Sea Change

A stunning album. One that holds deep power for me. "The poster boy of irony looking straight into the camera and confessing his bitterness and desolation following a breakup," as one reviewer put it. I don't have a strong connection to Beck save for this record. I appreciate its honesty and simplicity. I am enchanted by its melodies, arrangements, and (mostly live) production and recording at the hands of Nigel Godrich. I listen to it frequently. His voice here sounds so aged and weary. Nothing like the voice on his albums that came before it. Hard to believe that this is the same artist who launched his career with "Loser," and harder still to believe that he went from that to this, his eighth studio album, by the time he was 30.

Sounds like if Bono made good music

Great album! It was a lot more folk-country than I expected, from the songwriting to the guitar patterns to the way Beck sings. What set it apart for me were the sudden harmonic shifts and chord jumps characteristic of a lot of late 90s early 00s music (think Elliot Smith, Zero Seven, Nirvana, early Radiohead, etc.), and the swelling and wandering string textures. My favorite songs on this album were probably "Lost Cause", "End of the Day", "Lonesome Tears". All super harmonically interesting but never jagged or jumpy. It's interesting because I felt like all of the songs sound kind of similar but I never got bored of the sound or the mood. Beck creates a particular feeling with his somber vocal delivery: it's a bittersweet, "what can you do?" sort of shrug punctuated by a furrowed brow, a mood that melts into quiet wonderment as we look up to the nascent starlight and, despite our tragedy-honed suspicions, imagine better days to come.

Damn. This is one club I’d love to be a part of, since it seems like you all developed such a deep connection to this album, and I want that for me too! But I am gonna have to sit on the sidelines here. Beck’s vocals just sound kind of uninspired and I’m having a hard time latching on to many of these melodies. The best element for me is the production. There are some really lush and trippy arrangements here that make me want to play this on iTunes visualizer and just stare at my computer screen. And I really like the song Guess I’m Doing Fine, which sounds like Neil Young but not in a rip-off kinda way. The line “it’s only lies that I’m living, it’s only tears that I’m crying” is a simple beauty.

Just an amazing sound for Beck. Elements of psychedelic folk, twangy guitar sounds, and gorgeous orchestration. They fit so well together… it’s a cinematic sound and a great pairing. I especially loved Nigel Goderich’s production treatment on this album: inventive, versatile, but never feeling too full. How does he do it? Everything sounds like a movie. I will definitely return to these songs. It was a comfortable, contemplative morning listen.

This album made a powerful impression on me, probably the most I’ve taken from a 1001 album so far. I had never listened to Beck beside his song Loser. He really is a master of genre-bending. This is one of those albums that, looking back, I will associate with this particular time in my life. Paper Tiger is when the orchestra comes in and it’s stunning. Guess I’m Doing Fine is devastating track. His voice sounds country, and has an almost Bruce quality to it. It’s All in Your Mind is another spot I turn the volume up: “and I wanted to be, I wanted to be, wanted to be, your good friend.” Already Dead has to be my favorite on the album. It has a beautiful Celtic lilt. It reminds me of something Orpheus might sing in Hadestown: “Because it feels like I’m watching something dying.” I will be listening to this album for a while. I will admit that I was partial to him because his name is, no doubt, a cooler version of my own. But this 5/5 rating has nothing to do with my namesake and everything to do with a stunning and desolate album.

Ägt lite skivor med Beck genom åren. Denna platta har jag dock aldrig hört förut. Tror det krävs att man måste lyssna på albumet flera gånger innan den sitter.

How can such a downer of an album be so good? I know that heartache is responsible for many great songs but I thought an album of depression might be too much. Nope! I'm now listening to Sunday Sun, where a ray of light is piercing through the gloom. He's taken me on a journey that I'll have to visit again.

Very much enjoyed the performance. I am found of the right balance between instruments and vocals. This was well done

A different kind of beck album. This one was melancholy and a bit more introspective. The tone was rather sad but had some interesting beats and instrumentals throughout. I thought it was pretty decent but was an album that needed a specific mood to listen. 6.6/10

Lidt trist, simpel men skarp instumentering, god vokal, lidt for langt

It's fine. A bit of a downer. Not quite what I'm into

It was no Kanye west but still pretty good.

Not bad, but I was a little bored after a while.

Nothing really to say, other than I'm not really a Beck fan. I didn't connect with this album and therefore found it boring. The standout tracks were cool though. "Paper Tiger" feels like it's been slapped on with an orchestral filter, which on its own sounds great, but a bit awkward on top of Beck's performance. And "Round the Bend" sounds like a villain movie trailer theme song. 2.25/5

One of my all time favorites !

OK, but Lost Cause stands head and shoulders above the rest of the songs.

I'm going to be generous with three stars because the instrumentation was fantastic as was the production. This started out as an interesting experiment and really showed Beck's versatility, but it ended up just being boring.

Different from what I expected from Beck, good but I'd prefer other work of his

Modern production with nick drake melancholia, great. There’s no way the song Sunday sun isn’t a reference to nick drakes Saturday sun

i’m just never going to be a beck fan, i always find him unbearably corny

Never listened to beck. I only knew that he did the scott pilgrim soundtrack. some nice tracks in the middle. Not bad, 3 stars

Its nice enough but not especially noteworthy

Started ok but over time got so zoned out of the music that It was just playing on the background without noticing anything

Super well produced with many interesting timbres and textures, good songwriting. A bit slicker than other Beck I've listened to, but in a good way.

-"Sunday Sun" gets heavy at the end, that was nice -Other wise a very boring album that I just wanted to turn off. It was just in the same kinda sad mood the whole time

8.5/10 because it's personal

The bits that sound like the National are alright

Fantastic. Beck gets serious and changes the trajectory of his career. Fitting name for the album.

I love Beck Hansen. Just not this version so much.

Not all sea changes are positive, and this album—probably my least favorite Beck album—is evidence of that. Beck is at his best when unbridled, and this is too restrained for my taste. My time's much better spent listening to "Odelay" or, my personal favorite, "Midnite Vultures."

Stripped down to mostly strings, guitar, and vocals - this album has a moody, chill feel & I enjoyed it.

