sorry been busy and forgot to follow up. Not a contest of course - but I was certainly very very obsessed with Beck for a very very long time. I remember between Mellow Gold and Odelay that I was super into One Foot In The Grave (still my fav Beck album) and Stereopathetic. Most of my friends didn't know he made much more than "Loser" at the time. I was searching for rare singles and stuff, which at least got easier thanks to the internet haha. When I say that I was really into Beck, I mean taht I bought the She's The One sndtrk just to hear Tom Petty's cover of "Asshole." Y'know?
I totally get why folks love Odelay. And that's great. It's just not totally what I love Beck for. Which is confusing, because what I love him for is that each album is a totally different thing haha. Basically, yes, it sounds like the sequel to Paul's Boutique. I just didn't necessarily want him to be make the sequel to Paul's Boutique. But whatever. I'm talking in circles.
Odelay = a great Beck album + not my favorite Beck album.
Sky Blue Sky is... an interesting Wilco album. Okay, so they hired Nels Cline. So you're probably thinking "OMG time for Wilco to freejazz the F out" right? But no. This mostly a very quiet, very organic sounding album. I dare say 'folky'. I don't think a lot of people liked it? At least I don't think it did great critically. But I don't know. I don't really pay close attention to that stuff. I will say it's a grower. A slowburn. And actually pays off quite a bit if you give it the chance. There's some great great stuff here. "Either Way" opens things off on a solid soft note. "Please Be Patient With Me" is achingly gorgeous, sad, and honest. "Hate It Here" is a standout. No, wait. Actually there's lots of standouts once you've given it a real chance. "Impossible Germany"? "Side With Seeds"? Great great stuff. "Shake It Off" is pretty annoying though.