Since the turn of the millennium, sad and dejected Beck swiftly trumps the charming B-Boy Beck. The novelty of his 'raps'which come aplenty on the Nigel Godrich-produced The Information'has steeped itself in hip-hop caricature, and Beck has laid himself flat in trying to resuscitate the Odelay-era quirkiness. He's learned to be happy post-breakup (apparent on the complacent 'Think I'm in Love'). Or is he simply masking his true emotions with one-trick rhymes and pointless DJ cuts? Can we really accept the lifeless first single, 'Nausea,' ...

This is the first single off Beck's 'hip-hop'? album, a supposed return to the glory days of Odelay? Not that it's bad, mind you, the groove is persistent and the samples manic and nonsensical, but couldn't Hollywood's coolest Scientologist have come up with a better hook than 'nausea, nausea?'? Frankly, I'd rather get funky with the Cheez Whiz any day.