Sea Change
by Beck
  • Record Label: Geffen
  • Release Date: Sep 24, 2002
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 176 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 158 out of 176
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 176
  3. Negative: 10 out of 176

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  1. MikeA.
    Sep 23, 2002
    10
    Pure brilliance, Beck has climbed to a new level, in my opinion Sea Change is the best album of the year to date...
  2. Yuval
    Apr 17, 2003
    10
    Superb album, completely connected both musically and spiritually.
  3. WillT
    Feb 24, 2007
    10
    Great album. I was never a big Beck fan but this album won me over.
  4. BobR
    Aug 10, 2007
    10
    This one's a grower... it's great
  5. GeoffH.
    Apr 5, 2008
    10
    9/10 average from 97 users says it all to me. This is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Affecting, deep and wonderfully haunting, I wonder what some of the critics were thinking but then I'll never work music critics out. They're from a world so full of their own importance things like love affairs and break ups don't exist.
  6. Bruno
    Jun 27, 2008
    10
    I really loved this album, and its amazing to find that beck produces perfect music in such different ways.
  7. KristineN
    Nov 6, 2002
    10
    Fabulous production that's spare and raw when needed makes this album incredibly hard NOT to listen to - when I heard it was so mellow I thought I might be bored after a number of tunes, but the effect is the polar opposite: spellbinding.
  8. Sam
    Dec 31, 2002
    10
    Beck hurts and portrays it with something we can all enjoy. Unlucky bastard makes us very lucky indeed.
  9. Cartland
    Dec 30, 2002
    10
    This is one of the very best albums I've heard. Hopefully he'll continue making such haunting melodies. I can only compare this to the Beatles' best work. Genius!
  10. bobd
    Dec 6, 2002
    10
    beck confounds and annoys the ordinary listener by being absolutely unconcerned with their expectations. "Sea Change" is sonically breathtaking (play it LOUD!), lyrically labyrinthine (one has to pay attention to parse the actual narratives here), and emotionally searing. Not for the average debased attention span.
  11. HenryA
    Oct 4, 2002
    10
    Sea change is a brilliant 'low' album. Forget springstein, young and etc's 9/11 spam offerings, get this instead. VVoice what were you thinking?
  12. TheresaS
    Oct 6, 2002
    10
    Saw him in concert before the CD even came out and I loved it! Such a personal album, and as he said it's been 7 years in the making. Well worth the wait. I have all his CDs and this one just blows my mind! It's been on repeat for 4 hours now!
  13. bobj
    Sep 22, 2002
    10
    pretty damn good
  14. AndyJ.
    Sep 22, 2002
    10
    Best Beck album yet... dont be suprised if "Sea Change" pulls an upset over Bruce Springsteen's new album at the next grammys...
  15. JohnL.
    Sep 25, 2002
    10
    Excellent album. Lyrically and melodically his best work.
  16. JoshT.
    Sep 27, 2002
    10
    An immensely personal and heartwrenchingly sad record full of understated beauty; the year's best album.
  17. JasonG.
    Sep 30, 2002
    10
    Almost as good as nick drake
  18. JimmyM
    Mar 9, 2005
    10
    This is a darn god album and i would love it even if it was made by a fat irishman. so eat that.
  19. Teeja
    Aug 18, 2005
    10
    A beautiful deeply moving album.
  20. NickH
    Aug 28, 2005
    10
    It's a damn masterpiece. There aren't enough these days. Hats off to Beck, who seemingly can't make bad (let alone average) albums. This is his best album, out of a sea of great albums.
  21. LucP
    Dec 22, 2006
    10
    Touched my soul
  22. PaulF
    Oct 8, 2006
    10
    Easily the best album ever. Yes really, it's like that. If art's supreme purpose is to provoke and disarm, then this album is the epitome of art. Well composed, well produced and extremely sincere, emotional and personal. Thanks for sharing, Beck!
  23. WesF.
    Jun 15, 2007
    10
    Was not a huge fan of Beck until I heard this record on a long trip with my brother. Sea Change is simply one of my favorite albums of all time, and I still listen to it 5 years later.
  24. Jake
    Jun 24, 2008
    10
    Just a great album. Pick it up.
  25. LouisA.
    Sep 24, 2002
    10
    one of beck's greatest. masterfully done, he pours his heart and depression into and comes through
  26. AGoije
    Sep 26, 2002
    10
    Beck has once again proved that he is a genius.
  27. ElizabethR.
    Sep 28, 2002
    10
    A wave of trance music you want to listen to over and over again, but oddly unmawkish, considering the subject matter. A fully realised effort, integrating new (for him) directness in lyrics, and the lush but still restrained multi-track arrangements. Controlled emotionalism in a new form--beautifully constructed and intelligently executed.
  28. RatatouilleStrychnine
    Sep 29, 2002
    10
    This isn't the best Beck album but this is equally flawless as other albums he did. This album cements Beck's legacy as one of the greatest and most versatile artists in pop culture. "I Guess I'm Doing Fine", "Lost Cause", and "Already Dead" are my personal favorites. These songs are very. very sad and beautiful at the same time.
  29. scott
    Jul 29, 2006
    10
    The best album Beck has made up until now.
  30. Wolfmother
    Oct 3, 2010
    10
    This album rules, I would recommend Paper tiger and little one. Beck is so underated. I mean every song made my pants tight. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Best Album of 2002
17
#17 Most Discussed Album of 2002
15
#15 Most Shared Album of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Mojo
    90
    Sea Change aches too thoroughly to be mere career shift. It's the kind of album that at times seems too sad for the singer's own good. [Album of the Month, Oct 2002, p.90]
  2. Delusions of Adequacy
    80
    One of his finest efforts to date.
    Read full review
  3. E! Online
    100
    Many of these harrowing tunes, like "Lonesome Tears" and "Guess I'm Doing Fine" have the lonely blues feel of Beck's similar-sounding Mutations, and they definitely get better with repeated play.
    Read full review
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