Beck - Guero.

[Mr_Complex]

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

(y) (y)

[Mr Films]

fuck yes, bitch

i can't remember being THIS excited about a record.

even though I heard most of it, i have abstained from listening so i can get the real awesome quality actual release next week.

na na na na na na na na

[Mr_Complex]

I bought it today and it's brilliant.

[Mr Films]

I bought it today and it's brilliant.

it's out where you are? fuck this gay country

[Mr_Complex]

Fave tracks?

I haven't decided on one in particular but loads stand out. 'Broken Drum' is good.

[Mr_Complex]

Yeah, came out yesterday. I picked up QOTSA's new one today, too.

[Mr Films]

Yeah, came out yesterday. I picked up QOTSA's new one today, too.

i hate my life.

[Mr_Complex]

Well, at least you've got something to wait for. ;)

[Mr Films]

Well, at least you've got something to wait for. ;)

this is true. although, the queen's new record did drop here today

is it worth it?

[Mr_Complex]

It's pretty good. Not as good as their previous efforts, but good.

It'll take a while to get into, but I suppose Rated R was the same.

[Teh]

Fuck. I'm still awaiting some cash. This is gonna be one of the first things i buy.

It didn't do too well in the magazines though. Mojo and Q gave it three stars, said it was a rip off of Odelay. Bastards (n)

What i've heard so far is ace.

[Mr_Complex]

I don't tend to listen to whatever the music press has to say anymore. You can tell they're full of shit because it sounds nothing like Odelay. At all, in fact.

[thegoodmrbrodie!]

there is a bigass record fair in town on friday, so i am waiting for then. good to see that it has the complex seal of approval.

[Teh]

I don't tend to listen to whatever the music press has to say anymore. You can tell they're full of shit because it sounds nothing like Odelay. At all, in fact.

Yeah, everybody was saying E-Pro was a complete rip off of Devils Haircut. The fuck?

I'm still looking forward to the rest of the album (y)

[Mr Films]

I'm sooooo copping the deluxe edition.

i don't know if that's the one you got, complex, but it has five bonus tracks and a dvd featuring two videos for each of the 13 tracks?!?!?! are you fucking serious?!?!?!?

also, i don't know if you heard the leaked version but there was a track called "nazarene" on the leaked album and I'm wondering if it made it to the final release just re-titled.

[Mr_Complex]

I'm sooooo copping the deluxe edition.

i don't know if that's the one you got, complex, but it has five bonus tracks and a dvd featuring two videos for each of the 13 tracks?!?!?! are you fucking serious?!?!?!?

also, i don't know if you heard the leaked version but there was a track called "nazarene" on the leaked album and I'm wondering if it made it to the final release just re-titled.

I didn't get that version.
:eek:

I only got the original version with 2 bonus tracks at the end. No big deal really. It's still good value.

And I've checked but there's no track on the final cut called Nazarene. It's probably been re-titled.

[Mr Films]

if i remeber, Nazarene had some lyrics like:

"landlord livin inside my head,
paid my rent til the lights went dead..."

or something like that.

[DroppinScience]

I bought it today and it's brilliant.

...the hell do you live that you get it a week before us? :(

Oh well. March 29th I'm buyin' that shit! (y)

[BGirl]

I'm sooooo copping the deluxe edition.

i don't know if that's the one you got, complex, but it has five bonus tracks and a dvd featuring two videos for each of the 13 tracks?!?!?! are you fucking serious?!?!?!?


oh my goodness, looking forward to this! (y)

[DroppinScience]

I'm sooooo copping the deluxe edition.


Oooh, thanks for telling me! :D (y)

[Mr_Complex]

if i remeber, Nazarene had some lyrics like:

"landlord livin inside my head,
paid my rent til the lights went dead..."

or something like that.

Ah yeah, it's called 'Emergency Exit' on the final version.

[Documad]

Damn you English people! You get Beck a week early AND a new Dr. Who! I suppose you get the new Garbage early too?

[DroppinScience]

Damn you English people! You get Beck a week early AND a new Dr. Who! I suppose you get the new Garbage early too?

Why do the English get it early? :(

[Mr Films]

Ah yeah, it's called 'Emergency Exit' on the final version.

nice!

[ASsman]

Hmm, I think I'm gonna check it out. Would be my first Beck CD.

[Mr Films]

Hmm, I think I'm gonna check it out. Would be my first Beck CD.


first? dear god.....go buy Odelay, Midnite Vultures and...actually buy them all right now.

[Knuckles]

I just downloaded it. Me likes. (y)




by the way, I will also be purchasing it next week.

Beck needs to eat.

[FunkyHiFi]

Guero CD+dvd-audio (http://consumers.umusic.com/dvda/releases.html#comingsoon) (i.e. the deluxe edition). You won't need a special player to see the videos.

[ASsman]

first? dear god.....go buy Odelay, Midnite Vultures and...actually buy them all right now.
Yessum.

[BGirl]

Yesterday I went straight from this thread to beck.com where I preordered the deluxe ed. (y) Thanks for the tip Mr Films.

(I used to be on an email list for Beck but it seems to be defunct or something?)

