Beck Hansen's most accessible disc to date all but defies comparison. It's a little Donovon, a little early Bowie and some Beatles' white album tossed in for good measure. But these similarities do not overpower - they wash in and out with the ebb and flow of one genre morphing into another. For Mutations, Beck has put aside the discordant hip-hop of Odelay! and goofy Gen-X snicker-snicker of Mellow Gold. Languid vocals and a hypnotic mood prevail over rich layers of acoustic arrangments, twang, psychedelia, synths, sitars and even bossa nova. Like a travelogue into his subconscious, Mutations tours Beck's psyche, his influences and varying moods. Songs like "Bottle Of Blues" and "Canceled Check" are catchy, hummable ditties, while "Cold Brains," "Nobody's Fault But My Own" and "We Live Again" mesmerize with their introspective meanderings. Seems that America's most adorable geek has grown up. Lest you think he takes himself too seriously, Beck's grotesque imagery and clever musings sting with irony. Somehow, though, he still maintains a sincerity that distinguishes himself from the hipster wannabes out there trying to smirk their way onto a Rolling Stone cover.

I can't believe the consistency with which Beck shows his ability to manipulate so many types of music. This is a great example. You know how there are those CDs where you listen to a few tracks, but you skip the rest? Well, this is not one of those. This is one where you listen all the way through and love it. Beck's gotta be credited as one of the greatest musicians today. Who else comes up with an album on a yearly basis? And don't say Backstreet Boys, cause that's crap. I'm talkin' about people who write their own music and lyrics, and actually put themselves into it. Beck is obviously influenced by such greats as The Beatles, Bob Dylan and others, and he's not ashamed to show it. If you liked Odelay, this may not be your bag, but if you like Beck, you'll love it.

When Mutations came out after Odelay!, critics and fans said it wasn't a "real" Beck album, mostly due to its acoustic nature. What rubbish. This is a fantastic album, showing Beck to be more talented than a lot of people thought with his singing, songwriting, and guitar playing really shining here. And the songs, overall, are awesome. Tropicalia, Bottle of Blues, Nobody's Fault But My Own, Lazy Flies, Cold Brains, and an AWESOME hidden track (Diamond Bollocks) that is a cross between what Beck did on Odelay! and what he would do on Midnite Vultures. Just awesome.

It is my opinion that the only things Beck needs to make a good album are his harmonica and his crazy lyrics. And this album is proof of that (although the harmonica isn't used often enough); there are no synthesizers, no pounding bass lines, no ear-piercing electric guitar solos. Instead, just acoustic guitars, and the voice of a generation's followed leader. Beck himself warned this release was not going to be alike Mellow Gold or Odelay. That is very true. This is more or less what Beck wished his early, early works (on 'albums' such as Stereopathetic Soulmanure and One Foot In The Grave) had sounded like: polished country/rock tunes. Despite what people will tell you, Mutations is a great, solid album that can be played from beginning to end without urges to skip songs--if you enjoy the softer, acoustic feel of Beck's music that was present in songs like "Ramshackle" and "Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997".

The only song that can be mentioned beside Odelay, "Diamond Bollocks", is hidden at the end of the album, because Beck felt it was inferior to the rest of the tracks (fittingly so). It is a genius, six-minute free-for-all track that is really worth the price of this disc by its lonesome. But as for the rest of the album, just as much praise should be given, if not more. The main singles, "Tropicalia" and "Nobody's Fault But My Own", are both excellent, while it's the likes of "Bottle Of Blues", "Cold Brains" and "Sing It Again" that stand out as (unknown) gems. "Cold Brains" is simple, but catchy enough to get you singing along. "Bottle Of Blues", equally as catchy, swings through twang and extra-strange lyrics for five long minutes. And "Sing It Again" carries its beautiful dreariness into one of Beck's greatest harmonica solos of all-time. "Static" proves to be a terrific closer (if you exclude the hidden song), while "Dead Melodies" and "We Live Again" are very similar yet just as intriguing in their background music. Next, "Lazy Flies" seems to be an upbeat brother to "Tropicalia"; "Canceled Check" sounds like a Bob Dylan throwaway and "O Maria" frolics through some la-la-las and surprisingly brilliant trumpet work. Did you notice not one of the songs I talked about got bad marks? And that's all 12 tracks, including the hidden one.

I guess I have to say if you're looking for another Odelay or Mellow Gold, that you will not find it here. But really, Midnite Vultures was an attempt at another Odelay, and look how well (or unwell, besides "Beautiful Way" and "Pressure Zone") that record turned out. Face it: there will never be another Odelay or another Mellow Gold. And there will also never be another Beck. So try to enjoy him no matter what he's doing. Take these songs for what they truly are--which are acoustically great tunes from an artist whose sense of direction is as off-the-wall as his lyrics. If you overlook this, it's nobody's fault but your own.

Years ago I heard Beck perform the dreamily concocted, beautifully sung "Nobody's Fault But My Own" on Saturday Night Live. Played onstage, I recall the song sounded even more harrowing and drawn out than I later thought it was on disc, but in any case, I remember really loving its intensely resigned and tuneful sound and vowed to check out the CD "Mutations" later on. Well, it's much later on and I can relate that "Mutations" is definitely worth owning. Funny enough, "Nobody's Fault" is definitely one of the more serious-sounding, somewhat anguished songs on this CD; the rest are mostly breezy gems that would be right at home on a windswept beach with a cool beverage in hand. In fact, much of this album reminds me of what Syd Barrett might be writing and singing if he were a young working artist today.

Even on his low-key songs, Beck is always so brilliant at adding in cool harmonica, keyboard, slide guitar and all sorts of unique instruments that the rest of us have never heard of. Though he's a whiz at inserting hip-hop beats and a slew of electronic trickery on his albums, this one is refreshingly stripped down. The poppy "Lazy Flies" reminds me of a Syd Barrett tune -- right down to the slight British accent Beck employs in the vocals -- but better and more focused. The lazy country twang of "Canceled Check" reminds me a bit of the song "San Tropez" on Pink Floyd's Meddle (a post-Barrett record), while "Tropicalia," as its name would imply, is a feel-good summer song that anybody could enjoy.

There is also a retro, fairy tale-esque sound to this CD on such songs as "We Live Again" and "Dead Melodies," which, to me, are reminiscent of Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn-era material. Gentle acoustics, elegant harpsichord, a touch of country, close vocals and an overall easy-flowing vibe -- "Mutations" modestly has it all. Weirdly, this CD made me want to reach back to past Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd compositions, while simultaneously attracting me to Beck's succeeding work. Like Barrett, Beck is a wildly experimental musician who's ahead of his time. By being less musically splashy than is the case on most of his other CDs, "Mutations" is itself quite an experimental creation by Beck.

Note: some pretty cool and loose rock `n' roll ends this album after "Static" as a hidden track.