Not what I was expecting from a Beck album. Didn't enjoy it all that much. Needed to go back to his first album after as a palate cleanser.

La chanson Lost Cause me donne toujours des frissons et envie de pleurer. Merci de m'avoir ramenée à cet album. J'adore l'ambiance en demi-teintes.

So chill I loved it

Sad, subdued and solid. Maybe more of a 3.5 than 4, but whatever.

If I had my heart broken recently this would go hard but that’s not the case. Beck is sad

My first experience with Beck was... not great. I absolutely hated 'Odelay,' so I was hesitant when this started. But it wasn't that bad. It wasn't great, but it certainly didn't hit the lows I was expecting. A little too mopey and depressing for my taste, and I still am not a huge fan of Beck's voice, I guess. The longer it went on, though, the less I liked it and the more grating it became. Should have stopped while you were ahead, Beck.

Beck a été la grosse révélation du générateur la semaine dernière, et malheureusement, le comportement arrogant et vaniteux dont il fait preuve depuis que je lui ai annoncé avoir apprécié son album ont quelque peu gâché l'image que j'avais de lui, sans toutefois me faire changer d'avis sur sa note.

Le problème de Beck, c'est que tout le monde se fout de sa musique. À raison d'ailleurs.

Folk rock. Lento. Aburrido.

I love Beck. Of all of his albums, this one probably doesn't have as wide a range of musical styles. The songwriting was amazing. I didn't pay attention to the lyrics, but my guess is that this is Beck's version of a break up album.

It was a nice one.

listening

Is the album chooser going through a breakup? Debbie downer picks.

Chill with some catchy melodies

Changed my opinion on Beck

This has a very pleasant sound. And the sonic palette is distinctive relative to most of what else was coming out at this time. But it's not new, it's not that exciting (in fact it's downright soporific), and while it has a more "adult" sound, it's not really that sophisticated. Beck has a really limited vocal range too - a pleasant voice, but very limited. Serious question - if I'm in the market for adult alternative soft rock, is this really better than Five For Fighting?

This is not like what I've heard from Beck. It's very mellow but sad and dreary. Would have to be in the right mood to listen again.

This album holds up really well. I loved it. 4/5

Few good songs and dig the mellow vibes in general.

I dont know, I was kind of bored? Music was good, but nothing really grabbed my attention in two listens. Maybe future listens will change my mind 2/5

Brings a smile to my face. Can’t ask more from an album

Laid back, easy to zone out. I love the acoustic guitar

its no Loser but it's solid

Nice for a subdued listen. The first half of the album was stronger than the second half

I've not heard much Beck other than the really popular songs. It was a pretty chill relaxing album. Not something I'll come back to but still enjoyable. I wouldn't mind this as background music in other settings.

Beck is not within my scope of listening, but I appreciate his musicality, especially instrumentally. At times I found his voice to be drab but there were songs on this album I did overall enjoy.

Some of the music is good, but his singing doesn't do anything for me.

No me disgusta, pero tampoco me ha gustado. 3 bajo

Love this album - great memories linked to it

Tad slow but interesting album that gets better near the end

Autumn is starting to kick in, I'm a bit cold and a bit hungover. This album does a great job amplifying these feelings. It's decent but not outstanding

It felt like very inspired background music. I know it's a good one, but maybe I've listened too much of its kind at some point in my life and I'm kinda numb to it, I'm sorry lol

Not at all what I expected to hear from a Beck album. This is so personal it feels almost embarrassing to listen to, almost voyeuristic. Because Beck emerged at a time when I went through a very difficult time emotionally I tend to connect his music to those memories even though there is nothing realistic about that. Here I find him living through and expressing the pain and loss I had and it’s almost comforting. I really wish I had had these songs then.

Beck doing his best Nick Drake impression. It's not bad, just a bit too sad for me right now.

solid moody man music

Beck's sad, breakup, singer-songwriter album! I haven't listened to this one in a long time and forgot how good it is.

I liked it okay, but none of the songs other than the couple I already knew stood out to me.

I’ve long lived this record. Perfect on those rainy days. Beck is versatile and amazing.

So sleepy! Giving me Lou Reed vibes for some reason. Loved the second track way more than the first. I'm excited about the jazzy string vibes. Over-all, a lovely album that gives me early 2000s vibes. The album would be great on vinyl. Ooo, I really like "Already Dead to Me".

I put this on when I am feeling down and I really want to wallow in it. It's not fun but it's so heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The end of Lonesome Tears goes on and on and on, climbing to the stratosphere, tugging and tugging until you can't bear it any longer, and still keeps going. Past the point of discomfort to a kaleidoscopic mad huge picture of loss and grief.

Chill album. Much different sound then first album.

Easy listening, voice didn’t match picture

Mellow and serene but not for me.

Cool Album, good songs...

Sounds like just another Beck album.

p888. 2002. 4 stars. Nick Drake for the new millennium. Came cold to this and was pleasantly surprised - strong lyrics, excellent musicianship and production. On the repeat listen list.

Really emotional sound, the story of breaking up and loss flows through the album.

I think I like this one better than odelay but it was still a typical beck album where he showcases his jack of all trades abilities this time with bluesy folk rock. I liked little one but otherwise nothing stood out too much.

Sea Change reminded me a lot of Nick Drake. Kinda love key for Beck.

I've always wanted to like Beck more than I do. This album has some nice semi-psychedelic moments and plenty of lovely melodies but it never quite hits as I think it should.

Nokon fine sangar, men stort sett ikkje fengande.

Hmmm I knew beck had this in him but an entire album? Was not expecting that. It's a nice listen. I'm not blown away or anything. It was good background noise. I like the wilder beck to come. Give me some devils haircut, and looser over this.

I usually like my music cheerful and I am usually meh on the Beck I already know. But this album is lovely all the way through. Calm and calming in the background, sad/melancholy when listening closely. Who hasn't felt like this at least few times in their life? Favorites: Lost Cause, Sunday Sun.

melancholy..but powerful and good. 3 or 4 standout songs. = 3.4444

Beck never ceases to amaze me with the depth of his work.

Absolutely brilliant... reminds me of mellow Pearl Jam.

Not for me

Sea plus

Super chill. I really liked it.

