Sea Change

Moody and atmospheric. Cool, but not really for me.

Very somber album. Some of Beck’s best singing and emotion. Appreciate the effort, but an entire album of ballads is not for me.

Classic album that I’ve played many times and now heard live. Quintessential folksy Beck, one of my all-time favorite artists.

I love beck. this slow and mourning sounding beck is my least favorite, though. This music is beautiful but not quite my cup of tea.

Not for me

Didn’t mind this. Again, not really my vibe, but made for some nice, post-work, mid-painting tunes. 3/5

This album hangs like an Elliot Smith album. Heavy on the soul.

Musically well crafted, the vocals did not engage me on initial listen

mopey sadsack shit. dislike

Not a bad album just not a lot going on to keep you there

achei um pouco interminável mas eh bonito

Gorgeous

An enjoyable listen. Back half started to run together though

so depressing but exactly what I needed Good for him for getting catharsis!

Not my favorite from Beck, was a bit too slow and low-key, I need at least a couple of upbeat songs to keep me in it!

A good album. Very chilled, easy listening but a little dull by the end.

Always love a bit of beck! One of his better albums!!

Bought it on a whim years ago and although I didn’t mind it, I never quite embraced it. Listened to it Sunday morning doing yard work and really felt it more. Solid album. Worth a few relistens.

Nice change of pace. Honestly surprised how much I liked this album.

Superfint. Er noe David sylvian-lignende greier jeg har skikkelig sansen for (round the bend f.eks.). Super blanding av pop, folk og rock i fine balladegreier Sterk 4

Mellow singer / songwriter album for the millenium. Very slow and beautiful album that is reference quality recording. It sounds absolutely gorgeous. The music is just as meticulously crafted. The first half of the album is stunning. Gorgeous songs. The languid pace does cause my attention to wander in the second half of the album but the sheer beauty and craft is always evident. 4.5 stars knocking on the door of 5 stars

This sounds like an homage to the singer-songwriter country music of the mid-70s. Not a fan.

Not really my jam. 'Easy listening' that seems to try and be a rip of the Beatles and Donavan.

Pleasant, chill music. I liked it, but nothing really stood out. I'm not sure I could identify a song that was on the album if I heard it again.

Good lyrics

Oh, the things a broken heart can do... When you build a career based off of one intriguing stylistic change after another, it becomes hard to envision a record full of heel dragging heartache; the kind that spins the wax off records from thirty years previous and it becomes refined for a similarly devastating experience for the artist and the audience that still captivates twenty years onwards. Sea Change is both literal and figurative, for Beck was not only feeling things, he was turning a new leaf and years of changing colors. His career would have been just fine if he kept on doing the zany things he had mastered by then but, by achieving this, he had given himself a new boost. Oh, what a broken heart can do. Favorites: The Golden Age, Paper Tiger, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lonesome Tears, End of the Day, It's All in Your Mind, Sunday Sun, Little One.

The orchestration is straight up yummy, especially in Paper Tiger and Round The Bend. Wonderful, chilled out vibes with more to it than might initially hit the ear. End Of The Day forces me to slow down and match its pace in a way that's really luscious. LOVE when Sunday Sun gets a little bit crunchy, it's so freaking fun. Overall a great listen, I loved it.

Eh it's not bad but not my favorite. It has a nice sound but doesn't really go anywhere like the whole thing is slow sad songs. Not for me.

Great album, really showed the artistic side of Beck.

Quite pleasant. Dreamy folk-rock-pop.

Too slow, too melancholic

Nothing really stood out about it to be honest. Not horrible though I guess. (47%)

I've been sleeping on Beck. this is such a beutiful somber album. one of my favorite parts was when the left ear was an electronic sound and the right ear was and acoustic guitar

Really loved and connected with this one! I had not heard this style from Beck before.

Really fantastic. I’ve been familiar with some of Beck’s work but haven’t sat and listened to an entire album and I really enjoyed this. Felt some similar vibes from other bands I love, felt the sadness, will be listening again.

Very full bodied album. Don’t know what a song was about

Spaced out country and sad, string-laden pop. A beautiful album with fantastic production. The music captures the melancholy fog of heartbreak. But the songwriting is so strong that I don’t mind spending 50 minutes with that tone. And Beck has a gorgeous singing voice. His typical style doesn’t get to showcase it as much.

Great production right from the start. That first acoustic guitar chord rings so well. I also always love when indie acts tie in synths into acoustic instruments. That first intro synth melody sits so nicely on top of the very warm acoustic guitar and the brittle sounding pedal steel guitar. I've never been a huge Beck fan (honestly probably only for lack of trying and I can almost guarantee that I will be a big fan once I spend more time diving into his music) but it's very obvious that there is a mastery to his craft here. Little details have intention- like the flow between songs (the seamlessness of track 1 into track 2 for example), and there is care placed on just about everything you hear. Nothing is phoned in. "Guess I'm Doing Fine" is really great. I instantly added it to my annual playlist (new year new playlist) which I listen to daily. "Lonesome Tears" is also equally great and beautiful. He has a great ear for when to use these impressionistic key-borrowing chords at times to match the emotion of lyrics without ever sounding too modal. It's mastery. This is a really great album. "Round The Bend" ripped out my heart with those strings. Unbelievable beautiful. I will have to listen to it more but right now it's a 4 out 5. I feel like when it was over I wanted a little more movement out of the songs and that there were just a few too many midtempo ones.

Good

Je ne connaissais pas du tout cet album de Beck (je connais assez mal Beck de façon générale), très bonne surprise. J'ai beaucoup aimé la première et la dernière notamment.

J'ai beaucoup écouté les deux premiers albums de Beck mais pas trop celui-là, et c'est dommage, parce qu'il est vachement bien. De la très bonne pop folk mélancolique, les chansons sont assez variées et efficaces

Uh

This was a bit of a revaluation, only new beck from Odelay and this was a complete step change

Tranquilo. Bonito.