[Mr_Complex]

The more I listen to this album, the more beautiful it is. I'd put it in third of Beck's albums.

[Brother McDuff]

I just downloaded it. Me likes. (y)




by the way, I will also be purchasing it next week.

Beck needs to eat.


Now that's a good boy....

[FunkyHiFi]

It's (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007W22F2/qid=1112082392/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/002-0111903-0409638?v=glance&s=music&n=507846) officially out now. (y)

Technologically groundbreaking DVD featuring a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album coupled with interactive video remixes of each track (designed by acclaimed video artists D-Fuse). Over 100 unique visual possibilities -- as directed using the remote control's "angle" button.
On this other music forum (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=1003342#post1003342) I post on, one guy bought his at a Starbucks last Sunday and another guy (post#93) got the deluxe edition--which includes more than just the CD and the dvd--via mail already.

[BGirl]

Supposedly mine is shipped tomorrow.

And I'm still on that email list after all haha

click (http://www.audiodregs.com/beck/totalmix.html)

[DroppinScience]

I made an awful tough decision today concerning the new Beck album and I may live to hate myself for it. :(

So I was fully intending to get this Deluxe Edition of "Guero"... but I get to the store and I see that's a lot more money than I was anticipating ($31), plus it's in this bulky kind of box set.

All that bonus stuff looked fine and dandy.... BUT I just couldn't justify buying some bulky kind of box-set for just one studio album. If it's a box set of like 4 or more discs and it's filled with rarities and all that shit, I'll spring for it. Studio albums? Ehhhhh...

(Yeah... weird double-standard, I know)

I guess it ultimately came down to too high a price tag (the regular edition is $12). So in addition with "Guero," I decided to spring for Moby's new album "Hotel" (which was also very reasonably priced).

So yeah... now is your cue to go on about how wonderful all the bonus shit is and how retarded I am for not getting it. Do your worst. :(

[BGirl]

it's in this bulky kind of box set.

Ooh! :p




All that bonus stuff looked fine and dandy.... BUT I just couldn't justify buying some bulky kind of box-set for just one studio album. If it's a box set of like 4 or more discs and it's filled with rarities and all that shit, I'll spring for it. Studio albums? Ehhhhh...

(Yeah... weird double-standard, I know)

I guess it ultimately came down to too high a price tag (the regular edition is $12). So in addition with "Guero," I decided to spring for Moby's new album "Hotel" (which was also very reasonably priced).

So yeah... now is your cue to go on about how wonderful all the bonus shit is and how retarded I am for not getting it. Do your worst. :(

Nah... I'm just looking at it (Guero) as an art project, we always spring for Beck's albums, someone wanted to burn it for us and I said no, I want to wait for the more proper experience. And I really like what I've seen & heard so far so I decided to splurge for this deluxe ed when I read about it here. He's one of maybe four pop music artists we're happy to spend money on when they put out stuff (music, concert tix & merch) so what's $25 for this? (That's what it costs on beck.com though shipping is a little steep ($8) so it would come out to more than what you saw.)

That's my reasoning, not a critique of yours. :)

Now I'm looking forward to the arrival of this box! (y) Something tells me it'll fit right into the decor. :D

[ctac]

Maybe I'm missing something but why on the Deluxe edition of Becks Guero cd say that you can choose from over 100 possible remix experiences,all I get is the 7 bonus tracks and the dvd with videos for the 13 original tracks WHATS UP WITH THE 100+ REMIXES someone help me??????????

[DroppinScience]

Maybe I'm missing something but why on the Deluxe edition of Becks Guero cd say that you can choose from over 100 possible remix experiences,all I get is the 7 bonus tracks and the dvd with videos for the 13 original tracks WHATS UP WITH THE 100+ REMIXES someone help me??????????

My suspicion is it's akin to the Beastie Boys DVD anthology where you can choose to view the video in a bajillion different remixes.

I wouldn't know for sure though. :(

[BGirl]

Yer killin my buzz DS! :( :p

If you later decide it's worth it, and have the money, buy the deluxe ed and give your CD to a friend. Problem solved. :)

[HellofaSandwich]

Yer killin my buzz DS! :( :p

If you later decide it's worth it, and have the money, buy the deluxe ed and give your CD to a friend. Problem solved. :)

Yeah, I'll take it! :D

[DroppinScience]

Yer killin my buzz DS! :( :p

If you later decide it's worth it, and have the money, buy the deluxe ed and give your CD to a friend. Problem solved. :)

I am seriously considering this option (I'd give the CD to James :) ).

So far "Guero" is awesome! (y)

[ctac]

Thats exactley what I thought it would be........but there aren't any options except for sound,credits,and a photo gallery.......

[Mac D]

the deluxe is amazing!!!!!!

[BigBoulda]

It didn't do too well in the magazines though. Mojo and Q gave it three stars, said it was a rip off of Odelay. Bastards (n)

What i've heard so far is ace.

Not that it does sound like Odelay, but how the hell can you rip off one of your own albums? And even though it is only vaugely similar to "Devil's Haircut," since E-Pro is sampling "So Watcha Want," that would mean that Beck ripped that off to make "Devil's Haircut," which he didn't.

