Amazon.co.uk Review
Beck is really bummed. And if song titles such as "Lost Cause", "Lonesome Tears", "Already Dead" and "Nothing I Haven't Seen" don't make the point, his achingly sad lyrics and
Sea Change's unerringly downcast sound do. While 1998's
Mutations--arguably the singer-songwriter's masterwork and
Sea Change's spiritual cousin--was filled with unflinching self-examination, moments of levity were found in songs like "Tropicalia". Not so on
Sea Change. Beck's woozy, almost narcoleptic delivery seems to amplify the set's sense of ennui.
But sad isn't necessarily bad, and despite the sombre tone, there's much to praise, not the least of which is the return of producer Nigel Godrich (Mutations, Radiohead) who wraps Beck's gloom in a dreamy, warm blanket of soft strings and floating bleeps and gurgles. Like Daniel Lanois, Godrich is all about vibe, and even Beck's most bare-bones songs benefit from billowy atmospherics. That's especially true of "Paper Tiger" a restless, slowly building epic improbably propelled by a languid orchestra and Beck's expressionless drone. The inky black feel of "Round the Bend"--a glacially slow dirge with muffled vocals--may be the darkest thing Beck's ever written, not counting the very grim "Already Dead".
Whatever's going on in Beck's world, at least we know he's purging. All things considered, this may be better for his soul than ours. --Kim Hughes
CD Description
'Sea Change' is the fifth album for Geffen records by the eclectic, LA-born artist, Beck Hansen. It follows 1999's Prince-influenced, 'Midnite Vultures' and was produced by Nigel Godrich who worked on his 1998 album, 'Mutations'. The material on this release has been described by critics as a fusion of folk and psychedelia.