Surprisingly pleasant.

No

Nice listen

Where has this album been all my life? It’s perfect. Prod by Nigel Godbitch. What a legend. Need to let this one sink in

Alright, listened to the hits, one I liked.

It really is a downer but I guess that's the point.

A fantastic album but I can’t listen to Beck very easily anymore.

I used to be a bigger Beck fan when I was younger, and Golden Age and Lost Cause were always amongst my favourites. I think this album is a bit too dreary in places, and the last few songs are quite dull. But overall it still holds up!

Dreary album (after a breakup with his long term girlfriend), but it deserves a couple of listens to let or sink in. Wiki: "the album features themes of heartbreak and desolation, solitude, and loneliness. For the album, much of Beck's trademark cryptic and ironic lyrics were replaced by simpler, more sincere lyrical content." "Little One" has a Nirvana feel

I’ve never been a big Beck fan. Maybe on a second listen. But a 2 for now.

très bien me donne envie d'être autour d'un feu !

Un excelente álbum de country, que expande el catálogo de Beck a un sonido menos irónico y más reflexivo, desechando la producción con tintes de trip-hop que venía presentando en sus trabajos anteriores. Una muy buena adición a la lista de los 1001 álbumes que escuchar antes de morir.

Super chill

Very emotional

This is my second Beck album and this one is completely different to the other. This album reminded me of Radiohead - (in rainbows) and Elbow. I’m impressed that Beck can produce such varied albums that are high quality in such a short time period.

Eh. Beck... is Beck.

not to say i am a blind adherent to parasocial relationships but i have not thought fondly of beck since the 2015 grammys. therefore i was somewhat reluctant to listen to this when it popped up. after listening to it i can say that yes, it's not exactly a music genre/vibe i would gravitate towards, but he is definitely talented and it shows. beautiful music and beautiful execution. album highlight: lost cause. rating it a bit lower just because it's not my cup of tea but remember a 2.5/5 is actually a completely neutral rating! 2.5/5

This feels like it should be something I like - I usually enjoy down-tempo sad boy shit. It just didn't grab me.

Eh. Bland, nowhere near as good as some other Beck albums.

I don't know that i'm that into ballads

got bored

Didn’t do a lot for me

Big surprise from "Loser" artist, I really liked the downtempo chill vibes!

Overall I like the sound of it, though it's a somber vibe.

One of the great opening lines of any album ever, and a record that once held a great deal of personal meaning and the first Beck album that ever resonated much beyond a novelty, "oh-that's-sorta-cool" factor (everything else feeling too contrived and overcooked). It even became a best-friend sort of record during a difficult time (for reasons of mood-calming and empathy-feeling). The strings sound better than I recall, but there's little deying just how drowsy this gets toward the back, which keeps it from top ranks. But that “Put your hands on the wheel / And let the golden age begin” – man, is that good and redeems so much. "Guess I"m Doing Fine" and "Lost Cause" and "Sunday Sun" are next best. Much else is forgettable for being just too sleepy. The release date of Jan 1 also seems salient. " 3.6 > 4 (rounding up for nostalgic and emotional reasons and because one hopes Beck is feeling better about the breakup).

Fun album, chill.

This is a perfect choice for this list. While albums like Guero, Modern Guilt and Mellow Gold might be more obvious choices, Sea Change is a snapshot of Beck at a pivotal moment in his career. A departure from a celebrated artist's then-signature production style that proves he's no one-trick pony. Post-breakup Beck strips it all back to plumb the depths of melancholia and psychedelia and yet nothing here feels plodding or tired. String arrangements on Paper Tiger are incredible, which makes sense given that's what his dad did for a living. B side of the record introduces elements more atmospheric like Sigur Ros, harmonic like the Beach Boys, and grungy like Nirvana alternatively. I thought I would enjoy this but I didn't anticipate it holding up THIS well.

At times felt a little boring, but ultimately I liked this. Beck’s lyrics were actually relatable. Lost Cause was by far the fave.

I think this is simply OK. I find it overly produced and congested. It is as if Beck wanted to make a Nick Drake record (who wouldn't) and lost his way. Where Nick Drake nailed melancholy, Beck comes off as mannered.

Never heard this album except for one song. Not what I'm used to hearing from Beck, but he is a musical chameleon. I like it but would prefer more upbeat acoustic songs.

Mopey but not bad. This album reminded me a lot of the nick drake album we last heard and is different from other Beck I’ve heard.

Lovely

His worst folk album imo, but I'm a massive one foot in the grave fan

Very chill

such a refreshing shift in his discography. breakups usually bring out the best in artists. the production paired with the songwriting feels like getting a blow job and then falling asleep for a good long while. however since i don’t have that kind of time i will say this album is too long. i would cut End Of The Day and It’s All In Your Mind.

Sad beck make long ass album

Lots of nice tracks, nothing particularly memorable but a solid album. Light 3.5

Found this to be an incredibly tender record, gorgeously produced. Really touching stuff that I didn't necessarily expect with what I knew from Beck. The trio of Lonesome Tears, Lost Cause and End of the Day as the records centrepiece is something special. Fave track: Lost Cause

Honestly, solid songwriting and really good production. Don't really have too many specific complaints overall, but didn't strike me down like a bolt of lightning. Will maybe return to it another time and see if it sticks a bit better. Three and a half. Fave track: End Of The Day

Sad. Bleak, Somber. But still very nice to listen to. Standouts: Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause 4/5

I prefer his more eclectic albums, but this stripped back focus on songwriting Beck is not too bad either.

I love Beck. He’s the coolest man alive. He actually saved my one and only time at Glastonbury by being the first decent act I saw across the weekend (second last on on the last night…), so I’ll always be grateful to him for making an otherwise drab festival be worthwhile. That said, this isn’t my favourite thing he’s ever done. Beck for me is at his best when he’s fusing hip hop with lofi rock. It’s a good record for what it is, but aint in quintessential Beck for me. Out of everything he has done I was surprised this was chosen for the list.