I got the deluxe set today when it came out for dirt cheap at Best Buy, $14.99, but I can safely say I would pay double that and not feel bad about it; its definately worth the extra money over the cd. I've listened to the cd 3 times and watched the DVD once today, but I can't figure out the 100 remix thing either, because there are only 13 tracks and each only has 2 video angles (some of which don't seem any different at all), and no alternate audio tracks, so they must be factoring in the different surround sound and 5.1 stereo options. Very strange though, I bought a copy this morning, and the cd started skipping on track 19, so I returned it for another copy, started watching the DVD, and tracks 3 and 13 skipped. So I will have to take it back again. I hope its just my bad luck to get two bad copies, and its not a problem with an entire batch.

Favorite song so far is "Hell Yes" cause its Funky as Hell, OH YES!

[BigBoulda]

Sorry to keep going on, but this is a really exciting album, and this is pertinent to the B-Boy site.
In the Guero liner notes, the BBoys are given a co-writing credit for E-Pro, and later on down it lists a sample from "So Watcha Want" which is the main theme throughout the song. It also lists other artists, like the guys from the Temptations, as co-writers of "Earthquake Weather", and later states that one of their songs is also sampled. But, there are other samples listed, such as one from Black Sabbath, on "Chain Reaction", where Black Sabbath doesn't have a co-writing credit. So I'm wondering if the Beastie Boys contributed something else to E-Pro, or if they get writing credits because the "So Watcha Want" sample is used so extensively, whereas the Black Sabbath sample maybe isn't such a big part of "Chain Reaction" Any thoughts?

The Beastie Boys and Beck should tour together. A badass jam session would definately ensue if that were to happen :D

[BigBoulda]

Thats exactley what I thought it would be........but there aren't any options except for sound,credits,and a photo gallery.......

I don't know if you've seen it, but if you are at the top of the main menu and press the key to the right, you can watch the actual E-Pro music Video in addition to the tracks with the visuals. Maybe not 100+ options, but definately worth the extra soon to be meaningless paper bills

[FunkyHiFi]

and its not a problem with an entire batch.
Your player's laser may be dirty. Or, if you own a certain version of this dvd player (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=30982), you might need what's called a firmware update. A guy in that forum on that thread I linked above is also having a problem playing his copy & he owns that player. But no one else there is reporting having problems.

[BigBoulda]

Your player's laser may be dirty. Or, if you own a certain version of this dvd player (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=30982), you might need what's called a firmware update. A guy in that forum on that thread I linked above is also having a problem playing his copy & he owns that player. But no one else there is reporting having problems.

I thought that might be the case, but The first copy I got the audio CD skipped in my CD player, so I put it into the computer drive and it still skipped, so I took it back. The new copy of the audio CD works fine in both my player and computer, but now the DVD skips horrendously. Thanks for the tip. By the way, I have a Phillips DVD player.

[Mr Films]

i bought the deluxe and it is, how do you say?....ah yes, not worth it.

cool package and booklet but yeah, what the hell do they mean 100 different permutations of remix and video?

the album is flawless though. Beck is easily my favorite solo artist.

I'm hooked on "Broken Drum"

[FunkyHiFi]

"Thanks for the tip."

No problem.

Maybe they shouldn't allow the workers to use their Gameboys while running the dvd/cd stamping machines. :)

[FunkyHiFi]

Mr. Films: I'm saving up right now to buy that Endtroducing album so highly reccomended here, otherwise I would have bought the Beck deluxe thingy today and played it on my dvd-audio player to see if those 100 remix thingies are only available when played back on such a player, since some dvd-audio discs are still made like that (i.e. special features available only on a dvd-a player).

[DipDipDive]

This album is incredible. It's definitely one of those albums that is so multidimensional that it becomes more and more enjoyable the more you listen to it.

I really don't listen to Beck all that much (really only when my brother's girlfriend is around), but everytime I do listen to him, I wonder why I don't more often. He's insanely talented and it's very obvious that he has an extremely vast variety of influences. Guero has made me realize that I need to get my head out of my ass and start listening to Beck more often.

[The Notorious LOL]

its awesome, fuck the naysayers with a rake.

[DipDipDive]

Wow. At no point in that fascinating read did I see Beck mentioned even once. And trust me, I read that whole thing. Uh huh.

[BigBoulda]

This album is incredible. It's definitely one of those albums that is so multidimensional that it becomes more and more enjoyable the more you listen to it.

Guero has made me realize that I need to get my head out of my ass and start listening to Beck more often.

I loved it the first time i played it, and now after the millionth time, I can't get it out of my head; it is just that good. The haters out there need to take DDD's advice and take their heads from their rectums and finally see what musical talent is. I think the problem is that they are scared because they see people loving work that flew way over their heads, and all they want to do is go back and listen to Avril Lavign or Nelly or some other trash for the masses like that.

