the greater whole, each track as important as the next – a rare accomplishment, capable of only the best albums of our time.

After listening to the recent Deluxe Edition treatment of “Odelay”, it’s obvious that despite the addition of over a disc’s worth of bonus cuts, unreleased gems and other assorted tracks from those same sessions, Beck flawlessly hand-picked the best of the bunch for the final cut of it’s initial release 12 years prior. Out of a bevy of 19 new tracks to indulge in, the only keepers are the twang-hop heavy “Gold Chains”, a sopping-wet with bass 12 min-plus remix of “Where It’s At”, “Feather in Your Cap” – a slower, haunting blues song that cuts right through you and an acoustic organic re-working of “Jack-Ass” called “Strange Invitation” that showcases the deeper-than-you-think lyrical quality of Beck that is often overlooked.

In the end, it’s an honor deserved but not an honor necessary for this particular CD. Hard-core fans will appreciate it for sure, but it’s doubtful that the extras will stand the test of time as well as the original has in a dozen more years. However, as Beck has established since the start of his career, his uncanny artistic ability to continue to reinvent himself while still staying true to his essence ensures continued success in his current and future projects to come. In the end, even though this re-release breaks little or no new ground for the hard-core fan, it certainly re-affirms Beck’s place as a member of the artistic musical elite and reminds us just how high the bar has been set.