Beck proves he's no 'loser'

Mutations

Beck

After the sonic assault of his multiplatinum 1996 release, Odelay, Beck fans might have expected their favorite eclectic singer/songwriter to produce another intriguing hybrid of folk-rock and hip-hop, mixing classic-rock riffs with samples, beats, and drum machines to create another collection of innovative songs like "Devil's Haircut" and "The New Pollution."

Mutations is not that album. Instead, it can be viewed more accurately as a follow-up to Beck's less ostentatious 1994 release, One Foot in the Grave, which was essentially a straightforward blend of folk and blues. But great art frequently transcends genre and defies labels and expectations, and Beck's latest endeavour is no exception.

While Mutations is a slower, more subdued release than his two previous major-label successes-1994's Mellow Gold and the aforementioned Odelay-it is no less melodic and pleasing. Certainly, the album is a more polished product than the decidedly primitive One Foot in the Grave, which often sounded more like a rough rehearsal than a fully developed project.

Still, the album delivers a simple set of folk songs that recalls the earlier works of Bob Dylan rather than the intricately woven beats of the Dust Brothers. "Nobody's Fault But My Own," for instance, is an enchanting blues number featuring the orchestral contributions of violist David Campbell and cellist Larry Corbett; while it is unlikely to rear its head in the same dance halls that once committed "Where It's At" and "Loser" to heavy rotation, its simple rhythms and rich musical textures are no less addictive. (A companion piece can be found in the droning epic "Blackhole," from Mellow Gold.)

Meanwhile, "Sing It Again" and "O Maria" are nothing more than old-fashioned country ballads, stripped of all the musical excesses that distinguish the works of Garth Brooks and Travis Tritt from the works of pioneering purists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. During an era when too many popular musicians strive desperately to latch onto the uninspired trends set by an unimaginative record industry, Beck's willingness to abandon his turntables for a more conventional rock sound is both refreshing and bold.

Although Mutations is a return to roots for Beck, who began his career playing folk music on the streets of downtown Los Angeles, it is not a complete departure from his earlier, more commercial works.

The opening track, "Cold Brains," combines eerily distorted guitar riffs with luscious synthesizers and offbeat lyrics ("We ride, disowned/Corroded to the bone/The fields of green/Are bent, obscene") to create a masterpiece in the same tradition as Mellow Gold's "Pay No Mind" and Odelay's "Jack-Ass."

Meanwhile, "Canceled Check," a lazy country number that recalls Meddle-era Pink Floyd, features the same inventive and humorous lyrics ("I hate to do this/But you're a pain in the neck/I thought you knew this/You're handing me a canceled check") that first propelled Beck to stardom four years ago. Even so, fans who appreciate Beck only for his experimental fusion of conventional rock with dance beats and sound effects will undoubtedly be disappointed by the simplicity of his newest release.

According to press releases that accompanied the first shipments of Mutations, the true follow-up to Odelay is slated for release during February of 1999; in the meantime, fans will have to satisfy their appetites for Beck with this collection of sparse folk songs and rollicking country numbers.

At first listen, many will be surprised by his latest career move, which seems more of a sentimental ode to the forefathers of rock than a bold step into the future. Nevertheless, Mutations achieves a subtle, haunting beauty in its quieter moments, even if it lacks the sonic punch of Mellow Gold and Odelay. -Rossiter Drake