Assembly Line
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Despite Robert Hilburn’s glowing praise of Beck (or perhaps because of it), it finally occurred to me what has been bugging me about the whole Beck bandwagon: There is not one ounce of true originality in anything he does (“Beck’s Got a Brand New Bag,” Nov. 14).
Each mention of Beck’s music refers to elements copped from past artists: the “scissors-step a la James Brown”; the “part Prince, part Sly Stone”; the “soul-revue shape of the ‘Odelay’ live show.” And his “songs” are meticulously built around digitally sampled instrumental riffs and arrangements lifted from great R&B; and rock artists of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
Pop music has sunk so far into a commercial, “shareware”-mentality morass that we recognize as our greatest artist one who is simply the best assembler of other people’s work. How sad.
KIRK JORDAN
Long Beach
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Oh, no! Beck is doomed! A hagiographic Hilburn cover story is the death knell for a musical career. Does anyone remember Maria McKee? Me neither!
TIM BRADLEY
Altadena
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