A big departure from his normal sound, it didn't quite resonate with me like his other music has. Slow, melancholy, and hard to enjoy. Not a fan.

Know Beck obviously, never listened to an album. This is great. Melancholic, polished, a proper album for when you need background music running through your head. Downloaded and saved.

ima keep it real with you chief, I listened to this in the background while working. it seems solid, but it also made me want to sleep.

I don't know who this music is for but it's certainly not for me. Mostly bored

+ The Golden Age (4 STARS) + Paper Tiger (2 STARS) - This one weirds me out for some reason + Guess I'm Doing Fine (3 STARS) - Reminds me of "Let's Duet" from Walk Hard, but otherwise fine. + Lonesome Tears (2 STARS) + Lost Cause (3.5 STARS) - Not bad. Give me more catchier choruses/repetition, Beck! + End of the Day (2 STARS) + It's All In Your Head (3 STARS) + Round the Bend (1 STAR) - The orchestral background sounds like a drama scene in a soap opera. The vocals are too slow and don't match. + Already Dead (2 STARS) + Sunday Sun (3 STARS) - Sunday suuuuu-u-u-unn is catchy + Little One (2 STARS) - Uneventful + Side of the Road (2 STARS) OVERALL (2.5 STARS): So boring. There was nothing catchy in this which would be fine if the lyrics weren't pretty cliche and simple.

Scientology is a cult. Album is a bore, Beck has better albums imo.

Poetic, thoughtful.

Lot more folk than the beck stuff I've listened to before. Forgotten about lost cause, used to be a song I loved

Loved this. Had a really soothing feel throughout, the acoustic guitar was perfect for his voice, and the songwriting and lyrics were great. I saved almost every song.

This was overall really good. The instruments/lo-fi vibe fits really well with the lyrics but could also be listened to casually while studying or working without tuning into the depressing aura (although maybe you do want to be depressed when you’re studying or working) The Golden Age and Guess I’m Doing Fine stood out to me in the first half. Parts of Already Dead reminded me of No Rain by No Doubt. Definitely the kind of album you hope you don’t feel emotionally drawn to too often but that’s wishful thinking. These themes will be around as long as humanity is which will allow this album to age well. Strong 4/5

I stopped tracking Beck at Odelay. I liked this okay, though not much of it really stood out from the overall melancholy.

beck is like high-quality boring music. not for me. 3/5.

not bad, less good than the other Beck album we had

Slow, spacey, sleep-inducing. I listened to this on a late night drive and I don't remember anything about it except that I took a little interest in track 8, 'Round the Bend'. However, that's just because of its atmospheric similarity to Nick Drake's 'River Man'. I'll have to revisit this, but for now I can only award it a two.

Lowkey Coldplay vibes but too melancholic for me. Didn't really enjoy it

Not for me

Pop excesivamente suave y sin muchas pretensiones. Ritmo muy plano. Canciones un tanto anodinas. Buena voz, pero muy falto de chispa

Beck is sad so he trades his two turntables and his microhpone for an acoustic guitar and lush string arrangements. Nigel Godrich does an outstanding job behind the board, to the point where his production actually outshines Beck's compositions on some of the last tracks of the album. Up to that point, this was the first time that Beck showed a more personal side of him so Sea Changes is notable for that. Also the songs are mostly really good, particularly the first five.

Sounds like a Nick Drake album but too well produced. It's good, but it loses the charm. Still happy to have found something I appreciate from Beck.

Probably best Beck Album. I have it in CD for years, might consider buying the vinyl as well. great production.

I think it's the first Beck album that I love from start to finish. It must be said that I am a fan of Nigel Godrich and that his participation appears enormously on the album. There's a lot of rich and uplifting arrangements. The voice is also very calm and felt. Great record!

this makes me want to Sea Change to a better Beck album

Listened Before? N This one was kind of boring. I've been listening to Beck's stuff off and on since his first album. None of them have ever done anything for me like that first one. I think I'll pass on this one. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Lost Cause

Not sure I ever had the patience for Beck before now. I really enjoyed sitting with this album.

Picture Odelay coming out in peak high school days. It goes on repeat ad infinitum. Know every word. Love it. College sophomore home for the summer buys this album. Broke college ass: "I just paid $21.99 for this shit?!" I listened through it once and only once. I hated it. Now it's 20 years later. How does it stack up? I'm much more receptive to this kind of an album now and I can def. see why I felt that way back then. Shit, part of me still agrees, however there is a lot more to appreciate on here than I ever did before. Paper Tiger is excellent. Lost Cause is very very good. So is Sunday Sun. This is worth more listens, but it will never stack up with the nostalgia of his early stuff for me, despite how much I can appreciate a lot more of it now.

Cheeelin

Very pretty. Didn’t stick with me so much beyond that. I’ll probably change my mind later

Beck var bättre före han började använda stråkar och försökte laga vacker musik. Gillar inte heller hans sångröst lika mycket på denna skiva som på andra jag hört från honom.

Sad boi Beck.

A real sombre album from Beck, with themes including loneliness, heartbreak and desolation, it proved a turning point for Beck musically. Going from a highly experimental musician to a much more emotionally charged view - both lyrically and sonically. It was an easy listen, however it was pretty mood deflating. Best: Lost Cause Worst: Round the Bend

Malo mi je izgubio s godinama

"Lost Cause", one of my all-time favorite songs from Beck, is on this album. I have listened to Sea Change before and several of the songs from the album more than once. One of my big music regrets was not taking time to see Beck when he toured for this album along with the Flaming Lips (who were touring for their album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots). This is a mellow album with a calm energy. As such, the album does not frequently come to mind when I'm looking for something to listen to. At the same time, if anyone were to suggest that I listen to this album, I would easily listen to the whole thing again.

this was really nice! i've liked beck's stuff before, but this makes me think i should check out his full discography. this album at least deserves a close listen.

Well produced and very boring.

Nyt oli pliisu setti ja levyllinen eri asteisia balladeja. Ei jatkoon.

Tylsä

He makes me sleepy

watered down spoon, how is that possible

Meh

This one I've heard before. Didn't like it in 2002, not a fan now. When am I supposed to listen to this? As in, it ain't fun. Depressed, soft songs. Not bad at all, just not dynamic in most any way. Would avoid a purchase. But it is... okay. Better Beck albums before this one. Not sure if there are any after this.

