I will now join hoards of other reviewers and state that Beck's new album, Sea Change is a friggin masterpiece. It also sounds so unlike all of the Beck that I had previously known (and liked) that the first time I heard a track, I had to check to see if it was the same guy. (I mean, it isn't as if there isn't already one other Beck-named recording artist out there. There could be room for one more.)
Musically, it has a great deal of subtlety. I think it would make excellent chill-out listening. It certainly has strains of melancholy running through it...actually, it seems to be running through strains of melancholy. However, that sadness isn't the variety that automatically brings the listener down. The music has too much energy for that. It makes me think of the sad songs of Patsy Cline or Hank Williams Sr. The loneliness, longing, and regret are bundled with catharsis, bringing it above the level of the standard "I'm so sad" pop song.
All in all, I think that those who got in to Where It's At back in 1996 will find the same artist, despite the changes. Those who found his earlier work silly or pretenious might wish to consider giving him a second listen. They might be pleasantly surprised.
As an added bonus, the cover art is pretty sweet. All four different versions.
It has my recommendation.
