Once again, Beck has completely redefined his sound. Although a few elements of "Sea Change" are reminiscent of 1998's "Mutations," his new work is much darker as a whole than even the bleakest songs of his old records.
In the three years since "Midnite Vultures," he has collected an array of songs that take the honest lyrics and gruff voices of cowboy rockers like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson and has combined them with the dynamic sense of instrumentation and song craftsmanship that Beck is known for.
But instead of going with the raw production of Jennings and Nelson, Beck has enlisted producer Nigel Godrich to make his endeavor as slick and textured as any Radiohead album out there. Every track is richly layered with strings, keys and dreamy background vocals that give the album an adult contemporary tone, offsetting the folksy, low-fi feel of his songwriting -- an interesting juxtaposition.
Like "Midnite Vultures," with which Beck created a persona that belted out soul and gospel tunes over funk and disco-influenced arrangements, Beck has again created a new self, writing his entire new album from the perspective of a deeply depressed folk-rocker.
His new character struggles with bad break-ups, loneliness, self-doubt and feeling lost in his surroundings, themes he has addressed before, but not like this. Never before have Beck's lyrics been so straightforward.
Not once on the album is a phrase muttered about the devil giving someone a taco or any of the other bizarre imagery that used to set Beck's lyrics apart from the norm. In "Guess I'm Doing Fine," Beck moans, "It's only lies that I am living / It's only tears that I'm crying / It's only you that I'm losing / I guess I'm doing fine," with a tone an octave below anything he's previously released.
There will be no robotic dance moves or spastic Mick Jagger impersonations onstage while Beck plays tracks from "Sea Change" on tour, as the tempo of the album ranges from catatonic to a deathly slow heartbeat. The only moment the drums do anything the least bit aggressive is during the bombastic conclusion to "Sunday Sun," where there's a Beatles-esque breakdown that fades out as the song climaxes.
"Paper Tiger" is the only song that retains any of the Marvin Gaye influence that is noticeable in Beck's older recordings. With a soft vocal line accompanied by a light yet driving drumbeat, "Paper Tiger's" light touch is offset by a loud string orchestra. Orchestral accompaniment can be found on about half the tracks on the record, adding texture to the its largely acoustic feel.
Rumor has it that Beck and his long-time girlfriend had broken up right before he started writing any of the album's 12 songs. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but it's conceivable that such a situation might encourage the type of songwriting found here. Yet it wouldn't come as a surprise, either, if Beck had no such inspiration and wrote the songs merely as an attempt to reincarnate old-time country with the intricate production capabilities of the modern music industry.
Whatever inspired the songwriting, the type of audience Beck is trying to appeal to here is unclear. Although "Sea Change" is sure to be a gem in the eyes of all previous Beck fans, it also caters to a more adult contemporary-style audience, much like the new Red Hot Chili Peppers record.
If "Sea Change" had been released by an adult contemporary musician, it would easily be considered the pinnacle of that musician's career; but since Beck's other works were so acclaimed, this album will be seen and judged in that context.
With his new voice and new sound, Beck has developed a new disguise and a great record that surely will be remembered as one of his best creations. Although not as radio-friendly as some of his other works, its impact will be felt as the newest offering of one of the industry's most important and innovative musicians.
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