Album Essentials: Beck "Odelay" (1996)

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Mellow Gold may have put him on the map, but it was Odelay that gave him control of the map! Released in June of 1996, it was Beck’s second major-label release. Songs like “Where It’s At,” “Devil’s Haircut,” and “The New Pollution” became staples on alternative radio and MTV, giving him firm footing in the precarious alt-rock terrain. “I thought Odelay might be the last time I got a chance to make a record,” he said in an interview looking back on the now-classic LP.

As mentioned, Mellow Gold was a huge knock on the door, especially with the song “Loser,” which turned him into the poster boy for the so-called “slacker” generation. He followed that with the indie-label release One Foot in the Grave,an acoustic album inspired by artists like Skip James and The Carter Family. Rooted in country, folk, and blues, it showed a different side of Beck and helped kick the gate open wider after “Loser.” That set the stage for Odelay, where he fully melded vintage styles with the modern to create his own musical world.

The album became a catch-all template, pulling in folk, blues, hip-hop, soul, garage rock, pop, and electronic influences. Had he leaned too hard in any one direction, it might have collapsed under its own weight. Instead, Beck struck the right balance, and audience interest only grew. Still, he admitted he wasn’t sure at first. “I thought at the very best, it would come out. It would be a big flop,” he told American Songwriter magazine. “But in 20 years, a bunch of weirdos would find it and go, ‘Oh, this record was cool,’ because it wasn’t the obvious commercial follow-up.”

Even fans inside the industry assumed Beck would be a one-hit wonder, with “Loser” capturing a moment in time before he moved on. Odelay was his chance to prove them wrong. Despite his insecurities, he pressed forward with producers the Dust Brothers, who turned out to be the perfect match. They not only realized Beck’s off-center musical ideas but added their own. Beck would later say it was the perfect team for that album—and the proof is in the songs.

It certainly didn’t hurt that “Devil’s Haircut” borrowed the main riff from the Them classic “I Can Only Give You Everything.” That instantly grabbed attention, but once the riff fades, the song transforms into something else entirely. Vintage guitars give way to a heavy modern rhythm before the riff reappears, topped off with some snotty vocals. Perfect.

“Where It’s At” merged vintage soul with hip-hop, playing both sides against each other to become an MTV favorite and a signature Beck track. Meanwhile, “The New Pollution” carried an underground pop vibe that pulled together references from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s in one smooth sweep. Much of the album feels rooted in its era, yet even approaching its 30th anniversary, it avoids sounding dated in the way so many records do.

Odelay charted respectably, hitting No. 16. It racked up countless “album of the year” accolades from critics and went on to sell millions. To this day, it remains his most significant album in a career that has never stopped surprising.