Guero [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Standard UK edition of his 2005 album will include two bonus tracks, 'Send A Message To Her' and 'Chain Reaction'. Please note the two bonus tracks are also available on the US CD/DVD limited edition package. Universal. 2005.

Tracks:

E-Pro
Que' Onda Guero
Girl
Missing
Black Tambourine
Earthquake Weather
Hell Yes
Broken Drum
Scarecrow
Go It Alone
Farewell Ride
Rental Car
Emergency Exit

Amazon.com

Now that Beck has effectively exorcised his personal demons with 2002's hyperconfessional Sea Change, he can get back to the business of being a total fruit loop. We all know what that involves: videogame sound effects, random shouting in Spanish, and rhymes about popsicles and vegetable vans. And that's just the second track. Guero is like every Beck album condensed into one, a no-holds-barred collision of two-turntables and a microphone with the added bonus of guitars, bossa-nova beats, Jack White, lyrics about spaceships, and dumptrucks full of ideas all fighting to be heard above the ruckus. It's an exhausting and exhilarating listen with lots of peaks, such as the digitized power ballad "Broken Drum" and handclap-drenched folk freak-out "Farewell Ride," and more than enough to restore anyone's faith in Beck as one of the most chaotically inspired songwriters of our time. -- Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

Three years after the critically acclaimed and heartwrenching opus "Sea Change," THREE-TIME GRAMMY WINNER and FIVE-TIME MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARD WINNER BECK returns with his most diverse, accomplished and compelling work to date: "GUERO."

With the raucous first single "E-Pro" triumphantly "na-na-na"-ing Beck's return with a must-be-seen-to-be believed video by Shynola (Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead), "GUERO" both reunites Beck with classic co-conspirators the Dust Brothers and explores territories uncharted by even this most innovative artist of his generation.

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing..........2007-04-18

Yeah, I bashed the ____ out of Beck before, and I'm not apoligizing either. The reason why this one is better than the other travesties is because it doesn't sound like a _______, sloppy mixed up pile of vomit or some of the most boring things you can do with an acoustic guitar. Guero hits the point, and dosen't add a bunch of weird nonsensical noises that don't go in together, other than to sound like he's so _______ creative. This cd sounds more like he's trying to make music, instead of some stupid audio collage.

The lyrics aren't exactly different from the same bizzare poetry that Beck has always done for every other one of his albums (maybe not Sea Change; I haven't heard it yet, but it seems not so). The music is a lot different. It's actually fun, like the best songs on Odelay and "Loser", without the boring beats. It just seems that Beck did something else. I don't know. I just think it sounds like music and dosen't try to turn me off. I am also fond to know that my local library has all of the Beck catalog, well, two are owned by my father, this and Midnight Vultures. I can't sure if I like Beck or not as a whole.

So don't e-mail with ALL of your _____, I can respect Beck for trying new stuff, though don't call it evolving. An evolving sound is adding on to your formula and making it more sophisticated. Beck just makes things different from the last.

8/10

If you love Beck, you'll love Guero!.......2007-04-07

"Guero," meaning "white-boy" if I'm not mistaken, is a dynamic exciting ride. The tracks are fun and as usual, Beck pulls off the satire of himself perfectly and with rhythms that require head-boppin' and shoulder shakin'!

Another of Beck's best.......2007-04-06

Just about every song on this album is a keeper. You know how Beck can be - he has an unusual sound, and some songs can be a little "too" unusual. But Guero is so good, it is in my top 3 favorite albums of all time. There are at least 5 songs that will stick in your mind all day.

Guero.......2007-04-04

Guero is not a great album, but it is a good one. I own the bulk of Beck's albums, and while this may not be his best effort, I have a hard time denoting which album actually is.

The album is certainly more upbeat than Mutations and Sea Change, though just as certainly not as deep. It is an album that doesn't require close listening to really enjoy, but loses some of its appeal when you do. The entire album has an electronic flavor to it, courtesy of the Dust Brothers, but also plenty of guitars - electric and acoustic - giving Guero a very fresh and groovy alternative rock sound. Beck's vocals are right on for the occasion, cool and melodic. The album has a definite Latin twist to it. Beck employs this influence just as he does the rest of them, with crazy-but-tasteful creativity, only taking the best that everything around him has to offer and forgetting the rest.

"E-Pro" is a great opener, with its full, driving beat and catchyness. "Girl" is another upbeat track that almost requires listening to while driving a convertible on a nice summer day to fully appreciate. "Missing" is one of the better displays of Beck's vocals on Guero. "Black Tambourine" is one of my favorite tracks from the album, with its low-key, groovy - bass, acoustic, and later electric - guitars and vocals. "Hell Yes" is a great song; a classic Beck blend of hip-hop and fun. "Go It Alone" may be my favorite track, with Beck yet again showing off his ability to deliver a head-nodding groove.

If anything, Guero suffers from being too long. An album like this is pushing it with thirteen songs. Had Beck trimmed some of the fat, this album just might have been worthy of four stars. But as it is, Guero is a very solid three-star album. It is not essential to have, but it is nice to have around.