A decent album with some good moments but altogether not that memorable.

Big fan of Odelay and Vultures, I've been a sporadic fan since. One of those artists I keep intending to get through their last few albums but I never quite do. So, um yeah, this one took me almost 20 years to get around to. Oops. Woah, Paper Tiger. Getting his Serge on. Ooh, it's sad Beck. Okay. Lush production on Lonesome Tears. Gorgeous song. Some of the quieter ones I think are going to take a few listens to appreciate. At the end, yeah, rating this after one listen feels fraudulent. But I will definitely revisit this.

slower simmer rock with light electronic sprinkles. Beck's muttering and the wistful vibes all blend together and are kinda hard to remember

Enjoyed that this wasn't a quirky album. That's usually what's turned me off to Beck. It felt very serious in a singer-songwriter/country/folk kind of way. I loved the production on this, especially the strings.

This album shows Beck trying to make sense of a breakup by dropping the sarcasm and experimentation in favor of a more stripped down and earnest approach. For the most part, I would say that it works very well. Beck’s voice is almost languid, as though the emotion makes it difficult to sing. The instrumentation is simple but effective as acoustic guitar and strings usually are in conveying sadness. The album is a bit too long.

Or 'Beck goes emo' - following the slacker, funk, tropicalia, and the downright weird, Beck worked with Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Travis, producer du jour) on this maudlin collection of ballads inspired by a break up. It's probably his most consistent album, everything is engaging and the string arrangements are fantastic. Guess I'm Doing Fine and Lonesome Tears are particular highlights. Only thing is I miss fun Beck on this - perhaps one or two more upbeat tracks would have made this a 5 star album.

Not my favourite Beck album, but a Beck album is a Beck album, sooooo

skipped my way through all the songs

I really like already dead.

One of the most underrated Beck albums.

Good grief they picked the most boring Beck album. Almost nothing musically interesting and almost all the songs sound the same. This is far inferior to my favorite Beck: One Foot in the Grave (the deluxe version has the better version of It's All in Your Mind).

Sad boi indie folk. Yeah, it's done well enough here, but I've heard it done so many, many times, and this doesn't stand out too much to me from much of what's been released before and since

Melancholy and soft. Good stuff, but it lacks the sort of humor and fun of other Beck stuff I have listened to, which does bring it down a hair for me.

The album is fantastic but due to the sad nature I don’t think I will be returning that oftern

I remember this album surprising me when it came out. Sea Change is more my speed. Acoustic, melancholic. It showcased a stripped-down Beck with a simple focus on writing break-up songs. It works. Beck feels sad and we all mope with him.

Pretty slow

Interessante

Like beck, men like ikkje at paper tiger e ein dårlig sample av cargo culte

Synes Hyperspace e bedre, men da e kanskje mest fordi da har et kult cover. Becken blir litt for tam for meg, hilsen person som bare hørre på ambient og drone metal. Og wtf så dårlig streak me har no. Kan benytta anledningen til å informera om at eg ville ha oppgradert Morrison Hotel til 5 om den hadde komt på nytt. Har hørt på da konstant i 2 veke no, og har lyst å kjøpa ein Gibson G-101

Snoozic.

Sea Change Beck. Hope Change Back.

slow waves

Beck heeft pieken, dalen en blijkbaar ook muziek voor een hutje halverwege de berg.

Dit vond ik best aardig. Wel heel mellow voor Beck's doen.

Beetje te braaf en zelfs een tikkeltje saai, voor Beck begrippen.

Prima aan te horen maar voor Beck’s doen een beetje tam.

Was ok… felt songs seemed depressed

Not a huge fan of Beck, this album was decent and had a nice calming atmosphere but just wasn't my bag.

I enjoyed this one. Beck's one of those artists that's been around for a while now, just doing whatever it is he does. Not someone I've ever found or listened to organically, but based on recommendations or accolades only. A bit of an enigma in that way, I don't understand him. But this was a cool album. He was doing something of an Eddie Vedder type voice on this, and I don't think that's how he always sounds, but I'm no Beckspert. Favorite tracks: Paper Tiger, Lost Cause, Round the Bend, Side of the Road. Album art: Looks like that picture of Halsey. It also feels much newer than it actually is. Based on looks alone I would've guessed like 2014. 3.5/5

I'm a huge fan of Beck after listening to Mellow Gold, Odelay, and Guero. He's always doing something different. Here we have melancholic folk rock with country and baroque influences. The lyrics are clear and reflective (as opposed to his other nonsensical work), with atmospheric accompaniments that range from tense to relaxed. Songs like "Round the Bend" remind me of 70s folk artists, although I can't remember who. (Leonard Cohen?) Complaints: Too long at over 50 minutes. It's all a bit formulaic. I thought tracks 6-8 were weak and lost the momentum. Favorites: Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, Already Dead

I couldn't wait for this to be over. Just sad and boring and depressing and all sounded the same. 3/10

Not my favorite Beck but enjoyed it!

To mellow

i cant stand this stuff. 1-2 bc i just didnt listen really.

I guess I'm not totally indifferent to Beck; I do like some of his songs. And, this album is right there with "Odelay" as my favorite. It is quite the depressing affair though. This album was recorded after the break-up of Beck and his girlfriend of nine years. All of the songs deal with heartbreak, desolation, solitude, loneliness or depression and were actually written over eight years but not accumulated into one album until this. Lots of allusions to deserts and roads. Most of these songs are ballads with background string arrangements, a change from previous albums. The production and acoustic/string arrangements are both very good. The lyrics of this album are very straight-forward; this is a break-up album. Not the high-end drama of the Afghan's Whigs' "Gentlemen," much, much, much more subdued to say the least. My favorite songs happen to be more popular ones too. "Sea Change" has an almost Stones' "Angie" start with acoustic and slide guitars. Allusions to desolation uses deserts and driving. "Guess I'm Doing Fine" and "Lost Cause" are very specifically about breaking up and have a very sad and beautiful feel to them. Definitely not the happiest music to start the week with but may be Beck's high water mark.