Only heard loser by Beck before, though I knew he had a much wider range of songs/albums than that. This was really good, there were some great songs here. I think he has a country music voice and applying to it to acoustic singer-songwritery stuff makes it much more interesting. Only complaint would be it's all pretty much one gear, so listening in one sitting started to get repetitive. I'll probably cherry pick some tracks from this but not listen to the album again.

The album was wonderfully dreary and miserable, and put me on a downer. There are a few nice highlights (The Golden Age). I think it was too long, nearly all the songs outstay their welcome and cross over into irritating. I do think he's very good, I just think someone needed to step in and tell him to stop being so smug about his melancholy, and to tighten up the album.

Had not really listened to Beck before but I was not into an hour of misery and sadness. Perhaps if it caught me on a better day I'd have enjoyed it more. I don't think the album sounding so repetitive helps it either.

Not sure I've ever really listened to Beck before. This was ok, none of it did too much for me and passed me by a bit. Seems like Beck was having a bad time when he wrote this. Poor lad Actually gave it a second listen and enjoyed it more. Very chilled but melancholic. Highlights were: The golden age Lost cause Already dead 3.5

Vocals are good, instrumentals are moody, and I appreciate most of the album overall. Unfortunately, it's an absolute slog to get through. Nothing particularly interesting or gripping to any one song. Too many times while listening did bury my face in my hands, deeply sighing, wishing I was listening to something else.

A bit dull.

This is fine. It's pretty, gentle, and melancholic, but it's a bit too passive and fades into the background too easily. I think it would require a really dedicated listen to properly appreciate it, and I don't think that it's good enough to warrant that. It'll grow on me over time, but for now it's a pleasant background listen and not a lot more. 3/5, just.

This was pretty good, if somewhat unremarkable.

Strong album with a Standout in Paper Tiger

I enjoyed this one. This album is so damn laid back & chill, It legit made my morning a lot better. Immaculate vibes all around.

Boring crud with a coupled good moments

Incredibly samey. Incredibly boring. At a push you could say you could listen to a couple of tracks from the album, but there again, they would be instantly forgettable.

Quite mellow enjoyed this

I enjoyed this, started off better than it finished, but has a lot of the more melodic/easy listening Beck which I like.

Very pleasant

Buck

oh hello there stranger! even more beautiful than I remembered. Worth listening to in full! I love it so much, I may need to buy it on vinyl so I can hear it all the time

Sad. Orchestral. Layered. This album beautifully executes layered arrangements of strings with minimal guitar riffs to create a unique atmosphere. The record sits in a strange space that moves you through waves of depression and grief. While difficult to listen in regard to Beck's depressive lyrics, each song has its own purpose and feel. When listening, you could easily close your eyes and feel like you're immersed in a vast ocean landscape moving over and under the waves. Favorite Songs: Paper Tiger, Lonesome Tears, Lost Cause, It's All In Your Mind, Sunday Sun

Nearly flawless, no skips

Well, it's not my sound, and I had a hard time trying to focus on the music, while listening to "Sea Change". My favourite part - when I just gave up half way and turned it off, it was like my will to live came back, very euphoric experience. Maybe that's why I will give a good 2 stars for this album, instead of a more deserving 1.

Good background music. Can't fault the songwriting or the performance but it's not really for me

Enjoyed this album as it was different then expected. Sappy songs. 4/5

kinda cool i would aay

I'm excited for this one. I actually kinda like his newer stuff better. Same with The Eels. This is so much different than Loser. It's slow and heart felt. I don't know I'll say 3 on this one.

Enjoyed but not that much

this is objectively a very good album. i can see how it has inspired other artists and why it means so much to a lot of people i know. it is sleepy and very sad, although i will admit that when i'm in a sleepy and sad mood i am more likely to put on jeff buckley first. that being said, there is still a mood that i can be in to listen to this, which can't be said for most of the other albums i've listened to so far. favourite: guess i'm doing fine. least favourite: round the bend. really struggling on whether to give this 3.5 or 4 as i really recognise the musical value but i am not sure how much i will remember the individual songs. i'll say 3.75 although giving this anything less than a 4 does feel like a crime.

I'm shocked

I never thought that I liked Beck’s music much except “Loser”, but this album changed my mind and I’ll be listening to the rest of his albums.

Album 96 of 1001 Beck - Sea Change Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Guess I'm Doing Fine Sad, Melancholy Beck. What a low energy album. Didn't do it for me. If I want something like this, I can call on Leonard Cohen, who was doing it decades earlier. Not terrible, but nothing that truly grabbed my interest.

Love this album!

Better than expected. I don’t know Beck very well, as I mostly hear his more popular songs through the radio. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed how certain songs had a nice acoustic feel and sound, yet he maintained his alternative style through certain songs like “Sunday Sun”.

I only know Beck from his hit single Loser, so I had different expectations that what this album was. Sea Change Can best be described as alternative folk and alternative chamber music. Sometimes the two styles crossover but more often it’s one or the other. But frankly, I think it’s pretty good. The lyrics are very heartfelt with themes of despair and a broken relationship, themes more emotional than Loser, which discusses themes of being a loser in a comedic way. The highlights are Golden Age (a good example of Beck’s songwriting with an interesting alternative folk sound that totally caught me by surprise and good lyrics) and Lonesome Tears (a nice chamber ballad with pop and alternative influences that give it a grand feel to it amidst themes of a broken relationship). This album was really good, truly took me by surprise. I really wasn’t expecting me to give this rating but I’d say this album warrants a 9/10.

I had heard about this album, but did not take a chance to actually listen to it until today. This is sad Beck and it's very good. It's a lot of sadness, so it gets a bit sound-same at the end, but overall just a really good album and a nice dichotomy from his usual quirky work. I am going to investigate more Beck, as I have usually just dismissed him as a quirky guy who doesn't have much depth.

