After releasing his funky, genre-defying magnum opus Odelay, Beck immediately
started jumping from style to style between albums instead of within albums.
Now, three albums later, he has returned to the laid-back grooves meshed with
indie-rock riffage and hip-hop style that won him critical and commercial success.
From the opening guitar hooks and bombastic drums of first single “E-Pro,” it’s
easy to see that Beck has returned to form, picking up where Odelay left off.

Guero’s two best songs, “Hell Yes” and “Girl,” come
to mind. The former is the most truly urban I’ve ever heard Beck, with
the beatbox rhythms, vocal samples, and flawless flowing rap. The latter brims
with sunshine and optimism, an acoustic pop love song that marks a far cry from
the heartbroken strains of previous album Sea Change. This album does lose its
pace in the second half, which is dominated by slower, more atmospheric and psychedelic
tracks that are still no less interesting. If anything, they merely add to the
stylistic switch-ups that made Odelay such a treat. Beck is always at his best
when he’s all over the place, but with Guero he’s proven that he
got his groove back.