As for the DVD, I checked it out again, and I think I figured out the 100+ thing. Each of the 13 tracks has 2 main videos. Like I said some are so similar you can't see much of a change, but they are there. Then, there are different visuals you can lay over the videos that are pretty much standard for all the tracks. You control these by using the subtitle button on my DVD player, but it might be a different button on other players. So what you have is 13 tracks X 2 angles each X 3 overlay designs + not having any of the "subtitles" on which equals four options total. 13x2x4=100+ (104). But don't take my word for it, just watch it 104 times, changing only one of the angle or subtitle options, and even though some of it won't be drastically different, it will be unique every time, and who knows if they listen to Guero enough, some haters might even sell there Nelly CD for some air and ABC gum and get with the program

I still think they should have added audio remix options to the four songs on the deluxe CD that already have remixes, that would have made it 100++ possibilities, but still just the extra tracks on the CD not counting the DVD make the Deluxe set worth the extra 5 or 10 bills, so to everyone thinking, "should I get the Deluxe set", all I have to say is "MAN UP" its only 14.99 at Best Buy

[Kid Presentable]

On the strength of this album I would like to suggest B-Boys and Beck for that wack-ass MTV mash up bullshit...

[ET]

I had a lot of the advance shit. And I even bought the special edition.

Hell yes.

[Mr Films]

On the strength of this album I would like to suggest B-Boys and Beck for that wack-ass MTV mash up bullshit...

I would like to suggest that they, together, launch the "to the 4 gueros" World Tour.

[FunkyHiFi]

In addition to the "hidden" E-Pro video, according to someone (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=48972&page=7&pp=20) on that other forum (post #140), there is also a video for "Black Tambourine" (and now that you know that forum exists, I won't mention it for this album anymore).

As far as the sound, if you're listening to this album on a real stereo or 5.1 system rather than $10 computer speakers :( , you may have noticed the grungy sound quality. This seems to be on purpose & you can read about it here (http://www.musicangle.com/album.php?id=284). Here's an example (the author also writes for Stereophile (http://stereophile.com/) magazine):

A New York Times Magazine article about Beck talks about how a string arrangement for the album (written by Beck's father) recorded at the former A&M studio (which was once the Chaplin lot) sounded too good. Said one of the Dust Brothers about the silky string sound: “It's distracting when it sounds all audiophile and smooth.” So the track was run through a transistor radio!
So far, the surround mixes are getting good reviews too which is not surprising because one of the most respected 5.1 mixing engineers worked on them & I'm sure Beck himself helped too.

[FunkyHiFi]

BTW: other people are reporting having some trouble with the videos--it looks like they are so sophisticated that some older(?) or less expensive(?) players can't figure out how to play them correctly. Remember, dvd players are actually computers, but computers built with a single purpose in mind, and sometimes they don't "like" certain software (i.e. dvds) you give them.

[ET]

I don't know of any problems? I'm getting the whole 'dual layer' effect that I think is supposed to be implied. The sound for E-Pro sounds iffy in parts. That's about all.

[DroppinScience]

i bought the deluxe and it is, how do you say?....ah yes, not worth it.


Ok, first post to not make me feel guilty for only having the regular edition. ;)

[Brother McDuff]

Ok, first post to not make me feel guilty for only having the regular edition. ;)

you said it bro. they didn't have the special edition where i went and i sure wasn't going to wait for a copy of it in the mail. i had no choice but to buy the regular. now im starting to feel stupid for not waiting....

[BGirl]

Ok, first post to not make me feel guilty for only having the regular edition. ;)

Well... maybe you should feel guilty.







j/k :p


I'm still waiting for my copy... would be nice for listening while I work in my studio today. Sigh.. patience... :) I downloaded two tracks from iTunes after I ordered the deluxe edition and have been enjoying those.. and especially the artwork that came with Bit Rate Variations in B-Flat (Girl).

I'm lovin the video game stuff. (y)

[BigBoulda]

BTW: other people are reporting having some trouble with the videos--it looks like they are so sophisticated that some older(?) or less expensive(?) players can't figure out how to play them correctly. Remember, dvd players are actually computers, but computers built with a single purpose in mind, and sometimes they don't "like" certain software (i.e. dvds) you give them.

Thats crap! The DVD is awesome, but I am going to be pissed if I can't watch all of it because my DVD player is slightly over a year old. On mine, tracks 3 and 13 skip, so I took it over to my girlfriends parent's house and it also skipped, but only on track 3. Then I took it to my friends house and we played it on his Playstation 2 and track 3 played fine (we had to leave before track 13, so I don't know if that one would work). On becks website they talk about a problem with the DVD and say that it is because some of the art work is too sophisticated, but I think that it is just something wrong with the DVD. On the website they say that if you try and access certain tracks directly they may not work, so you have to go to the track before the problem track and fast forward to the problem track and it should work, but every time I have played it, I have started from the beginning and still had problems with certain tracks, which according to them shouldn't happen unless I am trying to go directly to the bad tracks.

Once again I still say that the Deluxe set is well worth it, but I don't think it will be worth it once you factor in having to spend several hundred on a DVD player that might actually play the damn thing. I'm torn between my love of Beck's music and my disdain for planned obsolesence of electronic equipment and flawed products that aren't corrected before release to the public (i.e. every operating system ever released by Microsoft whose slogan should be 70% finished is good enough for public release, but at least you can spend the next several years downloading patches to fill in the gaps)

By the way have you guys found the hidden "Black Tambourine" video yet?
Go to the speaker set up and press to the right on the DVD remote. Its awesome

[jennyb]

Hey guys, Beck's gonna be on www.kcrw.com/music (the Morning Becomes Eclectic show) at like 11:20 Pacific Standard Time today... LIVE. (lb)

God I got to pick up his CD this weekend when I get a chance.