Was ok. Not for me though. A little TOO chill.

It's got moments sounding Nick Drake like, moments of sound quite cool early 00s indie, but as a package its really tedious. Someone needed to make a few cuts in the editing suite.

excellent album similar to cocteau twins heaven or las vegas it was very relaxing and i found myself liking every song i put them all on playlists that i love it had a very consistent theme throughout which could have been boring had you not liked the theme but fortunately it didnt take away from the album for me

My favorite breakup album

It was a nice discovery, but difficult to pinpoint what I like. Not something to listen to daily though

Not the feel-good album of the year, but a great album anyway. For those of you old enough to remember, this album came out in 2002, about a year after the Saudis orchestrated 9/11 and we were all still pretty shell-shocked from that shit. So this big-ass bummer of an album was kind of exactly the thing we needed. Also, the bass line on Paper Tiger is pure perfection.

Interesting to start an album with a slow song. Didn't even know the second song had started because it sounded like the first..... as did the 3rd song.... and the 4th...... and the 5th..... BORED !!!!

This is my second Beck album in this generator (the first being his album Odelay, which was released 6 years prior to this one). This album has a much more intimate feel to it, with it being mostly acoustic with the addition of some keys and strings here and there. The reason this one is so stripped down is because Beck had recently broken up with his long time girlfriend, and this was his way of healing from that heartache. The pain and suffering of heartbreak, and depression can be heard all through this album, and made this record really surprising to me (I was expecting the hip hop/alternative rock stylings that I heard in Odelay). The one similarity was Beck's ability to take largely nonsensical lyrics and make them paint a beautiful tapestry for the listener. Overall, another excellent Beck record. This is another side of him that I didn't know about, but I'm glad I discovered. Favourite songs: The Golden Age, Sunday Sun, Lost Cause, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Already Dead Least favourite songs: Round the Bend 4/5

Quite interesting record: the songs on it are very nice and the overall project is definetely enjoyable. Just a good album like many others, after all.

BL: Beck is an artist my dad really likes but I’ve never personally had too much of a chance to get into him because I’ve never given him a go. Hopefully this’ll be a good jumping off point. AL: I thought this album was pretty solid. The opener is an absolute banger, however everything else it did feel it plateau’d around the ok to pretty good mark, no other super exceptional tracks I thought. Though nothing felt wasted and the album did not feel bloated in any capacity. FT: “the golden age” 3/5

Personally loved this, my favorite Beck album until this date.

Beck is hit or miss for me. Not a fan of this album. I liked his album Modern Guilt and some of the older stuff…but my biggest thing is the vocals. A bit too monotone for me.

His Nick Drake album

Wantlist

Some sad Sgt. Pepper energy. liked it a lot more than the first Beck album I got on here.

Sad, gorgeous. Contains one of my favourite Beck songs of all time - Lost Cause.

Sea Change by Beck is a deeply introspective and emotionally resonant album that showcases his versatility as an artist. Released in 2002, it marked a departure from his eclectic sound, embracing a more stripped-down and melancholic approach. The album's delicate melodies and poignant lyrics, such as in "Lost Cause" and "The Golden Age," evoke a sense of longing and heartbreak. Beck's vulnerability and introspection shine through, creating a captivating and intimate listening experience. While the album may not appeal to fans of his more upbeat and experimental work, Sea Change stands as a testament to his songwriting prowess and ability to craft deeply affecting music.

Elle te méritait pas beckounet..

le boug est tristounet

Lovely, dreamy sounding album, probably my favourite by Beck.

Notwithstanding *Rolling Stones*'s raving review at the time, this here is NOT Beck's best album. Which does not mean that *Sea Change* does not have its share of brilliant moments. "Paper Tiger" winks at Serge Gainsbourg and the string section in his groovy and bass-heavy *Histoire de Melody Nelson*--too bad the song itself is less memorable than its lush production values ; "The Golden Age" and "Guess I'm Doing Fine" are cool country-tinged, steel-guitar-enhanced numbers, but musically speaking, they're almost the same tune (apart from a few different chords here and there)--which is a little annoying given that they almost follow one another at the start of this LP ; "Lonesome Tears" and "Sunday Sun" can boast harboring the most intense choruses in the album, thanks to their angsty minor harmonies (performed on strings for the first and on a piano for the second)--I wish more cuts displayed harmonies like that in the LP ; "Lost Cause" is a very simple break-up song. *Simple* being an asset and not a flaw here--even if it seems there is something lacking at the end of this one ; "It's All In Your Mind" sees Mr. Hansen successfully revisit an emotional outtake from his earlier grassroots LP *One Foot In The Grave* ; "Round The Bend", another cut with a pivotal string section, sounds so much like a Nick Drake song circa *Five Leaves Left* (à la "River Man" or "Way To Blue") that it is even a little embarassing to listen to, as nice as the track is ; as for the faraway acoustic guitars of "Already Dead", they bring an interesting mood to the table--nice but not "essential". The thing is, this record is also a very "glossy" affair, probably thanks to the spacy, reverb-drenched production of Nigel Godrich, of *OK Computer* and *Kid A* fame. I'm pretty sure that for a lot of initial Beck fans, the association between the two men is a pretty good match, but to me, it's not necessarily one made in heaven. See "Little One", a great song in itself, but way too clean-sounding here, stifling its potentially " biting" ingredients. To most fans out there, Beck will always be more endearing through his earlier lo-fi, "patchy-on-purpose", surreal and sarcastic masterpieces *Mellow Gold* and *Odelay* anyway. The "classic", seventies-sounding, *Harvest*-like feel he aims at for this record doesn't exactly fit the postmodernist troubadour that he is at heart (see "End Of the Day", for instance--probably the most boring song in this collection, and the lowest point of the album). And even in that "introspective" mood such as the one displayed in *Sea Change*, Beck Hansen has proven that he can craft tunes that are far more effective overall. Listen to the the DIY, Calvin Johnson-recorded *One Foot In The Grave*, or even *Mutations* (marking Beck and Godrich's first collaboration, incidentally). As intimate and low-key as those earlier records were, they were not "one-note" at all: they had their share of little suprises and welcomed 180-degree turns, which kept them lively for most of their runtime. In comparison, *Sea Change* is very much a one-note affair. And this sort of one-note mode is NOT the one in which Beck shines the best, even though I admit that *some* of the songs in this album have grown on me, finally. So I'll leave the door open for this LP in my own list, and will probably revisit it again. But I doubt there will be any room left for it by the time I finish my list. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential" records, translating to a 8/10 mark for more "general" purposes (5 + 3). Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 542 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 221 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 107 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 132

