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REVIEWS * BECK - Midnite Vultures (Geffen/ 58:20/ LP): There may not be many fresh surprises on Beck Hansen's latest album, an infectiously funky blue-eyed soul trip that's as much a tribute to classic African-American pop as it is another bold attempt to stand apart from the crowd.
But the familiar gets reworked with such a shrewd grasp of form and intriguing diversity of flavours that at times you actually feel like you're hearing something totally new.
The pastiche approach that has been a Beck trademark from the very start, is applied with even more finesse here, as demonstrated by such tracks as Laws and Nicotine & Gravy, which seamlessly incorporate banjo breaks (courtesy of Herb Peterson), honky horns and cheesy synth effects, and the midtempo ballad Beautiful Way that combines a slowed-down funk bassline, evocative pedal steel and bluesy harmonica.
But clever cocktails mean nothing if they don't give you a big buzz, and the ones Beck serves up here are among his most potent, with fizz to spare. Things like Mixed Bizness (that should have been the title of this album) and Pressure Zone are not only contagiously bouncy but actually make programmed parts come alive.
It may take some time to decode some...