When Kanye West went on a rant about “artistry,” directed at Album of the Year winner Beck (and the Grammys in general), it was a poorly chosen target. To be sure, Beck’s Morning Phase is nothing more than pretty landscape music; but that doesn’t change the fact that Beck has a 20-year-deep discography that’s consistently been forward-thinking, genre-jumping and high quality in a way that parallels West’s own career.
If Kanye (or anyone else) needs a reminder of Beck Hansen’s “artistry,” here’s a quick mix of eight career-spanning songs that show his ability to be great and weird.
- Soul Suckin Jerk
Beck’s 1994 breakout, Mellow Gold, remains his masterpiece, in all of its haphazard, cut-and-paste, genre-mashing glory. Loser is the generation-defining hit, but Soul Suckin Jerk is just as silly and more deranged.
- Debra
If Beck looked particularly shocked upon receiving his album of the year honour, part of that was certainly due to the presenter — none other than His Purple Majesty, Prince. Beck’s 1999 album, Midnite Vultures, was a clear homage to Prince, no song more direct in its tribute than Debra, the greatest ever tale of love that begins at JCPenney.
- Fume
Remember CD singles? The Loser CD single is one of the best the format has ever offered; this song, about the trouble with doing nitrous while listening to Molly Hatchet, is the highlight.
- Gamma Ray
This surfy song about the apocalypse is one of Beck’s best efforts of the past decade. The B-side cover by the late Jay Reatard is even more impressive.
- Thunder Peel
Around the release of Mellow Gold in 1994, Beck sandwiched two albums that surely confounded his new fans. One of those, Stereopathetic Soul Manure, was a collection of random bursts of noise, acoustic ramblings and something called Satan Gave Me a Taco.
- Cyanide Breath Mint
His other 1994 album was the all-acoustic One Foot in the Grave, which many Beck “purists” will say is his best work. This slacker, stream-of-consciousness campfire singalong stands out as one of the best tracks.
- Lazy Flies
Before there was Morning Phase, there was 2002s critically adored Sea Change — and before there was Sea Change, there was 1999s Mutations, Beck’s first (and dare I say best?) attempt at major-label melancholy.
- Sissyneck
After Loser, many thought Beck was ticketed for one-hit-wonder land. But 1996s Odelay established him as a career artist. Where It’s At and Devil’s Haircut are deservedly loved singles, but this spaghetti-Western-funk hybrid is one of the tracks that makes the album a classic.