​If someone were to ask if I like Beck, I would say yes but I realize I've listened to less than half of his albums by this point - this was a first listen to this one, which I now is beloved by many. I feel like this might be a great listen while driving alone in the dark. It's very well crafted and well produced but didn't really do a whole heck of a lot for me. At least at this time - I wouldn't hesitate to give it another go or two as well.

Couldn't finish, too sad

Very good album, I really enjoyed the songs!

Nearly perfect album, every song is amazing and inflicts great emotion, but I must qualify it by saying that it’s not very memorable. I would want to rate it a 4.5, but a 4 makes more sense than a 5. Initial reaction was great, it just didn’t really stick in my head for too long.

It was okay. I'm not a fan of Beck the person, but Beck the musician was good.

'twas really good

Enjoyed ethereal ballad Beck more than some of the earlier stuff. Paper Tiger was great.

Not as zany as expected...more just quiet and whiny.

fad

I think that I was intrigued at first because his voice was mellow and soft but I also think that it went on too long and I got real bored real fast and sick of him in general. If the album was much shorter I would have been able to appreciate the singing and music more but it was making me angry how long it went on.

Laconic. Odd. Or rather, not close to what I'd expected. I like a fair amount (most?) of this music when it doesn't sound like a (more) boring Wilco. One of my problems is that Beck's slacker vocals become tiring after a while. Real tiring. Sounding too much like Cobain (not a compliment). I don't know how to feel here - e.g. "Lonesome Tears" has a Radiohead+Elbow+Travis feel to it - all bands that I like, but I'm not fully connecting here. A few years prior to this one he put out "Midnight Vultures" which was a game-changer for me; I loved the modern/electronic/sampling touches he put on those tracks which were a lot more aggressive and upbeat than this platter. Don't want to suggest that he should have put out more of the same but jeez man - listening to this makes me understand how my wife feels when I play too much Radiohead. TL;DR: Too much of the same drudging pace; any one of these tracks would have been great on a better album. Slightly disappointing. 4/10 2 stars.

Not bad at all, but I like most of his other albums better. Favorite song: Paper Tiger

Listen to it often

Really enjoyable. Listened to it while working but would like to give it another listen with more intention. 4/5.

I never really got into beck, but this was the album I listened to most because a cute girl liked it. Listening back, it's quite the mope. I still dig lost cause though.

This album meanders (takes its time?), but in a way I enjoyed most of the time. The melodies/progressions were actually pretty uniformly pleasant. Nothing immediately jumped out as a banger, but this doesn't seem to be the album for that anyway. It's pretty long at ~52 minutes, but the strings are nice and give me Pink Moon vibes. My only prior experience with Beck was Odelay, and this is super different, stylistically. Overall, I liked it a lot. Standouts: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lonesome Tears, It's All In Your Mind, Already Dead, Sunday Sun

The album is a bit slow for my taste but still listenable.

Nice but without energy

Feels sad and forgettable

Monotonous every track pretty much the same.

I immediately recognize this album cover, but had never really listened. Was just a bit early from when when I hit my big Indie pocket. A soaring album of dramatic swells and emotions. Really keyed in on the lonesome aspect of heartbreak, highlighted by the use of space and small effects suspended in them.

Impresionante el esmero puesto en que cada paso de un acorde al otro sea sumamente triste, desolador. Me transportó a un dolor conocido y confortable. Con sus aromas a Elliott Smith, golazo de Beck.

no. not my kind of downer album

Angst! Pity! Melancholy!

Decent album. Not his best but worth another listen

unremarkable

This album is not a Lost cause

20th April 2023 Listened while working from home, did bits on the house and watched race across the world in the evening. Beck retreats and introverts on this solemn but poetic offering.

Way too long. Way too sad. Not my jam.

Great

Mopey folk Beck is fine if you are into that sort of thing. For my money the real entertainment is DJ Funkypants Beck. 2 stars.

I remember a few of these songs, and I still like them. I hadn't heard the full album before and I'm glad this project gave me a good reason to listen to it. I think he's a very strong writer and performer, and I like the way he puts his songs together. Good stuff.

The opening track Golden Age I knew from before and love. So I had high hopes going into this. But the rest of the album is just a well produced bore.

Beautiful lonely morning listen.

Baby you're a lost cause

Blander then I would have expected, not really anything particularly memorable. Perhaps one that would benefit from repeated listen listening.

Quelques chansons jolies, mais absolument rien de notable, même après plusieurs écoutes. Sans doute que je passe à côté de Beck, depuis toujours, et ce n'est pas encore aujourd'hui que je vais changer d'avis.

Beck trying to do mellow folk funk.

Used to be on my heavy rotation. Solid all the way through, and a legit concept album.

Love

Musta on jännä, miten muuntautumiskykyinen Beck on, ja miten taitava tyyliin kaikessa, mitä se tekee. Itse tykkään tästä levystä tosi paljon, mutta ymmärrän kyllä, miksi sitä aikanaan dissattiin. ****

Tykkäsin! Herkkä mutta monipuolinen. Olen kuunnellut vähän, mutta selkeesti liian vähän.

