Beck
Sea Change
2002
Somber, sullen and without that "Midnite Vultures"-zeal, Beck turns in my favorite record of his career in 2002. This is his fourth album - the ethereal, surreal and downtrodden, "Sea Change". As a high schooler trying to grab my footing on the world, this record was there to comfort and soothe. Created with an amalgam of quiet acoustic guitar, piano and subtle electronic flourishes, Beck has composed a deeply personal, confessional collection of songs.
The tracks here resemble one another in tone and pacing, but with Beck's finely-tuned songwriting craft, he's managed to create a universal atmosphere while still retaining the individual strength of each and every song. A powerful album of subtlety that's greatly enhanced by Nigel Godrich's (of Radiohead & "Mutations" fame) production filling the space with gracious strings and a sophisticated restraint. A gorgeous soundtrack for those grey days inside your mind. -S.R.
One of the most beautiful albums I have ever heard. People often refer to Odelay as Beck’s greatest because it more closely encompasses his overall sound, but Sea Change is the one I almost always turn to. The effects of his vocals make it seem as though the whole time he’s singing the songs to you and just to you, creating an incredibly intimate experience. Highly recommended from this end as well. - Phil
Nice choice for a song with this one. "Paper Tiger" is one of the record's richest and trippiest tunes in my opinion.
ReplyDelete