One of the best albums of the 90's. There. I've said it, and I refuse to argue it. Odelay is the followup to Beck's breakthrough album, Mellow Gold (the two that followed were mostly archival stuff recorded before his record deal). Featuring the hits "Where It's At," "Devil's Haircut" and "The New Pollution," it skyrocketed Beck into the mainstream and into critics' eyes as one of the truly unique and diverse artists of the 1990s.

So what's so great about Odelay? Well, for starters, ideas. Lots and lots of ideas crammed into small spaces. "Invite me to the seven seas/watch some seasick man/you'll do whatever you please and I'll do whatever I can/Titanic fare thee well/my eyes are turning pink.don't call us when the new age/gets old enough to drink." From "Lord Only Knows," it's just one example of the unique lyrics vision Beck has always had. Second of all, there's the genre-bending, breaking and eliminating. The aforementioned "Lord Only Knows" is a country song with hip-hop beats. "The New Pollution" features synths, some jazz elements, and dance beats. "Where It's At" has rap elements, clapping hands, jazz, rock and electronic sound effects.

Not only those factors, but it all fits. None of it is avant-garde sounding, and most of the songs have a hook or a beat or something to latch on to. "Where It's At," "Hot Wax" and "High 5 (Rock the Catskills)" are all perfect for dance floors, while "Novacane" and "Devil's Haircut" would feel at home either there or in a mosh pit.

And Mr. Hansen knows when to slow things down, such as on "Jack-Ass" and "Ramshackle," both songs more folk-influenced (the latter more than the former). They are a sign of some of the things to come in Beck's future as an artist, starting with the follow-up to this album. But that's another story for another time.

All in all, Odelay is one of the best albums to be released in the nineties. In terms of diversity, it is unprecedented. It is a truly unique work that no one other than an artist Beck could have even imagined, and on a smaller scale it was a final confirmation of the artist's talents. With this album, Beck showed that he had more than just two turn tables and a microphone, and also proved that he was no loser.