Beck, Winner

Beck's new album Guero is a keeper -- it only took me a couple of spins to really get into it. It was produced by The Dust Brothers (Odelay, the Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique), and it has an Odelay feel to it, all over the place without being choppy. "E-Pro," the first song, is a great opener, faster and harder than most of the album. Every song therafter has its own style and sound to it, simultaneously derivative of a million different things and yet unlike anything else I've come across in a while. I was always a tiny bit lukewarm on Beck, never fully endorsing him because of some odd notion that he was copying the Beasties. Clearly he's miles away from that comparison now. It was probably on my brutally hung over ride home from Jersey to Arlington last Sunday with the windows rolled down and this album turned up that I decided that Beck is the real deal and this album is worth highly recommending.

Also getting some airplay in my domain is Morrissey's latest record, You Are the Quarry. A lot of what I said about the Camper album applies -- if you always found The Smiths and Morrissey to be whiny, mopey alt-pop, you won't be any happier with this effort. But those who enjoyed them/him will dig it -- better than he's done in quite some time. He's still pretty much a lyrical downer, but there are more than a few enjoyable tunes here. He recently issued a live album as well -- one which incorporates a handful of Smiths songs in the set list. Even more enjoyable.

In the next four weeks there will be new albums from Springsteen, Ryan Adams, nine inch nails, Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, New Order, Lucinda Williams, and, of course, The Flaming Lips. Ween is supposedly going to issue some kind of album from their website soon; you never know what it will be with them, or if that's even true, as it may just be some high joke.

Also, don't miss the debut release of the up-and-coming New Jersey act Greasetruck. And if you ask nicely, we can set you up with the one-off recording of "I'm Your Hero, You're My Gyro" by Random Idiots.