'Guerolito' shows 'little' improvement

In 2005, Beck released "Guero," an enjoyable retread of his Grammy award-winning album "Odelay."

Unfortunately, the new remix album "Guerolito" squeezes "Guero" of every last drop of its musical worth. He recruited artists such as Adrock from the Beastie Boys, Air, Diplo, Dizzee Rascal and Boards of Canada to handle the duties, who as individual artists are respectable but don't fit Beck's musical style.

"Guerolito" is a track-by-track remix album that is as uneven as the album that inspired it. Many of the tracks such as "Wish Coin" show that the artists responsible for reinvigorating the original tracks were ill fitted to handle the material, and thus drain the song's sentiment with their uninspired offerings.

Only nine songs on this 14-track remix album are new and several of the strongest tracks on this album, "Clap Hands," "Ghettochip Malfunction" and "Girl" were already available on the previously released special edition version of "Guero," as well as an iTunes-exclusive EP.

Beastie Boy Adrock should never be allowed to attempt a remix again after his track "Shake Shake Tambourine." He changes Beck's "Black Tambourine" into a booty-shaking, old school jam, taking an already-weak track to a painful new low. Adrock's misguided attempt to turn a slightly up-tempo song into a dance floor jam is simply unbearable.

"Qu?(c) Onda Guero," a sleepy remix by Islands, sounds nearly identical to the original track. The vocals are slowed down with minimal effects added. This lazy attempt at a remix should have been reworked before it was included.

The strongest new track on "Guerolito" is "Heaven Hammer." A leisurely remix of Beck's "Missing" by the masterful French techno group Air, it actually improves on the original by creating a dream-like atmosphere around the words, allowing them to float gracefully. They've taken the previously dry delivery and raised the production levels so that the song now swells with melancholy.

Beck's newest album comes across as a quick cash-in. With "Guerolito," he reduces his status not only as an artist, but also taints his impeccable record of solid releases.