"I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me?"

And thus, a Generation X anthem is born, and Beck Hansen is next in line for superstardom. With the hip-hop, folk, and rock influences that are apparent in the first single from his debut, "Loser," Beck began a career of genre-bending and mixing that made people pay attention to Prince the decade before.

I like to say that Beck is the Prince of the 90's, and I would say it more often if Prince wasn't live and kicking much ass. Still, both men are one-man bands (for the most part) who mix and bend genres like they don't give an ish. Still, compared to Odelay, Beck keeps things relatively calm on his debut, Mellow Gold.

"Loser" is his biggest hit and a perfect introduction to the music of Beck: Rock/folk guitars ring over a hip-hop beat as Beck raps and sings over them with his unique (to say the least) lyrical vision. "Pay No Mind" leans more on the "folk" side of things and allows the listener to focus more on the lyrical content. "Why are Beck's lyrics unique?" (you ask, despite the fact that I have said more since then). Well, who else would write a verse like the following: "Give the finger to the rock and roll singer/As he's dancing upon your paycheck/The sales climb high through the garbage pail sky/Like a giant dildo crushing the sun." Interesting stuff, to say the least.

"Fuckin' with My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)" kicks things up a notch with the rock factor and is equally good with some southern rock-like riffs thrown in for good measure. "Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997" is a stripped-down acoustic number. "Soul Suckin' Jerk" is an almost funky rocker that I like, but I can see why someone would find it annoying. "Truckdrivin' Neighbors Downstairs" is a darkly funny song about, I'm guessing, truckdriving neighbors downstairs.

"Sweet Shunshine" isn't particularly memorable. "Beercan" picks things up with some genuine funk that would be explored later in Beck's career (for "fake funk," check out Sugar Ray's "Mr. Bartender (It's So Easy)"). "Nitemare Hippie Girl" is another acoustic rock (or maybe folk… I don't know, I'm bad with genres) song with interesting lyrics. Mighty catchy, too. "Steal My Body Home" is a slow, slightly psychedelic song.

"Mutherfuker" is the heaviest rocker on Mellow Gold, and works as a better "fight song" than Marilyn Manson's "Fight Song." The heavy, simple electric riff and taunting tone of the voices involves just make it a natural soundtrack for a good ass kicking. And after that, "Black Hole" ends things on a soft note, other than the "bonus noise" of beeps and general weirdness tacked on as a bonus track.

So why does it only get a 9.5? Well, the album was pieced together from home tapes and has some weak production. Also, some of the songs take time to grow and feel extremely unimpressive until then. Still, there are some great songs on here, and everything tries something new and unique. Here, Beck was an idea man; later on he'd execute his ideas more finely.