[BGirl]

Hey guys, Beck's gonna be on www.kcrw.com/music (the Morning Becomes Eclectic show) at like 11:20 Pacific Standard Time today... LIVE. (lb)


Thanks jennygirl! The video stream is great. (y) Hubby and I sat and watched it last night, then I put it on again again later while I was working.. and I'll probably do that again today (as I continue to wait for my copy). It's like Beck & his band playing in the corner of the room while I work haha. Seriously, I've never seen such a good video stream on the 'net (not that I've seen that many).

That digital turntable thingy he was using is interesting!

[BGirl]

it's in this bulky kind of box set.

So are we talking about the same thing? Mine's a book, a white book. (y)
(Guess what was in the mailbox today? And they sent a lil pin. :D)

Now I'm off to see what all the fuss is about.

[FunkyHiFi]

a white book
Yep, that's the one--looks very classy.

[cosmo105]

i got the special edition today and i can't wait to take it back to my place and get to know it a little better.

[Documad]

The DVD is awesome, but I am going to be pissed if I can't watch all of it because my DVD player is slightly over a year old. . . .
By the way have you guys found the hidden "Black Tambourine" video yet?
Go to the speaker set up and press to the right on the DVD remote. Its awesome
Thanks for the info. I haven't gotten mine yet -- probably Monday. I was upset to read on his website that the stupid thing probably won't work on my TV though. It's hard to believe. What's so much more complicated about this versus all the other stuff I buy?

[p-branez]

bananas. that's it.
i bought it today.

[FunkyHiFi]

.....but I am going to be pissed if I can't watch all of it because my DVD player is slightly over a year old. . .
When I mentioned "older" dvd players in my post above, I meant like 5+ years old. (y)

Also, if you own a dvd-audio player, according to the people that do own them & own the Guero dvd, when playing the Advanced Resolution stereo or surround tracks, you can't access the video remix feature--all you're allowed to see is a still photo, though I did read where one guy said he could choose a second angle. This has been a very common feature of dvd-audios since they debuted in 2000.

If you own a dvd-audio player* AND there is no option on the Guero dvd menu to directly access those remix videos (I don't know myself since I'm not able to buy this disc yet):

* push stop
* pull up the correct section of the player's menu that lets you choose the dvd-audio or dvd-video playback mode
* choose the dvd-video mode.

The disc should reload by itself and now the disc will "think" it is playing in a regular dvd-video player. Then you should be able to access the remix thingy.

The dvd-audio format can do a lot but at the same time, if you don't know what those things are, it can be kind of confusing to deal with sometimes.

* the dvd-audio symbol will be somewhere on the player--it's a legal requirement.

************************************************** *****

Extra audio geek stuff or for people on a tight audio budget

I have to do the above procedure all the time with my own Pioneer dvd-audio player when I listen to the surround tracks of my dvd-audio discs. This is because I don't own a center channel speaker or a subwoofer yet, so to make sure I hear everything on a 5.1 channel recording, I have programmed my receiver for "no center" and "no sub" (that ".1" refers to the subwoofer's channel). When my player is in its dvd-video mode, it can now play either the Dolby Digital or DTS track on a dvd-audio disc, and sends that signal out the digital output to the reciever which then takes the sounds that would have gone to the center and subwoofer speakers and redirects them to my front main speakers. The only drawback is the bass is a little less powerful* and center sounds aren't quite as focused. >>> This works for dvd movies too. So yea, if a salesperson said you HAVE to have a center speaker or a subwoofer, either a. they were full of crap or b. (a very common ocurrance) they didn't even know you could program a surround receiver to do that in the first place.

* if you own old skool floorstanders with 10" or larger woofers this won't be a problem.

[Monsieur Decuts]

i got my copy at...

starbucks?

[hotzappa11]

How the hell do i watch the E-Pro video and hidden Black Tamborine video. Arghhh, anyone help?

[balohna]

I got someone to pick it up for me and she didn't get the deluxe version... I would've and now it's too late (I hate buying things twice). It's still a fucking great album though, I've listened to it like 5 times today alone.

[BigBoulda]

How the hell do i watch the E-Pro video and hidden Black Tamborine video. Arghhh, anyone help?

To watch E-Pro, from the main menu push the right directional button on the DVD remote and it will outline a box in the top right corner of the screen, then press OK.

To watch Black tambourine go to the speaker set up menu and again push the right directional button and again it will highlight a box in the right of the screen. On this video there are two different versions that you can toggle through with the angle button. Pretty cool.

I have found that different songs will skip on the DVD depending on the angle/subtitle combonations, but I have found that every song can be played without skipping by varying the combo of visuals. The only thing that is bothersome is that it is a different visual combonation for different songs that prevents it from skipping. So far there isn't any combonation I have found that will play the whole DVD through without skipping, so just keep varying it until you find one that works. Track 3 was the one I had most problems with, but angle 2 and subtitle 3 works for this one, but then will skip on some of the other ones, so just change it up and they will all work well. still well worth the extra money.

