Reviews (page 2 of 14)
Normally I like Beck, but this is sad Beck and I don't care for sad music. Back to Odelay I go!
Fullkomligt mid album. Musiken som spelar i en dålig romcom när paret har bråkat och de sitter på varsin plats och gråter i ca 5 minuter. Nja
People were right. Lowkey boring. But not bad!
Okay, the album was overall alright just leaving in the background while I'm doing other stuff, but it's just a bit meh. Nothing too exciting, but that doesn't mean that it was bad. It was overall an okay-ish experience.
Beautiful but trending towards monotonous over time.
Really liked Beck's first two albums but when this came out it I passed it by because it went in quite a different direction musically. Still, it's a good album, although no particular song really stood out.
Just as AC/DC is far too heavy for my taste, this album by Beck is far too saccharine. I imagine that if I’d been a teenage girl, I’d have lost myself in the atmosphere the album creates. I can listen to it, mind you. It’s better than AC/DC, but this music isn’t really for me either. I thought ‘Paper Tiger’ was the best track.
Hey, I like the old sad bastard Beck album
This is too sad.
Well crafted but hasn't hooked me at all. 3/5.
Songs are good, orchestrations great, album too long.
Better than I expected! I’ve only checked out Odelay due to dust brothers production, but nigel godrich made this one sound great too. Enjoyed most songs with only one or two songs that were too lowkey and i wanted to skip
Been sleeping on Beck, never heard anything other than Loser before now, this is very cinematic at times then very Neil Young folky at others I now see produced by Nigel Godrich, which makes perfect sense as this has a lot in common with later Radiohead with the cinematic quality mentioned earlier
Started of very strong, thought I was going to get super into it but it sort of fizzled after a few songs… or maybe I got distracted… maybe I should give it another go… 3.5
Achei 'uneventful'.
quite lovely
The parts of this that remind me of Nick Drake are clear highlights for me, that sense of overwhelming melancholy while sitting on a back porch watching the sun go down. The songs don't always pierce into my awareness unless i'm paying close attention but they aren't demanding attention. His slow understated vocals are the main show and the easy slow instruments are perfect for the right kind of mood. I flip flopped on this rating but ultimately bumped it up a point in the end.
pretty good if a bit sameish
Nice, but all kind of just blends into one, very boring, but nice background chill music
Very good, quite basic but nice
Really good. My kinda music
Morose, bland, and completely lacking variation. Beck remains in a single emotional & musical register for the entire album. More sleepy than sad. I didn't want to finish the album because it felt like the same song 12 times, but I did it for the sake of the project.
Sort of just a forgettable album. Might be good on a Furrowed Brow listen.
not bad, but pretty forgettable
dobar album
The songs are so long!!! This was really good.
Tanken på Beck är fortfarande mer tilltalande än vad Beck faktiskt är. Återanvänd till valfri Beck-recension från tidigare
Det finns några fina sorgesamma låtar. Ibland i trakterna av Nick Drake. Beck är mer känslosam och jordnära än vanligt. Men det blir i längden för händelsefattigt.
Efter en relativt kort men intensiv period med som startade på riktigt med Odelay, var Sea change det första Beck-album som inte införskaffades (innan dess hade det hunnit bli såväl singlar som bootlegs). Han intresserade mig helt enkelt inte längre. Hur är det då att lyssna snart 25 år senare? Var det ett korrekt beslut att överge Becken? Svaret är enkelt. Så klart det var rätt beslut. Med Sea changes lämnar Beck allt det där som var kul med hans musik. Samplingarna, groove, experimentlustan. Istället vill han vara Singer-songwriter. En konst han behärskar rätt dåligt. Låtarna är slätstrukna. Sång och arrangemang likaså. Det blir en svag tvåa och så länge inget drastiskt händer kommer Beck post millenieskiftet lysa med sin frånvaro i skivsamlingen.
Av alla Beck-album jag hört är detta det i särklass sämsta. Ointressant.
If you are in a mellow mood and want to stay there, you might like this one. I know I did.
Great album, not my favorite…that will always go to Mellow Gold Favorite songs: Guess I’m Doing Fine Sunday Sun Lost Cause
I definitely owned this album when it came out, but I haven't listened to it in 20 years. I was a bigger fan of the singles off "Mellow Gold," and "Odelay!" and my friends and I had so much fun playing the heck out of "Midnite Vultures." This album is very different from all that Beck I knew from before; it actually has more in common with the Nick Drake album ("Bryter Layter") that I got for this challenge a couple of days ago. The production on "Sea Change" is beautiful and really benefits from a listen with headphones. It's a breakup album that lets me sympathize with his sadness without bringing me down with him. Beck's voice is definitely up to the challenge of all the ballads, which you wouldn't suspect from listening to earlier works like "Loser" or "Devils Haircut." Not a perfect album for me, but a really pretty one. Favorite songs: "Guess I'm Doing Fine" "Lost Cause" "The Golden Age"
o beck que eu gosto é outro, quero mais é que se foda é o menos pior dele até então, e ainda assim é ruim
definitivamente o melhorzinho dele que passou por aqui. o mano deveria ser traído e ficar deprimido mais vezes (PIADA HUMOR RISADAS) dito isso, ainda nao eh bom nao.
Me aburrió
First Listen; 3.5; I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. It's an album with monotone singing, liberal use of strings, and a sort of reverby haze. It sounds like it should be boring. Yet somehow it still draws me in and keeps my interest. Reminds me of Gram Parsons and Nick Drake. All the instrumentation really complements one another, and makes for an emotional listen. Favorite Track: Round The Bend
Tylsää
Not necessarily playing to his strengths with this one. While there are some beautiful songs, there are also some boring ones. I respect changing it up from his usual though.
Not what I was expecting - loser and Devil’s Haircut were my main points of reference - this is much more mellow - quite enjoyed it, decent if not exceptional
Perfectly listenable though inoffensive album.
Unique sound, really interesting and gives a sense of relaxation
Not is my style
I like Beck, but always felt he was a bit overrated. Not this album, this is by far the best music I've ever heard from him. It's completely different then so much of his other stuff though.
A little dull, unfortunately. Looking forward to the other ones coming up.
Used to love this as a heartsick teenager but going back to it it dragged a lot in the second half
Beck's whole thing before this album was being tongue-in-cheek and playing around with styles and vibes - not 100% sincere or easy to pin down. But this is very much a personal, depressive singer-songwriter album. I was a big fan of Beck in the late 90s and had all the CDs leading up to this one. While I enjoyed it, it's the first album that I feel he isn't pushing in a new direction - it's a bit of a rerun of Mutations. It's very well written and produced but left me cold and bored in places.
Pretty and pleasant.
What the Beck! This was better than expected!
Absolute snoozer.
I was hoping to like this more based on the few Beck songs I know, but I was kind of disappointed. Maybe I’m just not in a sad enough state to connect to it right now.
Probably my favourite Beck Record. The production on this is fantastic. Songwriting is great as well. Sad Beck is my favourite Beck.
