Stereopathetic Soul Manure - Beck

My friend Gary is a huge Beck fan and so am I thanks to him. However he slated this album when he lent it to me. "It sounds like he recorded it on a tape recorder", he moaned. Gary was right to some extent. No Money, No Honey is a classic example, sounding as though it was recorded on one of those little cassette players that your dad used to have. You can even hear a click in the middle which suggests that the pause button has been pushed. However that's part of the appeal of Stereopathetic Soulmanure. It's so raw and brave and only Beck Hansen could be so original. The album was released (along with the equally inspirational One Foot In The Grave) on ...  Read the complete review

23 tracks of relief for those who suffered any regret buying Beck’s debut album Mellow Gold on the strength of the catchy (and funky) Loser hit. On the sleeve, Beck Hansen strums banjo besides an ice-cream stand, wearing a Star Wars Imperial Stormtrooper mask, daring the world to take him seriously. The record company Geffen did, and this album example of the slacker artist’s early years (1989-'93), highlights the bravery of their decision. Beck and his loft-dwelling pals take a good shot at wooden-porch blues, Deliverance-style hillbilly, Tom Waits, Sonic Youth and country rock, punctuated with what sounds like acid-befuddled diary entries. Worth ...  Read the complete review