Beck - Odelay

If the artists that emerged immediately following Nirvana's breakthrough in the early '90s, none were more adequately labeled than Beck, whose music was easily the best example of "alternativeness." Whether amassing all of his musical facets into a single work (Odelay, Midnite Vultures) or distilling them into so-called "departures" (Mutations, Sea Change), Beck's irreverence has always been unmistakable. 1996's Odelay found Beck collecting the grooves of generations past and reshaping them into a postmodern tapestry, merging countless samples and styles into one cohesive whole. The resolute confidence with which he accomplishes his sonic experiment becomes all the more important when considering the album's cultural implications: Odelay isn't just the product of one artist, it's a defining statement of an entire generation in the throes of finding its own voice.