Sad Beck makes a record, and it’s probably more accessible. Only knock is that it probably gets a bit much at the 45 plus minute mark. But if you’re not in a happy place your not in a happy place. Liked it, if it was a little more streamlined at say old fashioned album length would have liked it even more. 3 Star
I hope Beck got therapy or something to get over that relationship. Maybe this album was his therapy? It‘s definitely an album i didn‘t really look forward to, but that surprised me positively. I like the overall gloomy atmosphere - the strings, the synths, the desolate vocals, the guitars. They work quite well to engulf me emotionally. I also love how lavish these songs are, they go on for langer than they might need to, but not so long as to bore me. At points this album is a bit one-note, a bit more variety would be appreciated. Maybe some songs could get more intense, maybe a little messier. It‘s all very polished and deliberate - which is a bit at odds with the album‘s emotional core. I still saved a bunch of songs to my library, i especially enjoy Paper Tiger, Lost Cause and Little One. But my god, what is that cover?
Buen disco. Música tranquila y reflexiva. Nada que ver con sus primeros trabajos, pero ahí está precisamente el valor de Beck.
I remember buying this right before I was about to go off to Iraqi Freedom 1 or whatever you want to call it. I think I listened once or twice but never really got into it. When you are dealing with injured patients in a war the last thing you want to hear is some sad music about losing your girlfriend or whatever. I think today was the first time I listened since then and I want to say the first thing I noticed was how it sounded like Radiohead and not the best parts. And then he was singing sure it was okay I guess. I’m not sure if I ever really liked Beck or the idea of Beck. I mean he can craft a song sometimes but would Odelay have been as good without the Dust Brothers. I guess I’m saying is that sometimes he can write a good tune but it’s not all great.
Slowwww
Beautiful album but one note (purposefully so).
Jesus that was boring
Wow, I'm pretty suprised as I've never heard this album before. The only Beck albums I've heard is Odeley and Guero and I haven't listened to them for 10+ years. This album is very different, starts off like a Neil Young track. The music is well done, Beck's lower range suprised me. There's talent here. The album is an impressive work of art so I can see why it was highly appraised by the critics, but not re-listenable for me to justify keeping it. "Golden Age", "Lost Cause" and "All in Your Mind" were standouts for me. Miserable but bright notes or interesting music. "Lonesome Tears" and "Round the Bend" were next best I guess. "Guess I'm Doing Fine" was OK, but needed to be sped up a tiny bit. "Already Dead" starts off sounding like a slowed down Blind Melon - No Rain to me. I can't get over that - even if I'm wrong I feel like brightening myself up and going to play that instead by this time in the album, so this is where I'm over it. That said I do like 'Sunday Sun' and 'Side of the Road' so I persevered. Pros: Personally I like the change in direction Beck took. Cons: listening to a whole album of melancholy gets a little tiresome to me these days. I usually listen to music to learn something new, or to lift myself up as gone are the days when I'd seek out music to match any sad mood I had because that's a bad habit. This is new to me, but fails on the second point. A rating of 5 means I have to have it and will listen to regularly, a 4 means I want it and will play it every so often, a 3 means I can appreciate it but maybe it's not for me. Anything less I question why it's on the 1001 albums list. This is a 3, because I'm done with break ups and melancholy about them.
hmm. love the guy. this is sad introspective Beck, not what we were used to. At the time I didn't listen to this much, and didn't know that Morning Phase was a 'companion' to Sea Change, although it came like 10 yrs later. Morning Phase to me was the game changer, but SC was the 1st in this shift - wasn't paying attn I guess. I am now!
Very big departure from his upbeat mixes. Super interesting to hear all the instruments played instead of his typical studio blend of samples. Deeply personal and sad after apparently a big heartbreak. Unfortunately that gets pretty old when you listen to a whole album of sad songs that all being to sound the same. What keeps me interested is the thoughtful lyrics and super creative arrangements. He’s brilliant.
Ugh. This is a tough morning to listen to this while in a heap of change. It's that subtle feeling when the air shifts at the end of summer and you know fall is on its way. You look forward to it, but at the same time mourn the loss of what's here now. Another season slipping through your fingers, slowly, hour by hour. You can feel all of the ghosts of seasons past and wonder how many more are ahead.
uncoupled from the "holy crap, he can do that too!?" vibes when this first came out it is a bit less striking. He had slowed things down before but this were either grungy folk or Moog based psychedelia rather than the placid, mournful album we get here. Great production and arrangements which possibly peaks with the first track. Gone are the nods to the surreal - he mostly says what he mans here. An easy listen that does all flow a bit too easily from track to track. Beck's Grammy award winning Morning Phase seems unimaginable without this first step a decade prior. That it comes between with Prince falsetto jams of Midnight Vultures and the return to the early 90s of "E-Pro" earns some extra credit.
I remember before this came out, it was reported that he was working on a garage rock album akin to the Strokes or the White Stripes. It was further reported that his girlfriend broke up with him and he scrapped the entire thing and wrote this in 1 week. And it’s a masterpiece! It was such a leap forward for him as a songwriter, and shows a side he’d hardly revealed before (maybe on Nobody’s Fault But My Own from Mutations).
I'm of the 'soy un perdedor' generation of Beck audiences, so it's genuinely lovely to hear him less silly and more authentic. Plus, this album reminds me of my best friend. I'm giving 5 stars with my whole chest.
2, just didn't do enough for me
- in the first track, there were a few moments where I thought "that's a bit Radiohead," then I saw Nigel Godrich was the producer for this album (even back in 2002, "Paper Tiger" sounds an awful lot like the punchy strings in "The Numbers" from A Moon Shaped Pool) - a little too slow for me and kind of boring (I prefer the more rock-focused Beck songs), but the lyrics are very nice. "Round the Bend" sounds a little like it could be a Nick Drake song from Five Leaves Left - inoffensive, slow, probably someone's favorite but just not mine
My fav Beck album
Sea Change is much more low key than the other Beck album I've heard here so far. It really does sell the kind of "ocean like" aspect honestly. Acoustic guitars are decorated with all sorts of fun arrangement details, and the songs seem to ebb and flow. It sounds like a sunset, or a coral reef, or a sailboat. I don't know, there's just a sad serenity here. And, it's understated, but Sea Change is *very* sad. I haven't gotten to the bottom of this thing, but it's certainly gorgeous, and creative, and *very* good. I may have to work away at this one for a little in order to say something insightful about it.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album I kind of know it How do I feel about this artist? I am getting in to Beck recently, seeing him live in a few weeks. Pre-Listen Thoughts: I mostly like Bech, but I have never listened to a straight album. I predict 3–4 stars. Favorite track(s): Paper Tiger Post-Listen Thoughts: This album was super pretty. I was super tired today and this was kind of sad I can tell he was going through a rough break up, but still very good.
Feeling cheerful? This album will fix that. First time I heard it, I may have been mildly depressed and I hated it. Now I have better balance, it's still quite the dose of misery. It's rare that I want that, but if I am by myself and want to go there then Beck brings it. I would not listen to this with a friend I want to keep. Though I did hear him play "Lost Cause" live once, that was dope because I was surrounded mostly bt strangers.
Wowza
Good one. Very calm and honest. However, it became kind of predictable after a few songs. I liked the end, though.
6.5/10 - I felt neutral positive about this. It’s nice for a bit (4-5 songs) and then it just kind of meanders. It’s got a nice sound and I like how he sounds, but it’s not something I would feel like I need to own.
Very cool that Beck put Michael Cera on the album cover. I found myself zoning out and then snapping back realizing an entire song had passed. 5/10
The easiest 5 stars I will give on this project. Top 5 album for me. When it first came out, I hated it. I was so upset that it wasn’t Midnite Vultures II. Then something happened in my life at that time and this album suddenly came into focus for me. I lived and breathed it for months. I felt (and still feel) the strings in Lonesome Tears deep in my soul. I started out a lost cause and ended up doing fine. Still play it often and when I got a record player it was the first album I bought. 10 stars
A far more serious and mature album from Beck than his previous releases.