[FunkyHiFi]

I got someone to pick it up for me and she didn't get the deluxe version...
Balohna: you still might want to spring for the deluxe version because that's the only way to get the CD that has the seven bonus tracks (some are remixes and IIRC some are songs deleted from the regular CD).

[jennyb]

Wait a minute? There's a deluxe version? Grrrrr.... I'm an idiot!

I just got the standard issue today. Don't get me wrong, I'm lovin it, but... deluxe? Extra tracks? :mad:

I can't get enough of 'Girl' right now. (y)

[FunkyHiFi]

DVD+CD Deluxe Version (http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?style=music&pid=6840787&cart=239392778)

The seven bonus tracks w/sound samples are listed there also.

This particular dvd--technically called a "dvd-audio" disc--doesn't have the 7 extra tracks but does have the original 13 songs remixed into surround form, and hearing this type of music in that way is NOTHING like stereo and can be really trippy: voices behind your right shoulder, sweeping synth notes, etc (but if you're a music "purist" you might not like this).

[BigBoulda]

DVD+CD Deluxe Version (http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?style=music&pid=6840787&cart=239392778)

The seven bonus tracks w/sound samples are listed there also.

This particular dvd--technically called a "dvd-audio" disc--doesn't have the 7 extra tracks but does have the original 13 songs remixed into surround form, and hearing this type of music in that way is NOTHING like stereo and can be really trippy: voices behind your right shoulder, sweeping synth notes, etc (but if you're a music "purist" you might not like this).

True! I listened to the DVD in 5.1 at my friends house for the first time yesterday and it was amazing. I was hearing things that I haven't ever heard in the 50 or so times I had listened to the album (since this is pretty much the only album I have played since it has come out). A lot more vocals in the background, and vocal effects, especially on Farewell Ride.

[Freebasser]

Can't

Stop

Listening...

[Mr Films]

11 days and counting as the only cd in my car deck.

ok, ok, i took it out yesterday for a bit but only to replace it with Odelay.

I'd make a list of "key tracks", but i can honestly say every song is flawless.

[disco.quebrado]

im really angry
i bought the deluxe edition on ebay and i have sent the money to the customer but it got lost or something
so i have lost 25 € and havent got the cd and at the moment i dont have enought money even not to buy the regular edition
:mad:

[Green Horn]

It keeps getten better and better each album. Beck did a sample of Whatcha Want on E-Pro? And when is Mos Def comming out with an album?

[Mr Films]

Beck did a sample of Whatcha Want on E-Pro? And when is Mos Def comming out with an album?

yes

and

Mos dropped "The New Danger" just six months ago.

[FunkyHiFi]

I was hearing things that I haven't ever heard
Without getting into too much detail concerning this hairy subject (& since I said I would stop the surround posts but this is almost kind of a direct question.....sort of :o ), the surround versions of most stereo albums do let you hear more small details in the music. That's because with stereo (2.0 channel) the mixing guy only has so much "space" to work with in between the two speakers. And with really dense music like Beck's stuff, sometimes to get it all to fit he has to lower the volume of certain instruments/vocals/sound effects so they don't crowd-out the sounds that are most important to that particular piece of music.* Though if you have a pretty decent 2.0 system ($800: spkrs/receiver/player), it should be able to reproduce all of them but you still might have to concentrate to hear them because they have been pushed into the background.

But with surround (5.1 channel), he doesn't just have the space between the two front speakers, now he has all this space to work with between:

the left front/left rear;
the right front/right rear;
the left rear/right rear;
and center speaker (if it's used) & all the other speakers;
AND to a lesser extent, the subwoofer channel/all other speakers, because low bass notes can sometimes really muddle up the other sounds in 2.0 music.

As a result, the music has a lot more space to breathe in, so now its easier to hear all those small details, even if you don't have a pretty decent system. In other words, unlike with the two speakers in a 2.0 system, each speaker in a 5.1 system is responsible for a smaller portion of the total music mix so it isn't as "stressed out" trying to reproduce all those subtle sounds while also pounding out the in-your-face ones.

Of course the other really obvious effect of many 5.1 mixes is that you are sitting in the middle of the music (or band, orchestra, whatever) which is really, really cool to experience.

* this is the reason you don't see 5.1 versions of jazz trios or solo flute music that use immersive surround mixes.

[cosmo105]

i get excited just thinking about being able to listen to it in my car on the way home tonight.

[RiCeBoY102]

I recently bought it and I got to say it's probably one of the better things I've listened to in awhile. I HAVE TO FIND THIS ON VINYL!

[jennyb]

Can't

Stop

Listening...

Me too! Over and over and over and over and over and Over and over and over and over and over and Over and over and over and over and over and Over and over and over and over and over and Over and over and over and over and over and .... damn this is a spectacular piece o work. I will do whatever it is I gotta do to catch his live show this time around.

[disco.quebrado]

i got the deluxe guero yesterday
im sure it wil grow on me because its a beck album
however its a little strange i really liked every beck album after the first hearing guero seems by far not as good as his previous releases
hell yes is fantastic of course

[BGirl]

I really love this album. Nothing I dislike and too many highlights to mention! (y)

I think my favorite song at the moment is Earthquake Weather. That's my groove, currently..

