Beck
Posted by: Simon Matthews on 24 September 2002
New album titled 'Sea Change'.
I have been playing it to death on the walkman today. Can't wait to get it on the system tonight.
The material is very mellow with consistently depressing lyrics! Great production with most songs being led by some really open and sweet acoustic guitar playing. A couple of tunes have a very strong Nick Drake character about them - no bad thing in my book!
'Guess I'm doing fine' is an absolute classic IMO.
Highly recommended if you don't mind twelve sad tunes back to back.
Posted on: 25 September 2002 by Simon Matthews
Nothing at all like midnight vultures which is not great IMO ( except 'Debora' which I love).
Much closer to mutations but with stronger writing and greater focus. I doubt very much you would be disappointed if you like mutations.
Posted on: 26 September 2002 by Mike Hanson
Sea Change is wonderful!!! I haven't enjoyed a "first listen" as much as this for as long as I can remember. Lush, yet focused, with a dreamy, melancholy intensity. Highly recommended!
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Posted on: 02 October 2002 by Mike in CO
I really like Mutations (and Midnite Vultures too, but that's for another thread). If you like the vibe of Sea Change, I'd recommend listening to Roddy Frame's "Surf," released recently. It's similar to Sea Change in that it's very simple, just him and a guitar, the songs are written from personal experiences, and all have a thread of loss, regret, melancholy, recollection, etc. Roddy's songwriting leans more toward "pop", where Beck's IMO leans more toward "folk", (at least on Sea Change), although I don't think either term does these artists justice. I have been spinning both quite a bit lately, and both get better with each listen. (For those who don't know, Roddy Frame was formerly the main force of the 80s band Aztec Camera).
Mike
Posted on: 02 October 2002 by Mike in CO
The above message got double-posted, deleted it here.
Mike
Posted on: 15 December 2002 by Bhoyo
I'm baffled by the comparison. He sounds a lot like David Sylvian (no bad thing) on Round The Bend, but I don't hear any suggestion of Tanworth-in-Arden's doomed genius. Then again, I never do hear the people who are supposed to sound like ND, even when the attempt seems deliberate (The Lilac Time, for example). Perhaps the fault is mine.
Whatever. Sea Change is wonderful - solemn, brooding and gorgeous. Easily one of the best albums I've heard this year.
Posted on: 16 December 2002 by Mike Hanson
I had never heard Nick Drake's stuff until a couple of weeks ago, when a friend brought over "Five Leaves Left". There was one track in particular, "River Man", that really reminded me of Beck's "Lonesome Tears". On both the vocal stance and backing strings are very similar, and in a couple of cases the strings hit the same "signature" chord in both songs.
So yes, I would have to say that the comparison is valid.
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