Sad Beck is sad. Make me sad.
Day 4 of the challenge. Is this the greatest album ever? idk. Is it my favorite of the ones I listened to so far, so much I put it on loop while I did my silly little work tasks? Yes, yes it is. Reminds me of the brief time I was super into Morning Phase and forgot about Beck. I have a weakness for sad singer songwriter folkiness with interesting production. Then followed up with Guero for the first time, so this was Beck day. Saving in my library.
I like alternative music. This album is fine. A little middle of the road but ok listening.
As much as the reviews hyped this up, I was quite disappointed. They say this is considered his best work, how in the hell did he beat out beyonce for AOTY.
I think Harry Styles’ eponymous 2017 album took its cues from this album.
While I do really enjoy this album I've never understood why it's the darling of all the critics. Is it because he went from two turntables and a microphone to slamming on the brakes and going mellow? What sets this apart The songs are good, and beautiful at times. "The Golden Age" has a production quality that makes it so welcoming. "Lost Cause" is just a gorgeous song and one of my early 00's favs. "Guess I'm Doing Fine", "End Of The Day" & "It's All In Your Mind" are solid tracks but none of them really have a hook of any kind. On the flipside, "Paper Tiger", "Side Of The Road" & "Round The Bend" never find their mark. The remaining tracks are all monotone and average, nothing stands out positive or negative, the definition of vanilla. I'd give this 3 stars. Two really enjoyable songs then a bunch of blandness.
New to me. Feel a significant influence of Serge Gainsbourg here, (particularly on Paper Tiger) and looking up, yep. Also Nick Drake (on Round the Bend) S'OK. I've listened around a few times. I wasn’t sure I'd return to it, preferring to listen to Serve Gainsbourg or Nick Drake. But it has grown on me with listens. 3.5
The instrumentation and production are cool and all but I can't stand his voice. He sounds bored and honestly he gives me the heebie jeebies. Kind of just snoozercore, boring. Zzz sleep me go. Sucks
I discovered this album chillaxing at a friend’s brunch. When told me it was Beck, I was shocked because I hated Beck. This album is mature, melancholy, cohesive, heartbreaking, and beautiful. Yet it brings the distinct vibe and production touches that distinguish him from his peers. Old meets new in a near perfect album, and it’s a great introduction to his vast and eclectic catalog.
Was never a fan of Beck. He’s got too much here. This is supposed to be his best but it doesn’t click for me AT ALL.
Très très mid
This was alright, but mildly disappointing? For lack of a better word, this was more "mainstream" than I was expecting. Wasn't bad and Beck is a good singer, but this album just wasn't weird at all, which is kinda what I expect from Beck. I enjoyed "The Golden Age" "Lost Cause" and "Side Of The Road"
Bit more boring than I expected. Wasn't BAD, but wasn't particularly memorable
it was everything i needed to hear today. the guitars are simply beautiful. glad this was today's recommendation.
a classic breakup album. a heart so broken it removes the funk from beck.
Least objectionable Beck music, but it's still boring. I put him and Bob Dylan in the same bucket. They don't really sing, people revere them for their lyricism, and I don't see it.
Decent singer-songwritery album, just not for me 3/5
This album is perfect
Surprisingly amazing album, if thought the rest of his albums have been ok to good, I love this side of Beck. Reminds me of Nick Drake and similar acoustic guys.
Why is it so boring?
Right off the bat my jam. Smooth singer/songwriter stuff that I like way more than Alt rock/hip hop adjacent Beck from Odelay and his 90s hits. Has a Radiohead feel I like and apes a lot of others but hey I like it from first blush.
2/10 Not the type of music I like
Simply beautiful. I’ve heard this one before and I was so glad to revisit it.
Always love coming back to this album, one Beck’s best.
Magnificent.
I largely detest the Beck of “Odelay”, and so when I saw this pop up I was not over the moon. But this record is a completely different affair; it’s a sort of modernist Nick Drake with richer production. And now I have a whole new appreciation of Beck, because if he can casually waltz into the singer-songwriter genre and create a record this strong, he is an unequivocally exceptional talent.
Not really my kinda music even tho i like beck. honestly really big meh album.
Beck is wel vet, maar dit is wel erg mellow
Enjoyment: 7/10 Replayability: 7/10 Cohesion: 8/10 Flow/Pacing: 7/10 Artistic Merit: 6/10 Weighted Average: 7/10 Review: This is the first time I've listened to Beck. Even though I'm not in the head space for it now, I can tell this would be a golden playlist for some sad boy hours. Liked Song(s): The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, Little One Disliked Song(s): Paper Tiger, Sunday Sun Recommend? Yes Heard Before? No
*looks up "mellow" in a dictionary, only to find an image of (one of) the (four) cover(s) of Beck's cultishly beloved 2002 post-divorce record, Sea Change.* Man, is Beck leaking heartbreak and desolation on this one… But I mean, I did that before as well, and that sure as hell didn't enable me to create something this profoundly beautiful and… well… mellow. Beck pulls off the rare feat of making one's misery glow. The textures of the sound are just amazing; and Paper Tiger does have one of the most captivating rhythmic and instrumental backdrops among the bunch. Whether it's accurate or not, Sea Change reminds me of an "aughts-on-the-internet", benzodiazepine-infused version of Dusty in Memphis. Which is a good thing, mind you. "Guess I'm Doing Fine", huh?
This is a good album, but it's got very low energy, and I just wasn't in the mood for it today, so that's coloring my enjoyment. On another day, maybe walking in the woods or driving on a long, empty road, it would hit just right. More in the mood for Guero or Odelay today.
In Golden Age, the discordant synth towards the end is like an intrusive thought. Lurking in the background, slowly taking over the beautiful relaxed instrumental, penetrating, then dominating, and eventually landing on the tonic. As if it's now the new norm. If the album was 6 songs long, it'd be a slam-dunk 5 stars. The rest of the songs are a bit more touch-and-go, but definitely have their moments, enough to convince me that this is indeed a 5, overall. I love production sensibility in the album: The mix and instrumentations are usually hitting just right. I know an album is special when I'm finding myself looking up who produced it.
Beck – Sea Change (2002) On Day 227, I fell in love with a truly remarkable album. It was filled with pretty cadences, deep atmospheric elements, and an incredible sense of sincerity. Nigel Godrich absolutely cooked on the production here, reminding me a lot of OK Computer with how they share those lush, immersive, and spacious sonic elements. I honestly enjoyed every single song from front to back, a rare, flawless listen where every track hits. An undisputed 5/5.
Ну як без нього)))
A heartbreak album consisting mostly of emotional ballads didn’t exactly seem like it was playing to Beck’s strengths. And I can't think of too many breakup albums that are actually enjoyable to listen to. Case in point: Marvin Gaye’s Here, My Dear, in which he spends part of the album bitching about his alimony payments. What a joyous experience. But Sea Change is a beautiful album, meticulously produced by Nigel Godrich. The lush strings and spacious atmosphere elevate the reverb-soaked material. It’s melancholy and sad, but it never wallows in self-pity. Despite the subject matter, it isn’t depressing to listen to. There’s too much beauty in it for that. The arrangements give the sadness space, turning heartbreak into atmosphere rather than melodrama. Beyond that, it's also sonically just sublime. Virtually every release, from the vinyl to the CD, the MFSL releases, the SACD/DVD/Blu-Ray multichannels. They're all flawless, making it one of the best examples of whatever medium you choose to listen on. One of my absolute favourites of the 2000s, that I have never stopped returning to.