Thanks to some of you folks in this thread for helping me navigate the DVD. It works great in my computer, not so well on our regular DVD player, which may need to be cleaned.

[Freebasser]

Earthquake Weather is indeed awesomness in song form.

I'm driving everyone crazy by going around singing the chorus all day .

[BGirl]

Earthquake Weather is indeed awesomness in song form.

I'm driving everyone crazy by going around singing the chorus all day .

:D (y)

I sing it along with Beck. And I don't sing very well haha

I push, I pull, the days go slow into a void...

[jennyb]

He's gonna be the musical guest on next weeks [4/16] Saturday Night Live! Yay!



"I saw her, yeah I saw her with her black tongue tied
Round the roses
Fist pounding on a vending machine
Toy diamond ring stuck on her finger .."

[DroppinScience]

"Talkin' trash to the garbage around you!" :D (y)

[FunkyHiFi]

Guero on vinyl (http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=15481)

IIRC these play at 45rpm, probably to help them sound better & why there are two discs for only 13 songs (bass especially benefits from doing this).

[jennyb]

Sorry if I'm mentioning something that's been brought up already.

Anyhow, I just put my Guero CD in the computer to get it on my MP3 player and low and behold, E-Pro's composers are none other than BEASTIE BOYS, Beck Hansen, and Dust Brothers.

[sXe Boogaloo]

i just wanna let all those cats who already don't know that
beck will be on this sat's (16th) SNL!
watch it, tape it, dance it!!!!
love ya
bye

[DJ_Skrilla]

was debating wether to pick up a single at the record store for 5.99....

So I gotta go back AND GET THAT SHIT!

I havent even heard all the tracks yet, but I already really like it.

Hell Yes is dope though.

GOod work Beck. (y)
Beasties need take notes and start smoking some of that space dust Beck is on, and return to the PB era...

[FunkyHiFi]

I got the Deluxe Edition two weeks ago and had to keep from listening to it too much so I wouldn't burn out on it. An awesome album.

As far as the critics are concerned (who complained about Guero being a copy of Odelay), who gives a shit. Just like movie critics, music critics probably listen to music so much and so analytically that unless an album is totally different than the previous one, they will almost always bitch about the artist "being in a rut" or "he's running out of ideas". Whatever. :rolleyes: To me anyway, Guero is not a copy of Odelay though it does kind of resemble that album but uh, that might happen because it was done by the same artist--DUH.

Standout songs for me: like "Missing" quite a bit, I guess since it reminds me of some of the downtempo music I listen to; same with "Earthquake Weather". "Hell Yes" is a neat track and its chorus gets stuck in my head very easily. "Rental Car" has a great guitar riff(?) and actually the entire song reminds me of Austin Powers for some reason. And "Scarecrow" has a catchy sound to it: my grandma would say it's a "real toe tapper". :)

The only songs I consistantly skip over is "Farewell Ride"--it's done well but it is just too depressing for me; and the remix track "Fax Machine Anthem".

The dvd's surround mix*: It's pretty good. It is an immersive mix, which means their are instruments and/or vocals all around you almost all the time. Like on "Que Onda Guero": when that guy talks about the puppet at Tang's with the mullet and the popsicle, you hear him say that from one of the rear channels. Or on "Missing", where the string section swells up directly behind you. But I wish the surround mixer hadn't made such a discrete mix, i.e. the individual sounds come from that speaker and this speaker and that speaker over there. I personally like it better when they also spread sounds between the speakers, giving a "bigger" or more airy sound to the music (like this (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=41439) one). It's still fun to listen though.

There is some movement here and there, like on "Missing" where the castanets(?) do their thing in a fast but delicate circle around you. A neat little sonic touch. And on "Girl", when the song ends that drawn-out reverb effect goes past you and finally fades out in the rear channels. The lead vocals always come from up front, which is a good thing since some other titles tried out the lead-vocal-from-everywhere thing and it didn't work out too well.

Videos: Neat! I like this kind of abstract & colorful stuff. And it's so abstract it doesn't really interfere with my own "mental image" of the song. Well actually, the video for "Missing" (angle #1 from your remote) is actual film footage, taken in a large city while driving down a busy boulevard with the camera pointed out the back window.....but the film is run backwards and combined with some subtle CG effects to make things more interesting. The regular videos for "E-Pro" and "Black Tambourine" are good too, especially E-pro (Tambourine's reminded me of the Apple iPod commercials).

Lastly, the packaging for this CD+dvd album is very nice. And the extensive art + lyric booklet that's included is carefully thought out & very artfully done.

Audio nerd thoughts

Overall the sound quality of this album isn't that great** but us audio geeks figured that since it uses so many samples (like Paul's Boutique and Endtroducing) that to use really high quality recording equipment would make the lower-quality samples stand out too much. In fact, in an article about the making of this album one of the engineers said when they heard the recordings of the string section that are used for certain tracks, they had to run the recording through a cheap radio and re-record it to make it sound worse so it would fit in with the rest of the album.