Smooth to the last groove. Just such a dreamy album that seems perfect for this overcast day. Also an album I've put a fair bit of time into in the past as well so an easy 5 for me. Faves: Paper Tiger, Sunday Sun, Lost Cause

A good album, just not a great one. Beck has always been a chameleon and some of his musical dalliances have been amazing. He is at his weakest when he does the folky thing which is where he got his start. It is refreshing to see him not lean into the weird vibe of previous outings which he could have easily done. If only the material was as strong as his earlier stuff

Interesting. Beck from 2002. Hadn't heard any of this before, and while not exactly objectionable, Beck really is one morose motherfucker right here. I'm sure if you'd just been sacked, your other half had dumped you for your mum and your best mate decided that they'd rather take up stoat farming in the Hebrides than talk to you again, this would be an ideal soundtrack. But for a nice run out on a May evening when you just wanted to put a few miles under your feet - it just won't do at all.

On paper I should love this album. It's chill, melancholy folk. It sounds like an album that I would write. It just has the right flourishes of alternative sounds mixed in like the strings or synths. But I just don't love this album. The flourishes can be a bit overpowering and I just don't like Beck's voice. Put some Sufjan Stevens or Ray LaMontagne vocals on this instead and it might be a 5 star album for me. Between the voice and the weirdness of some of the back half I just don't enjoy it that much.

I enjoyed this album a lot. It's serious and sombre, which I like. I like how he touched on deep lyrical themes. I also like his vocals and the soft instrumentals.

Beck is kind of a Generation X version of Neil Young on 'Sea Change.' But, with a lower voice. Any number of these acoustic songs- ‘The Golden Age,’ ‘Guess I’m Doing Fine,’ ‘Side of the Road’- they all have that Neil Young sound and feel, even complete with pedal steel and slide guitar (featuring Smokey Hormel, which is the perfect name for a slide guitarist.) But he also gives a nod to the Beatles with a ‘Day in the Life’ ending on ‘Lonesome Tears’ and a drone improvisational conclusion to ‘Little One’ that would have easily fit alongside the other psychedelic pop on 'The Magical Mystery Tour.' His supporting cast are all subtly superb, especially bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen, who shows how it’s done on ‘Paper Tiger,’ for example, and keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning Jr, who empties out the kitchen sink on ‘Sunday Sun’ with everything from the Clavinet to harmonium. And the secret sauce to this whole thing are the marvelous ambient sounds that pop in and out of virtually every song (especially the outros) like the varmints in a whack a mole game. Imagine composer Steve Roach sprinkling Neil Young’s Harvest with synthesized atmospheric dust and you’ll get the idea. But the three numbers that really put this thing over the top were David Campbell’s creative and lush string arrangements on ‘Paper Tiger,’ ‘Lonesome Tears,’ and ‘Round the Bend.’ With a tinge of an almost Middle Eastern vibe, these three songs were a sonic contrast to the otherwise simpler acoustic country/folk tunes. Again, think of ‘There’s A World,’ and ‘A Man Needs a Maid,’ off of Neil Young’s Harvest. Campbell’s scoring accentuates the defeated and desolate nature of these compositions, written in the aftermath of Beck’s discovery that his fiancée had cheated on him, thus ending their nine-year relationship. The songs on 'Sea Change' develop slowly, so be patient. And don’t expect to find much here other than just an outpouring of hurt. The whole LP is like the raw recovery following major surgery. It’s an inspired work of art that you’ll probably seldom want to play. But when you do… well, research has shown that country music, more than any other genre, causes its listeners to consume alcohol. Between that, and Beck’s desolate lyrics, you’re gonna want to make sure you’ve got plenty of beer iced down before you drop the needle on this one.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Lost cause

After only really knowing Beck from the song Loser. I don't quite know what I was expecting, maybe something that made less sense? I liked this one a lot.

An interesting and depressing album.

Never listened to this album closely. Always wrote it off as a boring departure for Beck. Of courses was way wrong.

Like a warm blanket next to a fire on a rainy day

Though more highly rated by many, this isn't even in my top 3 favorite Beck albums. But it's damn good. I'm trying to figure out why it's not one of my favorites, and it might be because I've never had a world-weary heartbreaking depression. But though I've not shared his experience, even I am moved by the brutal resignation of the album's centerpiece, "Lost Cause". It's a devastating meditation on what's left behind when the love of your life has rejected you. I cannot imagine how subhuman one would feel in that situation.

Can't separate this one from real life. This came out almost exactly when I was ending a long-term relationship. That then became a relationship again. And then ended again. So dumb. But this was kind of the soundtrack to that, so it's hard to be objective. Still, I think all of this sounds great. I'd been a big fan of Beck since the beginning and this was all sort of a whole new range that really worked for me. Great stuff.

This is very good, on the basis that you like music that shuffles about and murmurs to itself without particularly going anywhere. But why should it? It's a cozy, finely wrought soundscape that Beck has pieced together here, and the result is an album that is a quiet joy. Why not a five? Perhaps it's just a little too comfortable with itself. A minor criticism though...

Monotone enough to read a book through.

Better than his sample work which I really don’t enjoy. This album has no greatness, but it wasn’t bad at all. Nice guitar parts and melody. His voice reminded me a little of the great grunge singers of the 90s.

Not sure why this album is groundbreaking enough to be on the list but asides from that, its certainly not bad, just also nothing remarkable either. No highlights make for a long listening

Sedate

The title says it all. Melancholy and moody. Beck has a knack for songwriting.

Even though it is a real slow pace, the songs are well written, passionate in the right places, and nearly all of them have a hook that i really enjoy. If you're in the mellow mood, this is perfect.

Just what I wanted from beck. Melancholic lyrics but never to the point of melodrama, and with a sound to match

An album that lets you know right up front that this is going to be a sad, wistful journey. Opening track "The Golden Age" is an absolute gut punch, and the hits keep coming from there. Great soundtrack for driving through wide open spaces while contemplating life and how you got there. The strings! My god, the strings.

Got this when it came out and it blew me away. That hasn't changed with time. While it's a far cry from his usual near-mania - and may be lacking in appeal as a consequence - as a confessional album, it drives right to the center of me, and I hold it in slightly higher esteem than much of his other material.

