Beck:Guero

I usually find that with Beck's albums there is some gold, but that it is not pure gold all the way through. However, Guero is pure gold. I bought this edition spontaneously because I liked the variety and quality of Guero soooo much. I had no idea that it would be worth the extra money. I just hoped. It turns out that the seven bonus tracks (3 unreleased songs from the recording sessions and 4 remixes) are, on the whole, enjoyable (and/or unique), not taking away from the listening experience. It is a 79 minute CD because of them. More minutes for your money I say!

But wait...there's more! (I had to say that) The 2nd disc is a DVD which contains all of the normal Beck album in lossless 5.1 sound along with a variety of visual effects specific to each song to choose from as you zone out to the music. It is truly an audio-visual experience! Truly, the surround mix is great. Farewell Ride sticks out as one that is a must hear in 5.1! There are two easy-to-find DVD easter eggs: both of which are music videos (in 5.1 nonetheless) for e-Pro and Black Tambourine (two versions). There are also a variety of photos included on the DVD and in the booklet, essentially all of the artwork for the album that got Beck's sanctioning.

My one complaint is how the hardcover book presentation, although cool in idea, easily collects scuffs and dents which are permanent. If you try removing the unfortunate fingerprints this paper type seems to collect, there is the potential of tearing the paper. However, don't let that aesthetic take away from all that is good within. The liner notes are unique and informative for those that peruse them.

All in all, an enjoyable purchase that I am sure will be listened to for the years to come (by me and others...maybe you). And for you Blu-ray folks, the DVD quality is such that, on a high def TV, the images and videos do not look nasty like some DVDs tend to (That Night in Toronto by the Tragically Hip for instance). Well, I hope this review was helpful, containing enough details and all that jazz.

Happy listening!

this cd is amazing. all the songs are good and there arent any songs that make you cring, like on some other albums. beck is a truly underrated artist, and his music gets no radioplay here, which is a shame. the video for girl is also great, and beck deserves much more recognition.

First let me qualify this review: I am not a "Beck-head". That said, I appreciated (although was not crazy about) his early discs... However, on Guero, Beck manages to "mature" (such a dirty work in young pop music) gracefully, melding great melodies to shades (instead of globs) of musical inventiveness.
The groove feels a bit more organic too. Overall, a truly great disc (for me, almost a "5"). (Thank you to the local - Detroit - NPR station for getting me hooked on it, then buying it on Amazon.ca)

Cheers.