Ihan kivaa masistelua. Beck on vähän kaksijakoinen artisti omassa mielessä. Hipoo liiallista dramaattisuutta, mutta jotenkin pysyy kuitenkin aina kuivilla ja biisit toimii. 3,5/5.

Vähän laiskaa poppista, en erityisesti välittänyt.

Much like Bowie and Cohen, I really want to love Beck. While I do like it more than them, it's not in a genre I love, too subdued a lot of the time.

I didn't really like Beck when he was trying to be weird. But starting with this album, he moved into a more mature style with lush layers and more cohesive sounds and messaging. This record sounds like it was recorded during a series of sunrises and I really like it.

A bit too country/folk

3/5. This one may increase over time but I’m sticking with 3 because it was good, the songs were catchy, some beautiful, but it didn’t keep me super interested. Many of them flowed into one another and I was done with the album when I thought I was only halfway. That’s not a good sign.

It brings me a heavy heart to give this such a low rating. I loved Odelay when I heard it a few months ago, so I expected to quite like this one, but this album was nothing to me. Everything sounded the same. It was a low energy album, which I did like the tone of generally, but nothing made an impression on me. I get why the album is sad, but I just don't find it interesting to listen to. I guess my favourite song was Paper Tiger.

Me gustó bastante, las guitarras, el sonido "triste" y súper calmo

A lot more chill and melancholic sounding songs than what I would have expected from Beck. An alright album but lacked a bit of energy

It's fine but I prefer my Beck to be the happy Beck with samples and weird instrumentation. I guess I've also just never been a huge fan of the woe is me breakup album genre.

Some good stuff but not really keen on his style

A home run tbh

Best Song: Paper Tiger. The one song that doesn't sound like it's on life support. Worst Song: Side of the Road. So sleepy it doesn't even sound like he wants to be singing it. Overall: Music to overdose to.

I prefer Beck's more upbeat stuff. This was a solid record though and showed he could do just about any style of music. As an artist Beck is fantastic.

I used to listen to Odelay in the car with my parents but never listened to anything else. between 3.5-4

Very pleasant. Don’t need to listen again.

I hadn’t listened to any Beck outside of E-Pro. 3.7

Sleepy little thing, this one is. It needs that scene from any hospital movie. You know...the scene where the doctor rubs the paddles, yells "Clear!", and jolts the body back to life? And it either works, or we call time of death. This album deserves to live. "Clear!"

Het klinkt allemaal mooi, technisch ook dik in orde. Fraaie strijkers, een heldere acoustische gitaar, lekker ruimtelijk, zang is op orde. Een beetje Bowie-achtig, maar dan wél fijn om naar te luisteren. Het duurt allemaal wel een beetje lang moet ik zeggen. 52 minuten is voor mij iets teveel, ondanks dat het goede nummers zijn dus. Album kruipt voorbij. En dan krijgt ie bij Sunday Sun nog een beroerte ook. Meer geschikt als soundtrack van een sombere ruimte-film dan als album om even lekker naar te luisteren tijdens het werk. Twijfel toch tussen 3 en 4 sterren, omdat ik het wel echt kwalitatief goed vind.

Not my favorite. I liked the lyrics and appreciate Beck being a chameleon. This also sounds like a very personal album for him. There were about 3 songs I enjoyed, and the rest were just a little too melancholy and slow for me. I was actively waiting for some songs to be over, 2/5

Sad album but still pretty good. Not Beck's best.

Mellow and somewhat depressing, but still esasy listening

3 again?

Not my favorite Beck. It's quite a change from his other stuff. Not that it's bad, it's just not what I really like about his music.

I'm a fan of this album. It's definitely a sad bastard type record, so I have to be in the right mood for it but the songwriting is really strong. I've listened to this one off and on since it first came out and it definitely reminds me of a specific time in my life. Beautiful songs, trying to decide between a 4 and 5 because there are definitely Beck albums I'd go to more often and first (Odelay, One Foot in the Grave and parts of Mellow Gold) but this is still such a strong record. Standout Tracks: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, End of the Day, It's All In Your Mind, Already Dead, Sunday Sun

A bit of a portent for what's was to come in terms of style from Beck. I like it's down-tempo melodies. Good to listen to.

Beck's musicianship is just outstanding. And all of the musicians that he surrounded himself with for this album are outstanding. And the songwriting is outstanding. It's just really not my jam. Someone give Beck a cup of coffee and a hug already. He really seems like he needs it. "Sea Change" is so damn melancholic. Like... REALLY a downer. Unenjoyably so. Listening to this album feels like sitting next to someone crying on the subway. You don't know them and can't help them so you and everyone else in the car are left to just awkwardly and uncomfortably witness someone else's public grief. It's rare that I listen to an album and think, "dang, that's really good and I REALLY don't like it" but "Sea Change" is one such album. It for sure isn't my vibe but the quality of songwriting and performance just can't be denied.

Kinda lame

An album I feel like I should be familiar with but I'm just not. I really enjoy it alot from a vibes perspective.

There are some pretty moments but overall it's just so droning I can't take it

Interesting

An album I like but don’t love. Connected more to Becks next two albums

Relaxing. Nice to listen to and chill.

Fell asleep.

Very chill, could almost forget it was playing

decently nice to listen to i like it 3.5/5

It’s nice smooth and emotional which are all amazing but with that comes a bit of samieness which makes an already long album drag. 3/5

A bit soppy, slow, cute, indie, emosh. A touch over quirky for me. Reminds me of a great doc about this dude who can't get erections.

The Golden Age - first listen: 1.6/3 Paper Tiger - fl: 1.7/3 Guess I'm Doing Fine - fl: 1.5/3 Lonesome Tears - fl: 1.8/3 Lost Cause - fl: 1.7/3 End of The Day - fl: 1.5/3 It's All In Your Mind - fl: 1.6/3 Round The Bend - fl: 1.5/3 Already Dead - fl: 1.8/3 Sunday Sun - fl: 1.7/3 Little One - fl: 1.6/3 Side of the Road - fl: 1.4/3 Final Verdict: Beautiful Album. Good intro but wonky end (instrumentally).

