It's been awhile since the last good upbeat Beck album. 2005's Guero was just Beck on autopilot, trying to recapture the goofy joy of Odelay with none of the fun. Four years ago, 2002's Sea Change was good, but it's string-drenched break-up songs were far from typical Beck.

Really, the getting-crazy-with-the-Cheeze-wiz, mixing-business-with-leather, loser-slacker Beck hasn't been seen since 1999's Midnite Vultures.

So does Beck's ninth album, The Information, end this streak? Well, yes and no.

On The Information, Beck refines the approach from Guero to try a new angle for his music: It's the first Beck album that has a consistent, (semi) serious tone, but goes for uptempo songs instead of ballads.

While it changes the tone of the last album, it inherits some of the flaws. Part of the problem is that Beck just doesn't seem to be having fun anymore. On the surface, Guero was a return to form: quirky genre-shifting songs, silly samples, nonsense lyrics. But it also seemed forced.

The Information tries to avoid this problem with the serious tone, but it just leads to a variation of the same problem. Beck never really got out of his dry, mopey Sea Change mood, and his vocals have sounded a little drowsier ever since.

This persists on The Information, where the unity is both the album's greatest strength and weakness. The cohesive nature (matched only by previous "serious" Beck album) means there aren't half-hearted genre experimentations. But it also means Beck is able to get stuck in a rut, something unheard of before Guero. The lesser songs are better than Guero's weaker cuts but also mean the album can get a bit samey and drag.

It makes for a frustrating listen. The production is great, and the album has lots of surface pleasures. There are no real duds, but The Information also lacks any standout singles or new Beck classics. Beck is still more innovative and unique than almost anyone out there, but these last two releases haven't had much character beyond "the new Beck record." Not that there aren't highlights. The softer songs fare very well. "Strange Apparition" sports lively, catchy piano, and is a decent single candidate. "New Round" features nice looping vocals and a wordless chorus. And moments like the simple "I think I'm in love, but it makes me kind of nervous to say" chorus from "Think I'm In Love" allow Beck a chance to put some much-needed tenderness into his sleepy voice.

The last five tracks or so of the album are the most interesting, though. Here, Beck achieves the greatest unity with a series of darker electronic tracks. "1000BPM" features Beck rapping over a sparse drum beat. And the last track, the 10-minute "Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton," ends with a conversation about, among other things, making the perfect record and space travel. It's truly strange, which is nice to see after Beck's recent slide into complacency.

As for the weaker tracks, the worst that can be said is they're a bit flat. "Cellphone's Dead" seems to cram too many ideas into one song, even using an out-of-place female vocal reminiscent of "Hell Yes." But aside from a few awkward ideas, it's an enjoyable track that fits the mood.

The key thing about The Information: It's consistent, one thing Guero lacked. And it points in a new direction. It's weird to think of a Beck album as a transition phase, but at least Beck seems to realize that Guero was approaching creative stagnation. The last few tracks are the first time since Sea Change he's really tried something new, which shows he hasn't quite run out of ideas yet. Just think of it as one of his off records and hope he gets more ambitious next time around. Grade: B-