Beck

Beck reunites with the Dust Brothers, revisiting Odelay's Zippy the Pinhead "junk=art/art=junk" pop thrift shop. A return to funked-up fun, though many strong tracks -- "Missing," "Broken Drum" and "Scarecrow" -- suggest that there remains a spark of humanity behind that famously vacant thousand mile stare.

After the final out of the 2004 World Series, NBC played Beck's "The Golden Age" during the
closing credits. It was a weird choice -- they obviously picked the song to celebrate the
Red Sox victory, judging it by the title but ignoring the fact that it's a heinously depressing
breakup ballad. Jesus, talk about a buzz-kill. But it was a perfect Beck moment, given the
strange way he's spent his career foraging through American junk culture. On G... More >

Is that the world ending in his rearview mirror, or just his career? ("Rental Car," "Earthquake Weather," "Qué Onda, Guero"). (Grade - ***)