This ain't for me.

The first couple of tracks sound like Beck half-ass emulating more-interesting country songs of the past, but by the time the album ended, I was a believer. It is uneven at times, some parts clearly more inspired than others, but a good record nonetheless.

First time listening to Beck and this was the perfect album to start with. Despite it being one of his most personal albums, I enjoyed the variety of styles Beck used on this album. He might not be an artist I will listen to often but definitely made an impression on me. Stand Out Songs: Lonesome Tears, Little One

Je connais mal Beck mais c'est toujours bon quand j'en entends. D'emblée les ballades guitare voix, vous aurez compris, c'est pas trop mon truc mais rapidement j'ai bien vu que c'était plus que ça! La réalisation est juste débile, ça sonne comme c'est pas possible! Les tones de drums sont fous! J'écoute sans lire et j'ai eu deux en deux en pensant à Mélodie Nelson (track 2 évidemment) et à neil young plus tard. J'y ai capté des échos lointain de Nirvana et Radiohead aussi. Les arrangements de cordes sont biens, pas trop sirupeux, les petits bouts plus atonaux dans les solos de guits et piano en fin de pistes sont parfait, les synths lointains et pianos à l'envers. Bref j'ai tripé !

Super tranquille et mélancolique, mais tellement bien fait. Les arrangements sont superbes et ce n’est jamais mou.

Je préfère Beck lorsqu'il est plus éclaté, mais cet album surprend. Les arrangements sont superbes. Un album dans ce mood n'est pas un disque qu'on sort n'importe quand, mais par une journée pluvieuse comme hier, c'est parfait. Pièces préférées: Lonesome Tears, Paper Tiger, , Lost Cause

A little melancholy for Shannah’s taste but nice in the background. Bill finds it nice and melancholy, good for the background. Conor found the background to be nicely melancholy. (2.7/5)

Good background music. Did not make me melancholy. I believe it was the sound of the colour of saudade, which is orangey blue. Would listen again.

turned this off after 1 minute to listen to charli xcx / rating n/a belongs on this list n/a

Slow Beck. Sad Beck. Okay Beck.

I like Beck but this isn't my favorite album by him. It's not bad but any means by I prefer when he's genre hopping and more lively. It's not bad for "sadboy" music but I have other go-to stuff when I want to be morose.

Sea Change by Beck (2002) It’s fitting that this record should be introduced to me on a morning when the ice is quickly melting off the window panes, but the overcast sky refuses to yield to sunlight. The artist picks up his acoustic guitar and sings a young man’s songs for an old man’s ears. This album is a decided improvement over Beck’s earlier work Odelay (1996), which was marred by its lack of direction and its dependence on ‘electronic factory’ sound and aimless, intentionally absurd lyrics. In Sea Change (2002), however, a 32-year-old Beck emerges as a mature musician, with his scaled-back, laid-back acoustic-heavy ambience, and where the electronic sounds are reduced to appropriate accents (almost always at the end of each track, as if to remind us that this is still, after all, Beck). While studiously avoiding convention, he nevertheless gives us poetic messages that cohere both rationally and emotionally. These tracks are truly songs. And Beck has assembled skilled musicians, arrangers, and a production team to provide body and scope to his compositions. “Guess I’m Doing Fine” is an indisputably moving lament about a love that’s over—a memorable expression of feelings in the middle ground between despair and hope. It is set in a suitably slow country mood, evoking both melancholy and ambivalence: “It's only lies that I'm living It's only tears that I'm crying It's only you that I'm losing Guess I'm doing fine” The inventive and complex string arrangements on “Paper Tiger”, “Lonesome Tears”, and “Round the Bend” add a sense of musical authenticity to deeply discerned passions, with enough innovation and harmonic complexity to generate continued interest. These three tracks alone are worth the price of admission. “Lost Cause” and “End of the Day” are convincing songs, where the listener feels the pain having to come to grips with the fact that it’s over. If you’ve ever been there . . . This album will put you in a mood. Good music does that. 4/5

8/10 Best Song - Guess I’m doing fine

Technically brilliant - though missing the diversity of skills I know Beck has.

I've seen Beck in concert twice, but literally wasn't familiar with any song on this album. Which makes sense because this music is a little more mellow than most of the songs he plays live. Completely listenable, but just a little on the sleepy side for me.

Not beck's best album, but still pretty great

Some of the music could possibly be a bit enjoyable, but I really dislike Beck’s voice. Is his jaw wired shut while he sings?

Pretty mellow for beck. Good.

A lot of good songs, but I can only like it so much with a boring voice like Beck’s. 2.5/5

Interesting but nothing really stood out.

I’m not going through a break up right now, but keeping this one in reserve if that does come up… Nice to get it over a weekend so had the chance to listen a few times. I’m not sure what it reminds me of Pink Floyd/ Neil Young but I doubt I’d guess it was Beck, glad he’s got the freedom to release what he’s feeling though.

A lot more downbeat to the Beck stuff I am used to and it suffers for me because of that. Can see why he named the album so.

It's good. More slow Beck than my preferable upbeat Beck. But good..

very chill. worth another listen

No hip-hop, samples, funk, falsettos, just a ruminative downbeat selection of gorgeous acoustic ballads. If ever you doubted he was hiding a lack of songwriting behind over-complex arrangements, this should set you straight.

4.5/5. Very nice, soothin.

Sad Beck is my least favorite Beck, but it's still pretty good.

Not overly taken with this. It maybe a couple of tracks too long. There is some promise of change with repeated plays.

Melancholy, chilled, its a good listen for a nice quiet drive home

This one was a real journey for me. Ups and downs throughout and not sure I was ready for an album from Beck which seemed to be dealing with a break-up. Some great tracks such as 'Paper Tiger' and 'It's All in Your Mind'. However, for me, Beck's musical ventures into the pop genre are much more to my liking. Favorite track: Paper Tiger

Not my style

2.5/5. I did not rally like this. It was just sad and boring.

Nije me nikad privlačila njegova glazba, a sad znam zašto. Inače mi se sviđaju ovakve stvari al mi je ovaj album bio jako dosadan. Nijedan trenutak koji iskače. Tu eres un perdedor, Beck.