This was the first Beck album I ever heard (a year or two after it came out) and I didn’t realize at the time what a departure it was from Beck’s previous work. I haven’t listened to in so long, and forgot how sad and beautiful it is.
Yes, really enjoyed this.
ну вообще есть прикольные песни, но для меня скучновато
Very chill compared to the other Beck songs I know. Pleasant with a few cool songs
3/5 Favorite Song: Paper Tiger
Feels kind of fruitless. He sounds quite similar to Chris Cornell (e.g. Black Hole Sun) but sadder And why does he look like Ed Sheeran mixed with Michael Cera? I'd much rather listen to Ed Sheeran mixed with Michael Cera.
Awesome
An all-timer break up album. Engaging, moving, and honest.
One of my all-timers.
7 keepers in 12 (58%). Incredibly cohesive. No idea how to numerically quantify that. Certainly enough to bump to 4 stars.
Lugnt och melankoliskt album. Lite som Nick Drake i en del låtar. Round the bend bäst.
This was fine. Just not for me
i only remember she lost and she's a lost cause
i mean its alright
we have OK computer at home
tuned out until lost cause. up until that point nothing was distinct enough to capture my attention, really. or maybe i was really focused on my work. i have no thoughts on this one.
It's mellow and it had a nice atmosphere for a rainy day. I'd give it a 3.5, but that's not possible so rounding up.
I’ve loved this album for as long as I can remember. The orchestral movements on this album are immense and grand. It’s a landscape of sound and emotion.
8/10
Très bon
The golden age - 3 Paper tiger - 4 Guess i'm doing fine - 4 Lonesome tears - 4 Lost cause - 4 End of the day - 4 It's all in your mind - 4 Round the bend - 3 Already dead - 3 Sunday sun - 3 Little one - 4 Side of the road - 3
You know when you listen to an album, and you like it, but cant really say much about it? This is one of them.
"The Golden Age" makes a great opener to this album and sets the stage for what is to come. It's a beautiful album and I can really feel the emotion coming through. There are a few passages that reminded me a lot of Nick Drake, which is certainly a point in this album's favor. The acoustic sound complements the simple vocals and makes for an album that evokes feelings of loss, longing, and hope. Sometimes I feel like Beck lets me down, but not today. Favorite track: "The Golden Age." "Already Dead" stuck out to me too on this listen-through.
Interesting
Sad album, but easy to listen to
This was alright but nothing to come back to on this album
Interesting to listen to full Beck album for the first time in my life, was only aware of his biggest hit. This is quite not bad, I smell a lot of interesting influences in this music, but despite that there are not too many memorable moments, at least not at first. Productions is alright and songriting is pretty good, probably right in the middle with 3 stars.
Beck is a chameleon. For a while there it felt as if you’d get a new Beck every time he released an album. There was the extreme shift from the attack-on-the-sense, genre-defying, brilliant madness of “Mellow Gold” and “Odelay” to the lo-fi production of “Mutations”. Then came the unexpected shift to Prince-esque proto-funk with “Midnite Vultures”. A new album meant a new Beck. And “Sea Change” was just that. This couldn’t be further away from the sound of those first four albums. Beck had already sold us all on his musical genius through his unique and nutty form of sonic innovation. I know that I was absolutely all in as soon as I first heard “Mellow Gold”. This album strips all of that away and shows us that underneath it all, he’s got serious talent as a singer songwriter, pure and simple. The genius move was working with Nigel Godrich. His production is distinctive: ambient delay and reverb-soaked textured sounds create atmosphere around the central melodies, bringing subtle OK Computer vibes to a very different genre of music. This entire record from start to finish is brilliant, but there are some notable highlights. Many are contained within the amazing run of songs that make up the first five songs in the tracklist. “The Golden Age” is one of Beck's best songs, and one of the rare instances that I actually like and appreciate a pedal steel guitar. Nigel's influence shines through with the whooshing sound of a delay effect feeding back infinitely on itself, completely consuming the song at the end. “Paper Tiger” was always the one I’d come back to listen to in isolation. I absolutely love the weird bass line, the guitar fills and the way that the guitar and the orchestration meld together perfectly. I discovered Serge Gainsbourg’s “Histoire de Melody Nelson” earlier in this project, and this is clearly Beck's not-so-subtle homage to that album. “Guess I’m Doing Fine” is a gorgeous song boosted yet again by shiny, affected slide guitar textures creating atmosphere. You know that feeling when you know an album inside out, having listened to it so many times already in your life, but when you listen to it through for the first time in years you rediscover a song you forgot about? Well that was “Lonesome Tears” for me today. The orchestration is stunning, but man, that ending. The orchestra rises to a crescendo that’s so epic it almost rivals “A Day in the Life”. “Lost Cause” follows that epic moment, and it's the perfect antidote. It's another absolute classic from an artist with a huge catalogue of classics. Weird reverse sounds add feelings of unease to an otherwise simple and gorgeous tune. There are more moments like these spread throughout the rest of the album. But essentially, it comes down to simple, great songwriting with genius production working to augment them. The lyrics are pure and vulnerable, and there's no need to reach for the Beckopedia here. The term “sea change” means a profound or notable transformation. And Beck is the absolute master of sea changes. 4.5 stars
Some great songs on here and some that are a little too self indulgent to really get a hold of.
Melancholy, strays into country at times, strays into Chris Cornell acoustic territory. Didn’t mind it
I liked this. Not as out there as some of Beck's other work. Solid 4 from me.
Listened to it, didn’t like it, forgot all about it.
Great folk album Always Beck "Lost Cause" one of my favorite songs of all time
Hmm, very pleasant, melacholic stuff. Let me just get more comfortable... to listen more closely to... melancholic sounds... zz... zzzz... Maybe one day I'll catch the Cosmic Blues, feel completely and deeply understood by this album and accordingly crank up the score, but as of right now, it's just a bit too easy to doze off to.
I liked it, but nothing more
Was expecting a little more to be honest. Quite plain
good listen
This album is a really great piece of work. After discovering it a year or so ago, I added it to my vinyl collection. It’s has become a staple in my playlist. I use the song Paper Tiger as a speaker/headphone sound check for quality. It’s a 5 for me.
Repeat listen
3 stars
Nice sounds but bored. It never explodes.
Fun!
Very good album. A slight departure from his first album.
Quasi dieci anni dopo Odelay, Beck pubblica un album diametralmente opposto al tipo di sperimentazione psichedelica e aggressiva che sentiamo nell'altro disco. In Sea Change emerge il Beck cantautore, con canzoni tranquille, dolci e ripetitive (forse sull'onda Radiohead). Sicuramente il lato alternativo resta in entrambi i dischi.
For all his whizzy inventiveness, this is the kind of Beck record I'm more likely to reach for. I was a big fan of Mutations when that came out, and this feels like more of the same, if not quite as good. Not sure I've listened to it properly before, for some reason but I'm glad to have done so now. It doesn't hook me in quite the same way as Mutations did, but I like the spacious, laid back, singer-songwriter vibe. It's a break-up album, apparently, but some of the best records are.
