The eccentric star is so well-respected in the music world that he's in a unique position: Rather than wondering if Beck can keep up with the latest trends or if he still "has it," fans and critics wonder what he will do next. Beck is on his own clock not borrowed time.
Sea Change, Beck's latest release, directly mirrors 1998's Mutations as an introspective acoustic record. The album stifles the funky momentum that Midnite Vultures began in 1999. Simply put, Sea Change is a disappointment. The songs on the album are gruelingly slow and few vocal or musical hooks are present to add interest.
Unfortunately, there are no upbeat retreats on Sea Change such as "Tropicalia" was for Mutations. The album could use such an oasis from the acoustic sea on which Beck is sailing. One good decision Beck made is touring with the Flaming Lips as his backing band. The psychedelic rockers' energy may be what the songs on Sea Change need to come alive.
The redeeming quality of Beck is that he will always try something new. It's all but guaranteed that the follow-up to Sea Change will be completely different. That is a good thing, because Sea Change misses the boat, serving as little more than background music.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2002Reviewed by Xavier Lawson TrinidadSea Change album finds Beck bummed, but refreshingly so. Most albums with song titles like "Lonesome Tears" and "Already Dead" usually fill us with whiny stories of heartbreak that seem just barely above the maturity level of high school teen drama and what Jenny said to Sarah in study hall. Sea Change is very different. Beck's songs of heartbreak, wonder, and feelings of isolation are dealt with…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Jeffrey OverstreetSea Change is a gorgeous, sprawling album of heavy-hearted introspection. I think it's Beck's finest album and, as is so often the case, it comes out of a time of heartbreak and trouble. Beck's new and best album may as well be dubbed the first album of a daring duo: Beck and Radiohead's producer Nigel Godrich. Godrich seems liberated by the slow, sparse arrangements of these heartbreak…Similar sounding releases
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2003Robert DeebleThirteen Stories
2002CousteauSirena
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