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Album Review: Beck, Midnite Vultures

DGC/Interscope

Okay, a quick show of hands. Who here believes Beck is the coolest man on the planet? All right, everyone can put their arms down now.

Yes, with his latest release, Midnite Vultures, Beck has reaffirmed his status as the true "King of Pop." Sorry Michael Jackson, but Beck has you beat.

Taking a different stance from previous efforts such as Mellow Gold and Odelay, Beck Hansen plays the role of the true insider, the sultry, suave, sexy rock superstar of the '70s, crooning lyrics that would make any woman of that decade (and this one, for that matter) swoon and sweat.

Backed by melodies that fuse brass horns, funky bass, banjo picking, guitars and drum loops, Beck becomes a true soulman, brashly singing lyrics that would make any other male star sound like a complete ignoramus.

"I met you at JCPenney/I think your name tag said Jenny ... I want to get with you and your sister/I think her name is Debra," the Soulman sings on "Debra." On the song "Get Real Paid," Beck sings, "I know you really want it/'Cos your Daddy's always on it/And he knows just how to flaunt it/He got pictures in his wallet/And he wanna be your lover."

Beck doesn't shy away from much, and he has produced (along with the Dust Brothers) and released a party album worthy of the pre-millennium tension hype that has saturated the American music scene.

Beck's creative, innovative interest in music in general enables him to create compositions neck deep in pop culture allusions and references that never seem trite and are delivered in a manner only Beck can pull off.

-Barry McGuire