It was nice. I feel like if I re-listen to it I’ll like it more, but this time nothing really stuck out to me.

Very nice

This was the "breakup album" of my college years. It was the first time hearing Beck in a serious tone. "Lost Cause" and "It's all in Your Mind" really hit you in the feels.

I really enjoyed this!!!

Beck mellows gracefully with some lovely little songs. Sometimes a little samey, especially when you compare it to his eclectic previous catalogue, but it's just very pretty

Beck is 100% my soft spot. This album is just one more masterpiece from him.

Need to give this one a second listen. It’s sitting at around the 3 star mark but it piqued my interest

Bored me senseless. I completely forgot I had music on in parts

Not so good

Absolutely not my cup of tea.

The good album.

- First time listening to a Beck album in full - Thought I would enjoy it more based on other Beck songs I've heard - Found it all a bit dull, maybe it would grow on me if I listened again but I probably won't

Quite boring

Beck is super cool. This isn't my favorite album of his, but it's still great. I also think it's easier to appreciate Beck by listening to all of his stuff (or at least a sampling of all of his albums) at the same time. The man has range, but each album is different. So, when you listen to just one, it's easy to just think he's "okay" - but you'd be wrong.

Who took a shit in this man's coffee? 💩

eh I thought I liked beck but this was not for me

Nice, chill, moody. Loved finding Paper Tiger earlier this week, and very much a companion piece to Morning Phase, which I loved already

Actually decent

Could've been the most beautiful sounding folk rock album I've ever heard if it wasn't so overdone and overlong. I get why others would love it, but it got boring after the first few (amazing) tracks.

Great instrumental work blended with electronic components, melancholy and yearning is present in instrumentation long deep strums, minor chords, and dragging low pitch/energy voice. Touches of psychodelic influences to boost memory imagery

Radiohead folk

Grew on me as album progressed. Very much an album.

Super chill, ambient indie rock/country/folk Some songs have a super spacey sound Reminds me at times of Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

- indie rock nick drake - ok but not insanely unique 3/5

Beck does his usual schtick, to a fairly consist affect here. His lower tones sound good but he isn’t really doing anything out of this world here. Easy consistent indie pop…put out by a master of this sort of thing.

Ahhhh, one of the albums that saved my life. I'm not saying that listening to this album is therapy, but listening to this album feels like what I perceive good therapy would feel like. You even get to break shit with Sunday Sun. Except for Lonesome Tears and Side Of The Road, every other song is fully engaging. For me this is as close as Beck has gotten to perfect. However, Guero is my favorite cause it's just more fun.

Bit repetitive

This album was basically regularly played at home - I remember when it came out it revealed Beck to have a little more depth (even though his genius was still undeniable). Now with time, it doesn't have that same impact - the songs are long, and I suspect I am warm to them because I know them, but if I had to hear it for the first time again, beyond the novelty of an acoustic space-y Beck album - I don't think I'd find much more. Just a note, unusually the second half of this record is better than the first, at least that's what it felt like. I still have fond memories of the record so I cannot help but rate it slightly higher

A perfect album, the last truly high height from Beck’s discography. Good stuff is still to follow, but this one is stunning.

Amazing album -- great production, songwriting, and orchestration...

3.9

I can appreciate why Beck is featured on the list, but despite loving so many things Beck-adjacent, I am just not a Beck fan. First it was the pretentious irony which turned me off, then it was just his voice. Sorry, just not for me. That said, I like the *idea* of this sweeping, thoughtfully composed album, even if I don't like listening to it. I get why it's here. But also, it's insanely long, especially for a non-Beck fan. So here we are. I can't give it a strong positive rating, but I realize it was deserving of acclaim and that this is MY PROBLEM. So, 3/5.

Definitely different than the music I associate with Beck. This is mostly straightforward guitar music about heartbreak for adults. Who hurt you, Beck?

Eentonige stem, daar ga ik niet zo lekker op.

Beck does Nick Drake. Nice enough and 'Lost Cause' is a super pretty song but not a hugely remarkable album.

The best Beck album. Period.

very good - quirky. Want to listen some more, might go up to a 4.5 on additional listens.

fake radiohead 2.75

It's a very good album. Paper Tiger is a perfect pastiche of Melody Nelson era Serge Gainsbourg, and a later track is like a lost Nick Drake song. A lot of the rest is pleasant Americana. I'm a lot more enamoured of the surrealist Prince of Midnite Vultures, or the punk-folk-hop of Odelay, but this was enjoyable.

Hmmm. A bit to weird for me

All the songs sounded like the could've been featured on an early 2000's TV drama series.

His broken heart has allowed Beck to reach top form here and create a real masterpiece.

The kind of introspective mope-rock much more effectively peddled by the likes of Red House Painters. For me, I just don’t buy Beck assuming this new moniker of contemplative, depressed sad boy. The sombre tone of the album can’t really be criticised, but the lack of structural variation in these songs definitely emphasises its lumbering length. The production is mellow and downbeat, and it works well for the most part. But I think that the rather reserved contemporary criticism this album received upon its release is far more reflective of its overall strengths and weaknesses than the hysterical praise this album receives today. It’s very much middle-of-the-road, though it does threaten to be a half decent record.

good

A melancholic day dream.

this was SOOOOO good. love the cover art and instrumentals and definitely want to listen to it again. the whole album is a work of art

This was quite the change for Beck, and while I admire the drive to do something different, this album didn't quite land for me. There are some worthwhile tracks on here, for sure - 'The Golden Age', 'Guess I'm Doing Fine', 'Round the Bend', to name a few - but overall, I wasn't captivated in the same way that I was with Beck's older other work, particularly 'Odelay'.

Wanted to like this. Some parts are Nick Drake Pink Moon, which I love. But there was nothing stand out.