Iako sam veći fan njegovih ranijih albuma gdje je lo-filija izražena <3, ovaj album ipak spada među dražima sa favoritima poput: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, It's All In Your Mind (više volim raniju verziju u razdoblju Mellow Golda) i Little One. Znaš da je album dobar čim nabrzaka možeš nabrojati dobre pjesme. Album ima te nijanse ljepote, lagane gitare, dašak suvremenog folka, sve u svemu lagano, a lijepo! Šteta šta ipak neće doći na inMusic :(

Do druge pjesme već sam zaboravio da slušam Becka honestly možd zato jer znam samo singlove. Solidan album svakako, s tim da je druga polovica disproporcionalno dosadnija i lošija od prve.

The sort of artist I would expect to like, in that he's heavily influenced by folk country and the Blues. Maybe I would like it more if I listened to it more. Will look out for his other stuff.

Ett toppalbum. man gillar verkligen detta. bleep bloop.

Wow, great album, moody, but does so much with it. How did I not get into this when it came out?!?

Stronger than I remembered (and I liked it at the time)!

some pleasant folk

Melancólico y lindo. Triste y con buenos arreglos. Todo el disco va en línea con Fighting for a Lost Cause que es la única que ya conocía. 3.5 que sube a 4

Pues es que es un disco bonito a ratos, pero muy muy muy nostálgico y se llega a volver aburrido. Obviamente me gusta Lost Cause, pero después de eso creo que es oír la misma rola una y otra vez.

Genre: Folk Rock 3/5 Beck made something nice and pretty here. Not earth shattering by any stretch, but sleak production, good songwriting, and some nice moody arrangments sold this thing pretty well. I'm not quite sure why it's in this book, it is good, but I don't see it as any thing but a continuation of pop rock of the early 2000s. It does say Beck on it, though. First half was super strong, I really enjoyed Paper Tiger, but it all sort of blended into one as it went along. No real sense of urgency, and nothing too much in the way of challening the form. But a well-made album, overall.

I have a long standing love for this album - Beck does dreamy alt-country. "Mellow Gold" is my absolute fave Beck album, but you have to take the rough with the smooth there, whereas "Sea Change" is smooth sailing all the way. Fave track - "Guess I'm Doing Fine", maybe, or "Already Dead". This is very much a listen-to-the-whole-album piece for me, though, rather than picking out individual tracks...

Pleasing, meandering, psychedelic noodling.

Beck was clearly Going Through Some Stuff when doing this record - it's much more low key and downbeat than some of his other offerings, but a great theme that he works well. Nigel Godrich's production shines, particularly on tracks like Round the Bend which sounds like Radiohead done by Nick Drake. Packs a powerful punch, if a bit gloomy. But a great one to have on if you want a wallow.

Not my thing. Didn’t get past the first 2-3 songs

Didn't enjoy. Very slow and depressing. Another day I may have been more in the mood but not today.

Fantastic!

Wow - so sad and so beautiful to listen to. Sonically fantastic, worth sitting down with a decent set of headphones. And a nice bottle of red. Turn it up and relive your most recent heartbreak, and cry just a little.

I love the feel of this album. It’s languid, contemplative, intimate, with songs that linger with you long after they’re over. Beck starts with a bit of a warm Laurel Canyon-ish vibe, building on it with some really gorgeous string arrangements that give great depth to the sound. The lyrics are desolate, bleak and painful. Anyone who has experienced loss will feel these songs in their bones. The album is on the long side, without much change in tone to move it along. Beck’s trapped in an emotional inertia here, and so are we as listeners. It's a heavy listen, but really beautiful. Fave Songs: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, Lonesome Tears, Already Dead, All in Your Mind

Good singer but I shouldnt buy an album of him.

See it and change

Beck sad, sad boring, sad not always boring, beck sad boring 2

He's got a great voice, but I just don't think I'd ever listen to this recreationally

This isnt a great introduction to Beck. Songs started to sound the same about halfway through.

yup

Much like everyone listening to this record for the first time, I was expecting Beck's jokey, white-boy self. I was not expecting a genuine and deeply personal-sounding record. A similar vibe, in my mind, to "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen: a record that I don't feel like I'm getting everything on first listen, and really want to sit down with and explore the layers. If I ever get my heart broken again, think this is the first record I'll look for. Favorite tracks: "Guess I'm Doing Fine", "Sunday Sun", "End Of the Day"

trööööök

En ganska blek Nick Drake-kopia.

Really soft and mellow, but nice to listen to. Zero recognized songs

Don't have much time to review, but I really liked this album. Beck does bittersweet really well. I like Morning Phase better as an album, but this one serves as a nice companion piece

Why is this guy here? I mean, there are thousands of artists that sound exactly the same as he does. These songs are just... normal. Nothing more than that.

Slow and boring. How this cracked a best of list is beyond me.

Gently pulling my heart into the water

Congratulations Beck, you sad Scientologist son of a so-and-so, you made one of the best albums of the early 2000s.

Sorry Beck, I understand you got really into folk music but it doesn't do it for me. Knowing this is a breakup album does give some weight to the emotions expressed, but the album itself never feels like it goes much of anywhere

A lot to like but I've listened to this enough over the years to know I'm never going to be heavily invested in it

Many of these songs, like the ones on the previous two albums, are fairly predictable, but elsewhere Beck uses elegant arrangements to enhance the emotion hidden in the lyrics and to downplay the simplicity of his delivery. (6/10) FT: Lost Cause, Golden Age

I wanted to like this album so much. The instruments and the flow of the music were gorgeous, but I just couldn't stand the singing. In most songs, Beck seems disinterested in his own music.

Discogs said this was one of the 'best breakup albums of all time,' so if by breakup album you mean plodding, repetitive, mumbly moaning tracks and by best you mean worst, I agree.

Awesome

Not my thing

I never listened to much Beck purposefully before but he has a big reputation for sad tunes. On listening to a whole album, I'm not overly impressed. Whilst listening I was thinking "I bet I'd love this if I had some kind of nostalgic ties to it". It is a mixture of sounds which I really like and was really into as a teenager. Alas, I have no such ties and found it a bit dull. Add on to that the fact that Lost Cause made me mad, (listening to the words I couldn't help but think what an arrogant little twerp, get in the bin), and you have yourself 2 stars.