Talented artist.......2007-03-27

This album is a great way to get the pathetic masses to listen to quality music. Beck catches your attention with hits like "E-pro" and "Girl", but keeps you hooked with songs like "go it alone" and "rental car." With this album he draws those who would lower themselves to listening to Brittney Spears and combines them with the audience of Smashing Pumpkins - it's brilliant. So for all you college graduates out there, what I'm saying is that if your a young teenie-bopping punk, or an old-school rocker, Beck will rock your world with this album. It's a new sound, with familiar hooks and funky lyrics that can only be Beck.

Average customer rating:

Have No Second Thoughts
Beck Being Beck - but the DVD thumbs its nose at us
Bonus songs on CD
Technical glitches
4-1/2 stars -- Beck to normal

Guero (W/Dvd)
Beck
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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The Information

ASIN: B0007W22F2
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Tracks:

E-Pro
Que Onda Guero
Girl
Missing
Black Tambourine
Earthquake Weather
Hell Yes
Broken Drum
Scarecrow
Go It Alone
Farewell Ride
Rental Car
Emergency Exit
Send A Message To Her
Chain Reaction
Clap Hands
Girl (Remix)
Broken Drum (Remix)
Still Missing
Fax Machine Anthem

Album Description

(not actual Deluxe Version Artwork)

TWO-DISC DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION OF "GUERO" INCLUDES:

- Full album plus seven exclusive bonus tracks - An exquisite 52 page booklet of art chosen by Beck - Technologically groundbreaking DVD featuring a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album coupled with interactive video remixes of each track (designed by acclaimed video artists D-Fuse). Over 100 unique visual possibilities -- as directed using the remote control's "angle" button

Customer Reviews:

Have No Second Thoughts.......2006-05-26

Never mind the dvd! I too, have had problems with it - - one track, a favorite unfortunately, sometimes skips or doesn't play but all other dvd tracks work fine and the surround sound effects are uber cool. You probably won't use the dvd as much as you would the actual CD so this is still a good buy: minus one star for our skippy dvd friend.

I've lost the audio CD of this collection and just got a new one now because I miss the bonus songs : / This cd will satiate your Beck cravings anytime, anyday, anywhere, buy it. O

Beck Being Beck - but the DVD thumbs its nose at us.......2006-02-05

Here's Beck doing what he does best. It's "Odelay" redux - funky beats, lyrics that are playful on some songs, sober and introspective on others. There are also a whole lot of skeletons and a feeling of menace that comes and goes. However, with twenty songs the album goes on a bit long, considering that there's not much tonal variety from song to song, and that is why I gave the album 4 stars instead of 5. Then there's the DVD . . . what's the point of producing a DVD that is so "cutting edge" that virtually no one can use its features? I can watch some of the songs in two formats, but with most songs I'm restricted to one. Qué onda, guero?

Bonus songs on CD.......2005-10-09

I just have to say that even though I've owned this album for six months, I haven't watched the DVD yet... but I love the bonus songs on the CD that come with this particular edition. "Clap Hands" is worth the extra 5 bucks alone!

Technical glitches.......2005-07-12

Initially when I played the album on DVD audio it froze and jittered during 'Girl' and 'Emergency exit' making the tracks unlistenable and unwatchable. I scoured the net for a solution and found that by pressing the subtitle button on the DVD remote I could change slightly what was on screen during the song. In changing this the two problem tracks and all others played perfectly...hence the album plays perfectly without any glitches. I hope this might help someone out there.

4-1/2 stars -- Beck to normal.......2005-06-25

Well, I don't know if you can really call what Beck does "normal", but at any rate, critics seemed to be split down the middle because of his last album Sea Change, which was composed in the midst of his breakup with his longtime girlfriend (which was obvious by looking at titles like "Already Dead", "Lonesome Tears" and "Lost Cause"). Half of the people called it brilliance, while the other half said, "BORRRING." (I kind of leaned toward the latter; that album was really depressing). But now that Beck is a family man, he appears to be back to his usual self, which shows on Guero.

A lot of people say this album is a companion to his 1996 breakthrough release, Odelay, and that's probably because here Beck has hooked up with the main producers from that album, the Dust Brothers. This probably accounts for why some of the songs on here are reminiscent of some of the songs from Odelay. The songs don't sound redundant, though, and while it's very hard to pick a favorite song on this album, I'll have to go with the song he has out now, "Girl".

There are lots of other good songs to choose from, like the mellow selections "Farewell Ride" and "Missing". Other highlights are "Scarecrow" and the knee-slappin' "Go It Alone". And if you haven't heard "E-Pro" yet, you don't know what you're missing (although it can't compare to hearing the song performed live).

The only reason I didn't give the album five stars is because "Hell Yes" sounds too ten-years-ago. All in all, though, if you haven't realized by now, Beck isn't for everyone, but if you can get into him like I can, then you definitely won't want to miss picking up Guero.

Anthony Rupert