Sea Change (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Sea Change
Type = studio
Artist = Beck


Released = September 24, 2002
Recorded = Spring–Summer 2002
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 52:24
Label = Geffen Records
Producer = Nigel Godrich
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A7qotk6kxtkrd link]
*"Austin Chronicle" Rating|4|5 [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A104043 2002]
*"The Guardian" Rating|3|5 [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,794901,00.html 2002]
*Pitchfork Media (6.9/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15357/Beck_Sea_Change 2002]
*PopMatters (positive) [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/b/beck-seachange.shtml 2002]
*Robert Christgau (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=113 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/beck/albums/album/165933/review/6067359/sea_change link]
*"Slant Magazine" Rating|5|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=218 link]
*"Stylus Magazine" (B+) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/beck/sea-change.htm 2003]
*"Village Voice" (mixed) [http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0238,hannaham,38391,22.html 2002]
Last album = "Midnite Vultures"
(1999)
This album = "Sea Change"
(2002)
Next album = "Guero"
(2005)

"Sea Change" is an alternative rock album by Beck and was released in September 2002. Inspired by the dissolution of a relationship, "Sea Change" received glowing reviews upon its release [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A7qotk6kxtkrd] Allmusic, "Sea Change"] .

"Sea Change" peaked at #8 on Billboard's Top 200 chart and was eventually certified gold in March 2005 [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/index.jsp?JSESSIONID=gGyxLLLQ10JnB51SPswNB4LrQvHm6vbD1wLRN6Rg9fgSQtQ0mkrs!302100662&pid=35340&aid=549169] Billboard.com, Beck, "Sea Change"] . In the UK charts, it peaked at #20. As of July 2008, "Sea Change" has sold 680,000 copies in the United States. [cite web|accessdate=2008-07-18|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/ask_bb/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003829442|title=Ask Billboard|publisher=Billboard|date=2008-07-18]

Details

Much of Beck's trademark recondite, ironic lyrics are replaced by more sincere, simpler lyrical content. On "Sea Change", Beck eschews the heavy sampling of his previous albums for real, live instrumentation. In interviews, Beck cited the breakup with his longtime girlfriend as the major influence on the album.

In 2002, "Sea Change" was one of only two albums to receive "Rolling Stone" magazine's highest rating - five stars - the other being Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising". RS500|440

"Sea Change" was released with four different album covers, each version containing distinct artwork on the CD and the booklet. There are also different hidden messages (lyrical snippets) written under each version's CD tray.

Track listing

All songs written by Beck Hansen.
# "The Golden Age" – 4:35
# "Paper Tiger" – 4:36
# "Guess I'm Doing Fine" – 4:49
# "Lonesome Tears" – 5:38
# "Lost Cause" – 3:47
# "End of the Day" – 5:03
# "It's All in Your Mind" – 3:06
# "Round the Bend" – 5:15
# "Already Dead" – 2:59
# "Sunday Sun" – 4:45
# "Little One" – 4:27
# "Side of the Road" – 3:23

Japanese bonus track

#

"Ship in a Bottle" – 3:11

amples

Personnel

*Beck Hansen – vocals, acoustic guitar, background vocals, electric guitar, percussion, synth, glockenspiel, banjo, harmonica, keyboards, piano, string arrangement, wurlitzer
*Justin Meldal-Johnsen – electric bass, upright bass, percussion, background vocals, glockenspiel, electric guitar, piano
*Roger Joseph Manning Jr. – clavinet, synth, background vocals, percussion, piano, wurlitzer, banjo, Indian banjo, glockenspiel, harmonium
*Smokey Hormel – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, acoustic slide guitar, percussion, background vocals, bamboo saxophone, megamouth, piano, tape recorder
*Joey Waronker – drums, percussion, background vocals, beatbox drums
*James Gadson – drums
*Jason Falkner – electric guitar, background vocals, percussion
*David Campbell – string arrangement, conducting
*Nigel Godrich – keyboards, percussion, string treatment, synth
*Suzie Katayama – cello

Other

*Nigel Godrich – production, engineering, mixing
*Darrell Thorp – assistant engineering
*Bob Ludwig – mastering
*Autumn de Wilde – cover photo
*Jeremy Blake – artwork
*Kevin Reagan, Beck – art direction, design
*Ekaterina Kenney – Geffen Creative

External links

*MusicBrainz album|id=69dbac5b-43ce-4d69-afc4-f3f0559e3006|name=Sea Change
*MusicBrainz album|id=63f2fd52-3eef-4ff5-be48-56fbad339366|name=Sea Change (Japanese edition)
*http://webinfront.net/?p=692 Podcast of Sea Change-era concert with Beck b/w The Flaming Lips

References