I didn't listen to this properly so I feel like I didn't give it a proper go, I might go back and listen again or I might not. Not sure if it matters. Probably nobody will read this now anyway, not that that's the point but you know. If you are reading this, next time you see me say 'lemons and strawberries' then tap my right shoulder with your left arm and I'll give you a tenner.

I thought I was going to like this and I'm pretty sad to say I found in plain Jane boring! Just a bit wishy washy and nothing stood out

Pretty good. Not the best Beck album in my opinion but did enjoy it

A Beck album. Enjoyable, but nothing earth shattering

I’m not the biggest Beck fan. I like most of his stuff and admire how diverse his music is. But man… I love this album. I come back it occasionally when I’m in a certain mood. Great wallowing in sadness album. Great production by Nigel Godrich.

Does not grab me at all

Muy buen disco

Such chill

Guess I don't get Beck. Dull

6/10

Chill. Good lyrics. I would add to mood playlists. Will listen to more Beck.

So different from what I expected with my knowledge of other Beck albums. A much more calm, melancholy vibe and feeling with slower tracks and more ambience. The riff-driven songs I know from Beck are replaced with swelling strings, soft acoustic guitars, and more feeling and emotional impact. What a cool album and a pleasant and welcome surprise.

Very chill and pleasant listening, I really enjoyed this album. The addition of the sound-effects/production (for lack of a better term) was really well done. Favourite tracks: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Already Dead,

This album is so much darker than I remembered, or maybe I am hearing it differently than when I was in high school. Beck has captured melancholy in a beautiful way. This album brings feelings of wanderlust and apathy together. Lost Cause is the standout favourite, although Golden Age is a tight second.

plätschert so dahin. bissi fad vielleicht aber schon in Ordnung. Holt mich einfach nicht so ab aber ist sicher nicht schlecht

Der Typ kann ja gute indie Lieder schreiben. Aber das zieht mich grad volle runter. Und macht mich müde. Phu

unaufdringlich melancholisch, aber nicht kitschig, immer a little bit country, paper tiger instrumentierung ist der star - eels schaun vorbei - understated aufwändig produziert - lo-fi dynamisch. Bruder im Geiste von Springsteens Nebraska. schön. Top songs: Paper tiger, its all in your mind, round the bend,

Beck gets dumped and all mopey. The songs are fairly similar in tempo throughout and kind of blend in to one. Maybe he got dumped because he was already mopey and this album was the final straw. I don't blame her. Best Tracks: The Golden Age; Paper Tiger; Lost Cause

This could have been a great 30 minute album or maybe an EP. A lot of the songs just run too long to be so similar.

I think this is a bold change of pace for Beck, and I like the album. I don't love it, as there are a handful of weaker songs but it stands out in his discography as an outlier.

I was a huge Beck fan beginning with "Mellow Gold" and I must admit that this was the first album of his that was a disappointment to me. From this point on in his career I started to slowly drift away from him. My difficulty with this album stems from a couple things: 1) him reigning in his lyrics to be more conventional, and 2) the consistently depressed tone. I get it, he's human and went through a shitty ordeal with his girlfriend. It's completely understandable that he would want to express his feelings about that, but perhaps for a song or two, rather than a whole album. I don't expect him to be some kind of postmodern cartoon his whole career but what I always liked about him was the way he was able to balance a wide variety of emotions on an album, or even in a single song. Another thing that bugs me on this album is illustrated by "It's all in your mind," which is a remake of a much older song of his. I love the original version of that song but somehow the dour tone of "Sea Change" as a whole kind of drags it down - takes some of the raw spirit out of it somehow. I can enjoy these melancholy types of songs of his in a different context but as they are presented here all together I find them slightly off-putting. I think what it really comes down to is this: I find this album to be too pretty, too perfect. The lush string arrangements being a good example of this. I can understand why he would want to try for something like this as an artist; to carefully craft something pristine and beautiful, but to me it lacks the loose soul he so naturally exuded in the past. It's like if your girlfriend never really put on makeup or dressed in fancy clothes and then suddenly one day she decided to get this total makeover and buy a Versace evening gown. It's not that she wouldn't look beautiful, but it would come as quite a shock, and somehow it wouldn't feel like "her." However, one thing I didn't have back when it originally came out was a really good pair of headphones to listen this album with. I do now and must say the sound of the album is pretty exquisite. If I separate it from my own personal baggage and hang ups I can at least appreciate it as a sonic achievement. For an album of his that has similar qualities but isn't so completely emotionally bogged down and humorless, try "Mutations" - it is more balanced, and I believe, a superior album.

I've heard about half of these songs, this is a really cozy album. I wouldn't say I'm a Beck "fan", but this album is pretty darn good.

If it wasn’t for Lost Cause this album would be one

Enjoyed it, quickly became background music though

Primer disco que escucho de Beck de principio a fin. Un disco muy distinto a lo que tenía escuchado. Entiendo que la música y las letras tienen que ver con un estado emocional que transitaba el artista pero que me he perdido por no tener el suficiente nivel de inglés para disfrutarlo en una escucha.

Loved it.

A nice surprise

Surprisingly different from his usual stuff. Really enjoyed it

Not my favorite beck album. A little slow and a little too country.

Not my fave beck

Slow calm whiney

2002. Lost Cause, Little One, The Golden Age

I love this stage of Beck's progression. Looking back through his discography, I fee like I notice more and more of the sounds developing that you hear in Guero. This is one of his sadder feeling albums to me, little slow for a Monday morning.

It was too one-note for me. Lost Cause was a good track though, I liked it. I zoned out of all the sadness and only noticed that it was over when Spotify automatically went into Beercan off of Mellow Gold. I thought "there's my Beck!" and I was happy again.

Slow acoustic vibes with lyrics from the heart. Hard to listen to the whole album tbh but each track hits the spot it’s supposed to

Nagyon lagymatag, nem tűnt fel hogy szólt. A dalszövegre nem figyeltem, így az megmentheti, de elsőre gyenge volt. Felüdülés volt amikor a spoti bedobott utána egy másik tracket.

It's nice background music.