There are some nice moments on this album: End of the Day, Sunday Sun and Already Dead but otherwise this seems a decidedly average album from an artist who has had some interesting releases. This seems a much straighter album and largely lacking as a result.
Absolutely iconic, revolutionary.. this guy has his own style and its instantly recognizable So many good songs here that I thought were spread out in different albums. More of this please!!
Crazy good album. Can't believe it's taken me 31 years to realise. I've listened so much to Morning Phase, and this just sounds like the perfect precursor for that album. Truly great, maybe even worthy of a fiver? Gotta see if it stands as tall after a couple of listens - might edit my review later! 4.1
really loved this album, shocking that it came out in 2002. added about half of the songs to liked. Really good and can't believe I had never heard
J'ai pas trouvé du coup j'ai écouté une compil de the monks, au début jme sentais comme un vieux singe mais en fait j'ai kiffé c'est bien cheper mais cohérent bravo et très atypique
Buddy I really want to enjoy Beck but this is just so long and I could not do it I’m sorry
Day 346 Couldn’t get into this, maybe I’ll come back and re-rate once the missus sees sense and realises she could do better. Highlights Guess I’m doing fine Lost cause
Not what I expected.
G gives it a 1.
No prior listening. I did not take time to listen to the music or lyrics, background during driving and work. Cozy, sad, hope and absent of joy. I might’ve misinterpreted the tone but I didn’t get happy listening to this blankly but it was soothing in a way. No song stood out to me and I didn’t register that a song changed often so a nice “röd tråd” throughout
Not quite sure why, but I'm quite excited for this one. It could also suck. Update: I Like it. It's weird, but it's an oddly endearing sound that I simply cannot shelve to the background. Lonesome Tears is really f**ing good. Which is probably why I will go back and listen to this album again and inevitably fall in love with it. OK Lit, this is supposed to be sad boi music. Probably why I like it. This one gets the vaunted 5-stars from me. While not every single song was a crazy hit, Lonesome Tears will be on repeat for a while, and I will likely want to go back and listen to some more Beck. I think this album is also quite indicative of where I am at in my life rn, and that is quite deserving of a 5star
i bought this on CD (lol) in around 2009/10, didn't like it, returned it to HMV (lol. so old.) the next day. this has got nothing to do with Beck but this morning i found out a fox (i assume it was a fox) had dragged a BAG OF RAW CHICKEN into the bottom of my garden in the night and then left it there wtfffffffff and it was just sitting there rotting in the sun it was SO AWFUL. i listened to this album after having dealt with that and feeling extremely not ok and the best i can say is that the mellowness of this album and the way it basically demanded nothing of me kind of helped me recover from my terrible morning and stop feeling sick and upset. but other than that, 16 years later i'm still not a fan.
Starts off a little slow in the first track, making me concerned we're getting slow whiney Beck rather than funky hip Beck. But the second track is wonderful. Great slow groove. A few more tracks in and it's definitely whiney Beck, but somehow it doesn't bother me so much in this one. Most of these songs have a groove to them, despite being pretty slow. I still don't like it as much as Odelay or Guero, but it's pretty good.
tiene momentos pero en general maburro
A very mellow CD for Beck. pretty gloomy at some spots. i was disappointed.
This was very very good background music. Didn't really hold my attention but was peaceful and kept moving.
Seems very meloncoly(sic) and insightful. It seems the artist is just drifting along expressing his thoughts in a dour way. Glad I was exposed but would not be my girst choice to listen to again
If this album came out today, it would be the biggest thing in music ever. Although that's usually my opinion on anything produced by Nigel Godrich. Love half, the other half is ok.
am anfang hatte mich das SAU. die letzten waren bisschen zäh. aber trotzdem krass
Beck is sad and now he’s not a loser baby
Pretty chill but not his best
Chill and moody pop music with rich instrumentation that's simple yet engaging. I love how the songs are all so layered. Paper Tiger and Sunday Sun were standouts but it was all pretty good.
This album makes me sad because he is sad. Really good.
pleasant listen but firmly in that "pretty good but not noteworthy" zone
Quite a sand and melancholic atmosphere created throw this album. I will say is not quite for me but I can appreciate it 3/5
boring shite
The Golden Age 3.4 Paper Tiger 3.3 Guess I'm Doing Fine 3.3 Lonesome Tears 3.4 Lost Cause 3.6 End of the Day 3.5 It's All in Your Mind 3.2 Round the Bend 2.8 Already Dead 3.1 Sunday Sun 3.6 Little One 3.1 Side of the Road 2.9 Score: 3.3
nice vibe, i like it
It just doesn’t really go anywhere? Plods along with a lot of same sounding tracks blending into one.
This might be my favorite Beck album. It's a very specific mood, though. Sometimes it's just too melancholy. But when it hits right, it really hits.
I like all the Becks. But not all of them rise to a 5, this album among them.
If you said this is too one note, I would get it. He likes doing a pretty album every 3 or four albums, but this and Morning Phase are way more thematic than something like Mutations. It’s not perfect, but I like it a lot. Sunday Sun and Lost Cause are among my favorite Beck songs.
Not bad at all, but too uniformly slow and mournful for my taste. I like Beck more when he rocks a little.
4/5 - I like Sad Beck. Maybe I like Beck more than I think, and it's just Odelay that bugs me.
6/10
Overall Rating - 3.25/5 (6.50/10). Early 2000s melancholy navel-gazing, but done well.
God I don't think I'll ever get the appeal of Beck - is it a generational thing like John Mayer and the Dave Matthews Band where you had to be there to get it? Just mumbling white men left and right. I went into this with a positive mindset but my god do I hate this album I could barely get through it. The music in itself is beautiful but his voice, the mumbling, the lyrics god it's like a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing. I don't know why this made me so mad. I initially didn't dislike it as much but as the day went n it grated me more and more.
So incredibly boring and awful
Just slipped and slid right off me I'm afraid nice sounding background music and not a lot more on this occasion
A way more introspective album than his previous ones. This guy is so talented that the switch is completely obvious and a total success. Favorite song: Lost Cause
Sad-ass Beck album.
another vry generous 3. tracks 8 & 10 were a nice surprise. otherwise flat and uninspired .
I've dabbled with Beck's catalog but wouldn't consider myself a fan necessarily. I had never gotten around to Sea Change but this was pretty great actually. It's reserved and moody, the intricate musical details come through really well as this was fantastically produced. Paper Tiger is a standout track for me and this may be my favourite Beck album I've listened to. 4 stars
Chilled depressed out break up album.
3.5
And another Beck album?! Also very worth listening, think Moby with more wit on acid. :^). The man is not a Loser.
Sea Change is perhaps less smart and witty than Beck's previous albums, but it is heartfelt and stirring.
Trippy, virkelig gode sange til akustisk guitar. Vil gerne lære et par af dem når jeg bliver bedre
Prior to this album, I was only really familiar with a couple of Beck's mainstream singles ("Loser", "Girl"). According to the background information, this is not a typical Beck album (I never get the most known work by an artist on this generator anyway). The music is gentle, acoustic country folk music. It's sad and so very beautiful. It was a soft, passionate listen, and though country elements aren't really my thing, other elements in here I enjoyed and made it a great listen. I would definitely listen again if I'm in the right mood for it.