52 minutes of melancholic acoustic ballads with natural melodies and subtle orchestral arrangements. It's a very nice record, but a little lacking in humour and lyrics depth beyond 'I am sad and fed up'. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Guess I'm Doing Fine Date listened: 30/12/22

Yeah no

Interesting album. Nice sound design. Great for a specific mood, otherwise the album just felt sleepy to me. Very unique sounding though!

Holy shit this was bad. Several songs were skipped. None were good.

Thank you Beck. Sorry about your breakup with your longtime girlfriend, but this is a wonderful, and sometimes sad, album.

Listened to this one a lot when it was released. Still holds up. It’s weird, interesting and sad music. This and Mutations are my favorite Beck albums.

magic. thats it.

One of the best unintentional slow chill albums I’ve heard. Really enjoyed a few of the cuts. It’s raw and heartfelt.

I listened to this album a lot when it came out, it was tough not too, as it was when Beck was at his height of changing genres and sounds from album to album, and this beautiful record showed a matured and more personal side of him--and he also toured on it forever. It's been a bit since I've heard it, but it fit perfectly in on this cold Friday morning. Excellent as always.

Big departure from some his previous stuff and I didn't like it on first listen but I feel it love with it and over the last 15 years easily the Beck album I listen to the most. Is it 5 stars? 4.5 I'd say since there a few songs that are ehh, I always skip Round the Bend.

I never listened to this record before and I’m glad for this 1001 Albums effort to have introduced it to me. This was not the Beck I was expecting and showed a completely different view of his songwriting talent. Really a quite beautiful record that I’ll be sure to revisit.

I didn't listen to a lot of Beck post Odelay. This is fine but it just reminds me of when he made better stuff.

This is the Beck album I've listened to the most after Odeley. It's full on singer/songwriter Beck and I really enjoy it. Side note - I think this is the only album I ever had on SACD. I couldn't tell the difference.

I liked this. I was a big fan of Midnite Vultures, but didn't find the stylistic change jarring. Back when Odelay came out, there was a lot of talk about Beck being the big thing that was going to take us to the next stage. I didn't see it then and I don't see it now, but I still like some of what he does. This was a more vulnerable record. It feels more organic, and more real than his earlier records. It's a mopey affair, so I found I needed to break it into two sessions to listen to the whole thing.

Didn't love it, didn't hate...pretty much right down the middle of the highway on this one. it's a tad depressing but so what, so is the world some days...but still gets a depressing 2.5 for middle of the roadness.

Enjoyed sad Beck

For this record, Beck opts for a melancholic feel, reflecting the ending of a long-term relationship just prior. Lots of sad breakup songs, all of which are solid. What really shines here is the production. Throw on some good headphones and drift away….

This somehow works in Neil Young-does-Goldfrapp kinda way. Love the orchestration, and it feels smarter and more polished than Odelay.

Holy Melancholy Batman! This introspective and vulnerable side of Beck makes this album easier to like than the other offering from 1001.

While I like the arrangements, songwriting and overall sound, Beck's dreary voice brings the album down. It reminds me a bit of Nick Drake but not as upbeat.

The title of this album is apt as it represents a significant departure from Beck's typical sound which is more dance and white hip hop oriented. I guess breaking up with a long-time girlfriend will do that to a guy. There's nothing as high energy as Loser, or with the abrasiveness of E-Pro, but there are some real gems here like The Golden Age, Guess I'm doing fine and Lonesome tears where his mournful voice really shines. Unfortunately this album doesn't have my favourite Beck song which is the brilliant Everybody's gotta learn sometime, which was one of the most memorable moments in the film The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind. That song alone is worth five stars IMO.

what happened to the sexx laws loser version of beck? when did he turn into a boring borderline country moaner? this was about as interesting as a nautical love story about SHACK and the painted monster written by AI.

Is that Michael Cera? Q. What does SHACK eat for breakfast? A. Lamb chops

What a perfect mellow album. Awesome production, mixed with outstanding vocals. Easy 5. So many bangerz! Too many to list, but here’s some to remember. TBz 1. Lonesome Tears 2. Little One 3. Lost Cause 4. Sunday Sun 5. Paper Tiger

Becks depressing break up album is stripped down of samples but still contains some sumptuous orchestrations. The production is brilliant however its all a bit "woe is me" and the there are no stand out tracks. Its more mature than Odelay and Midnite Vultures but it is also more melancholic and tbh a little less fun. 3

Less this more Odelay

Sea Change is the eighth album by American musician Beck. This gold certified acoustic folk rock album is different from Beck's previous works, but still performed well commercially. It had themes of change, loss, and relationship struggles that the common person could connect with. The music was a little slow to me, but also beautifully somber. It's a well done album that has and will continue to entertain many people.

Listened to on 12/05/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: golden age, lost cause Beck seems sad but sad Beck writes and sings very beautiful, soulful music that was extremely mellowing

Nope

1 star. Chilled out but not engaging or interesting...just sort of droned on. Was waiting for something more energetic and familiar but it never happened, so that was frustrating

This album kinda had me torn and I was going to give it a 3, but decided to give it a 4 simply because it was recorded so well. This album made me feel the same way I feel about Jacob Collier sometimes. When the music is TOO musical I feel it takes away from the songs. And I think this album was walking on that line just a little much for me. The only one I felt like I could fully breathe and appreciate was Lost Cause. Lyrically I thought was one of the more sound ones, and the parts weren’t too too intricate. Really enjoyed that song. The sonics overall on the album were really great. There were a few times throughout the album where some bell lead lines were a little harsh when i feel they needed to be pleasant. And I thought it was a strange mix choice to have the strings be the loudest thing in Paper Tiger (I think it was that one). Lyrically and melodically I didn’t enjoy a ton of his vocal performances with the exception of a few. Overall it is a well thought out and recorded album. For me I think just a little tooo thought out that it felt unnatural some songs. Anyways overall good album