In 1993 radio stations filled the airways with Beck’s eccentric and catchy tune, “Loser.” The cynical and self-loathing lyrics (“I’m a loser baby / So why don’t you kill me”) had us all singing along and making fun of our own idiosyncrasies. Along with “Loser,” songs like “Beercan,” “Pay No Mind,” and “Soul Sucking Jerk” created a strange but catchy and well-rounded album titled “Mellow Gold.” “Mellow Gold” became an alternative to the chart topping albums like “The Bodyguard” by Whitney Houston and Eric Clapton’s “Unplugged” album in 1993.
Beck’s highly acclaimed follow up album, “Odelay,” was released three years after “Mellow Gold” in 1996, followed by the albums “Mutations” in 1998 and “Midnight Vultures” in 1999. Now, 10 years after Beck released his first album, he has released “Sea Change,” an album that steers away from the in-your-face lyrics and music of “Mellow Gold” and offers insight into emotions that we all share: despair and heartache.
The album’s producer, Nigel Godrich, who worked with the likes of Radiohead and produced Beck’s “Mutations” album, aids Beck in creating a masterpiece that speaks to heart and soul. Together they have composed an album that does not try to impress people with complicated guitar rifts or crazy, funky drumbeats but with simple and clean music that flows along with Beck’s lyrics.
The inspiration for Beck’s thoughtful lyrics and slow melodies comes after being dumped by his girlfriend of 10 years. The song “Already Dead” opens insight into Beck’s own heartache as he sings, “Already dead to me now / Coz it feels like I’m watching something die.” In the song “Lost Cause,” Beck sings, “There’s a place where you are going / You ain’t never been before / No one left to watch your back now / No one standing at your door / That’s what you thought love was for.”
“Sea Change” may be a dark and depressing album, but Beck’s straightforward expressiveness doesn’t make you want to slit your wrists as you drive down the highway. There is something about the combination of music and lyrics that offers a time to reflect rather than to weep. In the album’s opening track, “The Golden Age,” Beck sings, “Put your hands on the wheel / Let the Golden Age begin / Let the window down / Feel the moonlight on your skin.”
At first listen, the album’s slow and melodic tracks seem to sound the same, but with time the songs’ individualities come through. The second track, “Paper Tiger,” offers an Indian feel with its slow drumbeats and Beck’s deep voice. Toward the end of the album Beck introduces some Middle Eastern flavor with the song “Sunday Sun” through the sounds of electric and acoustic guitar and piano.
The last note-worthy aspect of this album is Beck’s voice. It’s as if with his newfound revelations on life and loss, he has found his voice–literally. While songs like “End of the Day” may sound a bit Crash Test Dummiesque with Beck’s low and monotonous voice, there is something refreshing about the way his honesty comes through. “Sea Change” is definitely worth a listen.
Cara Bilodeau can be contacted at [email protected]