LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
I'm going to get a whole lot of heat for that title, but it's just true. Yeah, Kid A and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot are incredibly unique and Funeral > sliced bread, but none of those records make me feel what Sea Change makes me feel. Its only tempo is "slow", and its primary emotion is "melancholy", but that's part of what makes it special; can anyone name a record as depressing as Sea Change off the top of their head? I sure can't, and I honestly don't want to know what it is, if there is one. Even Blood On The Tracks had some moments where Bob seemingly didn't want to kill himself, but Sea Change is hardcore, dawg...12 of the most crushing, depressing breakup songs you'll ever come across.
Sounds pretty miserable? Maybe at first, but eventually it unwinds itself and reveals its beauty. The Golden Age is the greatest album opener Beck ever recorded; it's 100% representative of the record as a whole, and it's the purest folk song here. Is it the best song here though? Probably not. Lost Cause is simultaneously the most beautiful and depressing thing to ever be a hit, and the minimalistic gorgeousness of End Of The Day should never be denied.
But do you really want to know what the greatest part of this record is? The production. Besides OK Computer, this album contains Nigel Godrich's best work as a producer. It's clean, organic, and complex all at once...and the album is also available in SACD format, BTW.
I like this album, if you can't tell.