Really beautiful. It's like he heard me thinking 'he's a very cool producer and he seems a great songwriter, but where would he be without his sampler', and took up the challenge. Interesting that there is a such a different feel from what made him famous. It feels very successful though. The production still feels elite, just from a different place. The songwriting is beautiful and the feel for the beat is brilliant.
The production and mixing are impressive, it really sounds amazing. Unfortunately I find it a bit boring. I much prefer fun Beck.
Might need to re-visit the others I think I love Big Becky BOy
I liked the first couple songs, finishing was a chore however
is beck and moby the same guy
Straight up meh. There's better Beck albums. Not sure why this one is necessary. It's Beck in his Nick Drake phase. Which in itself isn't bad. The results though are just... Meh.
Not bad, not something I’d really come back to
5/10
Love this album, but why so miserable and mopey Beck?
4/10 - this is a depressing fella, reminds me of Sufjan Stevens
I don't have much use for ironic, hippity hip hop Beck. I just think the scattershot, Americana thing has been done better other places. Good for a single's worth of time (guess which single) but not something I'd throw on regularly. With that said, sad-sack chamber pop Beck surprised me. The guy has never struggled in the hook department, and I think that stripping back the 90s cynicism and letting his emotions eek out was a great call. 52 minutes worth of a great call is a hard sell, but I'm probably just being a curmudgeon because this site generated two Beck albums back to back for me. (Beck burn-out? Beck-out?)
This is great, but not exactly a pleasurable listen. Nigel Godrich is a master at misery with strings. The production is immaculate. It feels like a sad Beck album if Air replaced the samples.
Really just okay. Nothing bad to say about it, nothing much to praise either.
Smutny chłopiec z ładnym głosem. Ale czasami brzmi, jakby był smutny, bo chciał śpiewać country, ale coś mu nie wyszło.
momentami muli, ale ładnie zoriekstrowane
Pretty forgettable. OK voice, OK tunes. Lots of strings. Not my cup of tea.
This is another win for 21st century music in my book, and another data point that I most appreciate (contemporary) artists that blend styles together, both in terms of acoustic/electronic and in terms of genre. I recall a friend of mine lamenting how Beck was robbed at the Grammies some time in middle school, but I'd never listened to him seriously until now, so I appreciate the opportunity. He seems cut from the same cloth as Father John Misty. Many styles and influences, but clearly centered around indie/experimental country(?). The instrumentals are very novel and exciting; if these are all his arrangements I'm seriously impressed with his creativity. My only criticism might be that his voice sounds lethargic at times, but it's a minor complaint. He's clearly a skilled singer, so I think it's partially a stylistic choice. I feel confident with a solid 4
This album has been one of my faves, the past 15 years or so (I don't own it, but have checked out the CD from the library multiple times). Beck's albums are (informally) divided into quiet and loud, and this is maybe the best of his 'quiet' albums. And it's a case (at least for me) where a fairly uniform feel throughout the album (introspective, in this case?) is a plus, rather than a minus. It's between a 4 and a 5 for me, and I'm gonna nudge it up to a 5 for slightly sentimental reasons, possibly, in the sense that it's been important for me, and an album I've enjoyed a lot, even though I have doubts about whether, musically speaking, it's fully deserving of 5 stars (though maybe it is). Anyway, it's enough to nudge it up to a low 5, for me. This is a great album for mellow contemplation and quiet introspection.
The weakness is that all the songs are pretty similar, all morose. The strength is the slide guitars, strings, and other instrumentation, plus the echo effects. They make a beautiful soundscape. It's reminiscent of the American Southwest. I think my favorite songs are "Guess I'm Doing Fine" and "Round the Bend." I also like the lyrics of "Already Dead"
Before “Sea Change,” I had never listened to any of Beck’s work besides “Loser,” which is an interesting song, to say the least. This is probably why I was baffled to hear the soft, acoustic intro of “Golden Age,” but it goes to show how much genre experimentation he did (and I would too if I were him). It is insane how much this album parallels the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” era. I could hear the resemblance between the strings on “A Day in the Life” and countless tracks on this album; it’s not a surprise that when I Googled “Does Beck get inspiration from the Beatles?” the AI Overview gave me twenty thousand examples. Not to mention the hints of Radiohead, confirmed again by the fact that Nigel Godrich, the producer of this album, has produced almost every Radiohead album. Half of the songs on the album I would listen to on a chill, sunny walk in New York City, and half of them I would listen to while lying awake at 3 a.m. on a school night. This album does a lot of experimentation (quite psychedelic-rock-esque, maybe) while still falling under the indie rock umbrella, but I did find some aspects of the album a bit repetitive or reused. However, many lyrics and sounds are beautiful yet haunting; the best way to describe it, in my opinion, is being on the edge of a cliff, looking out at the setting sun, with nothing in front of you for miles. As a whole, the sound of most tracks complements the other tracks well, and his low-register voice is perfect for the instrumentals in the background. When I heard “Lonesome Tears” and “Little One,” I basically ascended. Although I did find some tracks to lack melody, I think this album holds up for what it is: the quintessential “breakup album,” which I will definitely come back to in my mid-20s or something, but not necessarily now (this is a lie; I revisited the album exactly one day after listening to it). It’s so funny that I originally thought Beck was this niche, underground artist, but after researching, I learned that he has eight Grammy Awards, which is insane. I am so excited that there are two more of his records on the list, but I'm surprised “Morning Phase” isn’t on it…I guess I’ll give it a listen myself. 4/5
Didn’t like it, not my vibe
Had never listened to this. Loved it
just play loser
Not sure this belongs on here.
This is such a gorgeous, mellow, sad masterpiece.
A good Beck album; he's not my favorite artist, but I always appreciate his craft. His discography is varied and his song writing and music making skills are wonderful.
3.5
I really liked this album a lot. In fact I kinda love it. It's possibly my favorite Beck album. Definitely the best I've heard. It's very rootsy and folksy. I kept hearing this as a comparison to *Morning Phase* but there is more of a glossy cinematic approach to the latter album which kept me at arms length. This one feels more rooted... I liked it a lot more (9.2) ★★★★½
One of the best break-up albums of all time. 5 stars
This is a cool album that kind of comes off as a more earnest version of *Mutations*. I like Nigel Goodrich's production on this, because it adds some spaciness to what normally be a sadcore folk album, and the result is pretty great. I do wish there was a bit more of Beck's trademark weirdness at times here as it does start to feel a little one note by the end, but there's still plenty of great tunes here, including "The Golden Age", "Guess I'm Doin' Fine", "Lost Cause" and "It's All in Your Mind". 4.5 stars.
Probably a 3 because I don’t remember any tunes off it but there are some nice sad stringy moods. I would substitute this one for Midnite Vultures or better yet more Prince, maybe Dirty Mind.
More I listen the more I want to kill myself.
I’m on a boat
A lovely listen. Very much enjoyed.
Parece o ed Sheeran antes do ed Sheeran ser famoso
oh no beck is sad! anyway
Initially it felt a bit sad for me, but it's so well made I put it on again.
Look, it's a vibe. Maybe everyone else has a different rating scale than I do but I fuck heavy with a vibe album. Someone else mentioned Air, I'd toss Panda Bear in as well. Something I can put on, lay back, and enjoy in a hammock
The only beck album I owned back in the day was odelay. This one is pretty chill. Not my style but I wouldn't turn it off.
Not my thing — I get why people love him but it ends up fading into background for me.
