No small change

Sea Change

Beck

Geffen

Last time we saw Beck he was…

Sea Change

Beck

Geffen

Last time we saw Beck he was a synth-happy psychedelic pimp, getting “real paid,” dropping “lobotomy beats,” defying “the logic of our sexx laws” and feeding us “fruit that don’t exist.”

1999’s Midnite Vultures spiked our punch and pushed us onto the dance floor, conjuring up a freaky party somewhere between Devo and disco.

Beck, as we have learned, is a man of many guises. From the flannel-flashing folk-rapper on Mellow Gold, to the retro cowboy hipster on his classic Odelay, to the funky balladeer on (everybody’s secret favorite Beck album) Mutations, and finally to white “Dolomite” on Vultures, Beck is never who we think he is. You could look at his past records as experiments in identity.

If so, Sea Change is his self-portrait. Half-awake and vacant-looking Beck graces the cover of this record with a strong 5 o’clock shadow, complemented by blurry, lava lamp/fish tank artwork. Flipping over the case to look at the track listing, you’ll notice such titles as “Lonesome Tears,” “Guess I’m Doing Fine” and “It’s All in Your Mind.”

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Beck is seriously bummed. On the strung-out “Paper Tiger,” he croons, “We’re just holding on to nothing to see how long nothing lasts,” while lamenting “Days fade to black in the light of what they lack,” on the resonant “Already Dead.”

One thing you’ll notice is that our California vagabond (see Air’s 10,000Hz Legend) learned himself how to sing. The vocals on Sea Change are absolutely gorgeous. His voice, earthy and jaded, offers a thick serving of melancholy, drifting through the album’s 12 down-tempo songs with barely enough strength to muster each consecutive word.

With the aid of Nigel Godrich, who produced 1998’s similarly sedate Mutations, Beck has put together a subtle but captivating sound, teaming his own acoustic strumming with epic orchestral arrangements, which are often sprinkled with electronic subtleties.

The outlook of this record is certainly bleak. Absent are Beck’s slapstick, schizophrenic lyrics, as well as the stylistic grab bag that characterizes much of his music. Sea Change is a simple, honest album; Beck’s prettiest, most personal effort to date. It’s one of this year’s best records, and a perfect soundtrack to a rainy day.