Because of the above, I can't really tell any difference between the Advanced Resolution tracks and the Dolby Digital tracks, which is what people with regular dvd players get to hear. Dolby Digital is what dvd movie soundtracks use, which means music can still sound very good.

Like most dvd-audio discs, you can switch between the stereo and surround tracks by using the audio button on the remote.

This album, including the CD, has some verrrry deep bass on it. People with true subwoofers (i.e. ones with at least an 8" woofer) should have fun with it.

The Advanced Resolution tracks--both the stereo and surround versions--use the 48kHz/24bit PCM format (CD uses 44.1kHz/16bit PCM) which can sound very good but on this album........well, I already talked about that. The Sea Change dvd-audio uses the 88.2kHz/24bit format and the people that own it say it is an awesome demo disc, both because of its high sound quality and its beautiful surround mix.


* this is actually a dvd-audio disc, but we think in an effort to avoid confusing people, the music company just called it a dvd and prints the dvd-audio symbol in nearly microscopic lettering.

** I'm not a true audiophile, which means for me the music comes first, then the sound quality of it. Audio equipment is just a fun hobby for me, and I'm just fascinated by how all those wires, transistors and woofers and tweeters can create music, literally out of thin air. And yes, I do have other hobbies. :)

[Documad]

Yeah, Rental Car is probably my favorite song right now. I think it's the la la las.

P.S. I can't remember a recent album with so much hand clapping. I find hand clapping to be a positive thing. I can't think of a time when it didn't contribute.

[sXe Boogaloo]

check it ya'll!

"Beck will be playing the Gibson (formerly Universal) Ampitheatre July 22nd.

They are holding a PRE-SALE Thursday May 5th at 10am through Friday May 6th 10pm. Tix are $39.50 and $29.50 plus service charges.

http://www.hob.com/go/3pw/386/beck/
Password: ???? (hint - track name of # 3 from his new album "Guero")

Tix for the general public then go onsale Saturday May 7th at 1pm. Tickets will be available at the Amphitheatre box office, all ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at 213-252-TIXS or online at www.hob.com and www.ticketmaster.com

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Also, don't forget to check out Beck on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, this Friday, May 6th on NBC! Check local listings for showtimes.


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Beck and the making of GUERO will also be the subject of a piece on ABC's Nightline, airing Friday May 13th, so tune in!"



catch it!!!!

[cubsfirstplace]

did any of you get the deluxe editon?
i just want to know what the difference between the two of them are

[sXe Boogaloo]

did any of you get the deluxe editon?
i just want to know what the difference between the two of them are
ye, i did. you get x-tra things like videos, photos and songs on it. get it if ya can, cub!

[ms.peachy]

Yeah so, I finally got around to buying this.

Stupid me - what the hell took me so long?!?!?!?

[Documad]

I listened to it a lot the first week and then I started not to love it as much. It wasn't as good as the first few songs released on itunes.

He really needs to set a tour date here.

[K.P.Alias III]

Not that great of a song

[Mr Films]

Not that great of a song

the title track is easily the weakest song on the record.

that and hell yes.

the hell yes remix is soooo much better.

[cosmo105]

i can't stand Hell Yes and was ready for a really bad album when i first heard that single (obviously i was happily proven wrong), but Guero rules. i guess it's a so cal thing.

[Documad]

Tee hee. I like Hell Yes (all versions), and E-Pro and I was way too excited about the Dust Bros being back, so I set my expectations too high. It's still better than most of the CDs I've bought lately. I just need to accept the fact that Beck is probably never going to knock my socks off again. I think it will be a more fun tour that the last though. I NEED SOME DATES THOUGH!!!

In other news, I'm finally kind of liking Sea Change. I forced myself to listen to it a couple of times lately and it's good coffee shop reading music.

[enree erzweglle]

I like Sea Change best of all. It is a melancholy album, but I find that when I listen to it, I can't be doing much of anything else...just listening to it.

[Bootiful B.Girl]

Yep, got to agree. I have been a massive fan of Beck rite from the start! Just wondered if anyone here has heard from a new UK band called 'Hard-Fi'. They released a single called 'Tied Up Too Tight' and they have a new single out at the moment called 'Hard To Beat'. I would be interested in anyone's comments. Needless 2 say, they are fucking shite compare to the Beasties! Would be interested to know if anyone had (a) heard of them; and (b) had an opinion about them! Cheers, fellow Beastie Fans! xxx.

[PaddyBoy]

Great album, I'm loving Broken Drum. (y)

[enree erzweglle]

Great album, I'm loving Broken Drum. (y)
Me too. I still haven't moved beyond Broken Drum deeply into the rest of the album.

I got a friend into Sea Change on the drive to the start of a hiking trip last week. I borrowed his car yesterday and brought Sea Change with me to play on the trip. I ejected the disc that was in his car's player and was surprised to see that what I ejected was Sea Change--he got a copy for himself and that was what was in the player. I love that album best.

[YoungRemy]

just got it...


im loving the strings in track 4

[FunkyHiFi]

I might be a little late with this news, but on Beck's totally new homepage (http://www.beck.com), on the "links" page there is a song called "e-pro vs. scream vs. tnt". I think it's one of those mash-ups & it's pretty good!