"Paper Tiger" is the standout. Other than that, this is too sad and sleepy for me
A lush album. I haven't interacted with any Beck outside of radio hits. This was a surprise. I like the meager lyrics.. not descriptive really, just longing. The production and orchestration is what is pulling me in.. slight use of electronics (you can hear a lot of Air in here, I think). Fascinating use of synths, guitar, and strings. And, slide guitar.. haunting. I found all this arresting. I didn't care for Beck's vocal delivery. It just isn't for me, particularly when he is being emotive. But, I can hear how great this album is. A singular artistic piece from an artist with a strong vision. "Lost Cause" is a standout to me. A beautiful song, with appropriate vocal delivery from Beck. I like "Round The Bend" as well. Sparse AND lush. I love Nigel Godrich's production more than the material I think. It looks like it played on the album, too. 3 stars because of that. I'd rate it 3.5 if that was an option. After this album, I put on Air's Talkie Walkie.
This album caught me by surprise when I first heard it, which can be pleasant. Beck had flirted with folky, acoustic simple songs before, but never quite like this, and never for an entire album. I had put him in a box in my head of kinda-jokey alt-rocker and this album of love and heartbreak songs with strings and no samples or drum machines took a minute to square with my preconceptions of Beck as an artist. But this turned into an album that I have a lot of affection for and return to regularly. As un-Beck-like as it is, it may be my favorite Beck album.
Meestal ga ik wel lekker op melancholie, als witte hetroseksuele man is mijn leven natuurlijk ook helemaal kut… niemand maakt ergere dingen mee dan ik. Maar dat terzijde, deze plaat was te laf? Ik weet niet, als ik melancholie luister wil ik geraakt worden tot op het bot, dit kwam niet eens door mijn opperhuid heen. Niet door de woorden en ook niet door de feel van de muziek. Misschien dat ik onwetend ben en blijkt straks dat jullie hier lyrisch om zijn… maar voor mij is dit smaakloze koffie. Dan zet ik liever een plaatje op van Kids With Buns.
Dit is misschien wel het meest trage album die ik ooit heb gehoord. Daardoor voelt het ook alsof het eeuwen duurt. Ik heb opzich best geduld, maar dit duurt me te lang. Misschien is het qua kwaliteit wel goed en het zou ook wel met smaak te maken hebben maar ik vond het niet leuk
Ik was deze week aan het klussen dus mooi even tijd om wat albums in te halen. Zweten, boren, zagen, herrie met een gedumpte jongen op een gitaar met paar viooltjes en cello's. Het is geen klusmuziek en dit werkte niet in het voordeel van Beck. Het is melancholisch en zit wat ironie in maar je raakt wel een beetje zat van het zelfmedelijden. Guess I'm Doing Fine is erg pick me zielig ironisch. Misschien ga ik het later nog een an geven maar heb ook niet veel interessante aanknopingspunten punten gevonden om door te luisteren. Productie is wel erg goed. Wie weet later op een ander moment.
Ik merk dat ik het lastig vind om hier een mening in te vormen, het heeft potentie om uit te groeien tot iets wat ik vaker zou willen luisteren maar het is er nog niet helemaal, ik kan er niet echt de vinger opleggen maar in feite bevat dit album wel veel aspecten die ik mooi vind: akoestische gitaar, mooie strucuren, originaliteit. misschien moet ik even wennen aan zijn stem, er zit genoeg in. ik geeft het t voordeel van de twijfel 4 sters.
Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Lost Cause Date listened: over many days Listen when:- There's nothing wrong but I cannot get interested.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Var inte så imponerad till en början. Men återigen med ett antal lyssningar började jag hitta kärnan och tillslut gav jag efter. Det är ett antal spår som jag verkligen tycker om. Albumet rakt, naket och ärligt och stuntals lite jobbigt (pgr av det personliga) att lyssna på. Det är mycket enklare och mer rakt produktonsmässigt och bygger mer på texterna än det jag hört från Beck tidigare. Jag kommer nog komma tillbaka till det, men man bör nog vara i rätt sinesstämning för att lyssna på det. Bäst är Thw golden age, Guess I'm doing fine, Lonsome tears, Lost cause, It's all in your head, Already dead
Fitting title, as this one is a departure in tone compared to Beck's previous work(not counting Mutations). Now how does it fare against choppy waters? Strongly, I'd say. There's a bit of a dip with Round the Bend and Already Dead, but those aren't even bad. Overall, very solid showing from Beck, second favorite of his behind Odelay. Highlights-The Golden Age, Paper Tiger, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lonesome Tears, Lost Cause, End of the Day, Sunday Sun, and Little One.
I know of beck, but I don't actually know any of his music. I do know that he is pretty popular and celebrated so I’m pretty excited for this! This album is actually quite good! To be honest it’s better than I expected. A definite highlight is the lap steel guitar! Although the albums starts to get pretty repetitive and you can guess where the song is going and when certain instruments are going to come in. Another thing is that the album is definitely over produced, so much that it takes away from the instruments and melody. I’d recommend Paper tiger, Guess I’m doing fine, Lonesome tears, Lost cause, End of the day, Round the bend, Already dead and Sunday sun.
Trodde jag hade svårt för Beck. Mycket bra.
Satte på albumet 05.40 när jag lämnar lägenheten för att ta tåget mot stan, sen mot Roskildefestivalen. Varm och fuktig luft ger en riktig utomlandskänsla. Samtidigt som första låtens första toner strömmar genom lurarna går ett rus genom kroppen. Fy fan vad fint det här ska bli. Svårt att ge en rättvis bedömning och en annan dag kanske det skulle varit ett annat betyg, men idag blir det fyra! Mycket trevlig morgonlyssning.
Spännande utveckling för Beck på bara ett par dagar! Tyckte det här var rätt vackert. Snygga låtar, fina stråkarr, smakfull gitarr. Han sjunger jävligt fint när han menar allvar. Växte med en andra lyssning, gick från ”är det här lite tråkigt?” till solid 4a!
Svårt att säga om det är bättre. Eller om jag bara föredrar typen av musik. Det är iaf bättre enligt mig! Det här skulle jag nog kunna lyssna på igen. Speciellt om man var på väldigt ledset humör.
beck deppig
1. The Golden Age (★★⯨☆☆) -Depresión en audio 2. Paper Tiger (★★★☆☆) 3.Guess I'm Doing Fine (★★⯨☆☆) 4. Lonesome Tears (★★⯨☆☆) 5. Lost Cause (★★⯨☆☆) 6. End Of The Day (★★⯨☆☆) 7. It's All In Your Mind (★★⯨☆☆) 8. Round The Bend (★★⯨☆☆) 9. Already Dead (★★⯨☆☆) 10. Sunday Sun (★★★⯨☆) 11. Little One (★★⯨☆☆) 12. Side Of The Road (★★⯨☆☆) -TOTAL = ★★⯨☆☆ (2,5) -No me esperaba esto de este artista... Me pareció "castrado" y deprimente, no conecté, no me gustó prácticamente nada, y está mucho más cerca del 2 que de un 3... será personal, habrá una ruptura detrás y lo que sea, pero es para pegarse un tiro escuchar las 12 canciones...
Liked, not loved. Again, long time beck listener, and this was all new to me. Definitely not as experimental as some of his other stuff. Overall I like the moodiness of this album, but it kind of causes a monochromatic effect — it all runs together.
There are definitely moments where it drags and I think I'd have to be in the right mood for it, but I think it's such a gorgeous breakup album. I love the guitar and the string arrangements. I like his voice, although I think it suits some tracks more than others. I thought it was a really good feeling your feelings album. It needs a little patience to get into, but I'm glad I gave it the time. Fav song: The Golden Age Least fav: End Of The Day
There's a bit of Nick Drake to it which I really like, but he's not quite reached Nick Drake quality levels. Got a bit fed up with the moppiness by the end, give us a smile Beck, cheer up pal. Favourite song: Guess I'm Doing Fine Least: End Of The Day
I love melancholic music; I thought the first half of the album was great, with its minimalist acoustic guitar and electronic influences
Very vibey album but I can't listen 1 song outside the album
cool pop
Fine
We got David beckie over here. What is this. "heartbreak and desolation, solitude, and loneliness" wow I'm excited to hear this. I'm sure it'll go really well with my mental state at the moment. Ok his voice is kinda springsteenesque. Hmm I don't think I like the vocals. Oh this is so 2000s. He just sounds nonchalant, almost nirvanaesque and I can't help but think the songs would be so much better if he just sang normally. Open the window dude then you'll hear the bluebird. I don't think my eyes can do all that bro. This guy should cheer up a little. Favourite: Guess I'm Doing Fine Least favourite: Lonesome Tears
This is unexpected. Yeah, I know of Beck, but not like this. The production, themes and style are consistent and strong throughout. As an album I imagine it rewards repeat listens. It is Beck does Nick Drake.
This isn't the most exciting album. It isn't bad, but I'm still not sure I understand the hype surrounding Beck.
I don't know man, I feel this is a bit of a reach. First class talent, no doubt. I do not think this album cracks the top half of this man's output. Bit of a downer.
Chill album with some pretty melodies, an easy listen, but nothing really jumped out and caught me.
6.22.26 Certainly not the vibe I was expecting from my (admittedly limited) knowledge of other Beck songs/albums. The slower, more somber sound is certainly what I appreciate most about this album, but it also is what makes this less of my preferred vibe. While some of the songs blend together a bit, I still enjoyed this one (the highs are high!), though I prefer Beck's other work. Favorite Song: Little One Rating: 3.5/5
Some good songs, some ok songs.
i thought this was surprisingly meh considering i had absolutely loved another one of his albums (guero) when this website suggested it a few weeks ago
Beck again... making an album that becomes such a bland collection of songs that, at some point, becomes pretty uninteresting. I've liked some ideas in here, but the delivery is not impressive at all, and, even though there are some beautiful moments, those are so ethereal that, in the overall of the album, become completely insignificant and forgettable. So, I've liked certain parts, but it's an album that is very superfluous.
So glad this album found me during summer.
To be honest, I had my expectations too high up for the album. It has good songs, but I don't think I would listen to it again, I was thinking about putting 4 starts but then changed it last minute
Beck is always an interesting artist. Very good at combining different musical styles like funk, electronic, country and folk. Thus album is a much more chilled out affair. It feels like a fusion between country and smooth jazz. I have to admit that I prefer a more upbeat and fun Beck track. Thats not to say that this isnt good, I just like the other style more. (2.125)
When this came out I was blown away by "serious Beck". Up to that point, as a fairly casual listener, I liked, sometimes loved Beck's albums - they were playful, clever, really well produced, genre-hopping classics. They never felt completely serious or honest though, and while that was never all that much of a criticism, the irony over the top always undercut any sense that you could get to know him easily through his music. Mutations came close, but still felt like a Bowie-style facade in many ways. This one corrected that - lyrically it's super sad the whole way through, a very sincere sounding breakup album, and the music perfectly suits that and has one distinct sound and style as opposed to the jump cut craziness that came before. Having said all of that, it isn't my favourite - Mutations and Odelay pip it at the post in terms of overall "Must hear before you die"-ness for me, but this runs a very, very close third on most days. And on the odd occasion when things are feeling bad and a heartbreak album is needed, this is Beck's best one.
Four tracks in and until now it's just boring. Don't know if I will make it through the album.
3.5
I love sad Beck. He kept all of the complex instrumentation and honed in on words that make you feel. This one of those albums that make you sad to be in a happy relationship because you know these would HIT if you needed them to. Highlights: Guess I'm Doing Fine, Already Dead
Bored me to tears.
Apart from Lost Cause, it’s, err, a lost cause
I didn't know this record existed since I never really paid attention to Beck after his two big 90s hits. I'm quite enjoying it. It is a lot of sad, but was made more interesting because of his choices for the instrumentation beyond his guitar, like the strings behind "Paper Tiger." I was occasionally reminded of some of the stuff on Radiohead's "A Moon-shaped Pool” (which was coincidentally also produced by Godrich, but of course came out 14 years after this album). On hearing the whole thing I can say it's consistently good, and varied enough to be more interesting than the standard sad-guy-with-a-guitar material by other artists. You wouldn't think while listening to "Loser" that he would eventually come out with music like this - I'll listen to it again. 4 stars
Decent 3,5
It was good. That’s all I pretty much have to say. Most of the songs feel very similar though and I def need to relisten cause I think I will appreciate it more on a 2nd listen.
Oh, geeze. You win, Beck. This gets a 5. Normally I'd give Morning Phase the 5, but this will have to do as it's the only one that's in the book along Odelay. Word of advice. This album was generated the day before my wedding, and I stupidly listened to it the morning of. Don't do this, unless you'd like to bawl your eyes out before what should be the happiest day of your life. This album is heartbreaking yet beautiful. Conflicting emotions of love and loss, truly mature but full of experimentation with reverb, odd chords, and vicious string arrangements. Only Ween's Quebec comes close, in my mind, as far as confessional rock albums go. It's a difficult listen, yet filled with hope. I can't believe I missed it after all this time. Maybe a bit too long and painful, but listening it in phases is perhaps better (akin to how we grieve). Nothing more to say here. Truly sensational.
This reminds me of a sad country album that really resonates at certain parts of your life. The songs are good, they're just rather specific to heartache and healing and introspection and I'm not in that... or something. I really "get" the lyrics. They're super personal and very sincere. This is the kind of record people who love sad songs LOVE. I know people like that and they're all Beck fans.
Relaxing, well written with strong compositions. A bit maudlin.
you know, I don’t love this and I generally don’t care for Beck (at all) but I still found this kind of charming. Something about capturing a particular point in time, and an unpleasant one, in a way so far removed from his usual music style humanized the guy for me. Probably wouldn’t listen to it again, still not a Beck fan, but a pleasant surprise this morning
Very much giving Erased Tapes and I’m here for it.
Using this album as a way to help him get over the breakdown of a long-term relationship, Beck drops his goofy persona and releases an album that is full of sincerity. You can hear Beck taking influence from folk artists like Nick Drake. Beck sounds heartbroken, but this isn't a sad sack record. The strings are beautiful here and gives the sings a sense of hope as they build up. They feel like the light at the end of the tunnel as Beck works through the aftermath of the relationship ending. On "Paper Tigers", the instrumentation sounds so lush and cinematic that it reminded me of the music that you would find in a Serge Gainsbourg album. "Lonesome Tears" is my favourite song on here as the soaring strings build up to a euphoric crescendo. This is one of my favourite discoveries so far whilst doing this project and I will definitely be diving in to Beck's other albums.
It was more mellow music but it wasn't terrible- a lot of the songs I loved it's just not my style