# Best album by Beck? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085 "2003-03-13T13:48:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/1 "2003-03-13T13:48:18Z")
Alright, I’ve got $20 to spend, and I’m gonna buy a Beck CD. Any tips as to which is his best one? ---
**Author:** ![HoldenCaulfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@HoldenCaulfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoldenCaulfield)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/2 "2003-03-13T14:13:44Z")
(I haven’t listened to either Midnite Vultures or Sea Change, so read this post with that in mind.) Odelay is probably his most accessible album, and I would definitely recommend that if you are just getting in to Beck. My personal favorite is Mutations, but I’ve had that album for four years and I _just_ started to like it recently. Before that, my favorite was Mellow Gold. Hell, everything he puts out that I’ve heard is great, but get Odelay. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/3 "2003-03-13T14:54:08Z")
Odelay is his best. Mutations and Sea Change are much more moody. Sea Change is downright depressing. Midnight Vultures is funky, but uneven. Mellow Gold (the one with ‘Loser’) is much more unpolished than his other stuff, but I like it quite a lot. Stereopathetic Soul Manure, I’m not sure where this falls in the continuity, but it is very raw and uneven. I would stay away from it. Aside from maybe 3 or 4 tracks, it’s downright bad IMHO. Mutations and Sea Change are quite similar in sound and tone, but Beck’s style is quite different on each album, in general. You may love one and hate another. ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/4 "2003-03-13T15:17:51Z")
My first Beck CD was Sea Change. I understood that it was different from his other albums but I decided to give it a shot anyway. I was disappointed. Not that it is a bad album, just not what I expected. To me, every song sounded the same (and very mellow). I was hoping for something along the lines of Ryan Adam’s Gold. I guess I should have researched more. I am going to buy some of his earlier work and maybe come back to Sea Change later. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/5 "2003-03-13T15:51:21Z")
I’m a huge fan of the Mutations album. It’s very definitely moody and not like the “Loser” or “Where It’s At” Beck that people are used to hearing, though. Even so, it’s got ‘Tropicana’ which is a fun, poppy song. ---
**Author:** ![Profane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/6 "2003-03-13T15:57:32Z")
Mutations is my personal fave, but Odelay is right up there. Get both. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/7 "2003-03-13T16:20:18Z")
Beck’s got something for everyone. If you’re just getting into him, I would recommend _Mellow Gold, Odelay,_ or _Midnight Vultures_. After that, _Sea Change, Mutations,_ and _Steropatheic Soul Manure_. He hasn’t made a bad album. You could buy any of the above-mentioned and love it. Also know that he’s got a very large discography. Check this, from the All Music Guide: > **[AllMusic | Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands](https://www.allmusic.com/?p=amg&sql=B4g57gjtrj6ia&uid=11%7CAM)** > > AllMusic provides comprehensive music info including reviews and biographies. Get recommendations for new music to listen to, stream or own. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/8 "2003-03-13T18:35:50Z")
Another vote for Odelay, followed by Mellow Gold, followed by Sea Change. I love this guy. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/9 "2003-03-13T18:42:39Z")
Yet another vote for **Odelay**. Sea Change is lame. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/10 "2003-03-13T19:07:25Z")
Avoid _Sea Change_ at all costs. Our local music reviewer’s entire review was “No turntables and an endless drone.” And I couldn’t agree more. I like _Midnite Vultures_ myself. ---
**Author:** ![Fox\_in\_the\_Snow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@Fox\_in\_the\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fox_in_the_Snow)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/11 "2003-03-13T20:17:42Z")
Odelay is his best by a country mile. I recomend it highly. Midnite vultures has it’s moments but you’d be better off buying a decent Prince album. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/12 "2003-03-13T20:26:59Z")
Sea Change certainly is different from his previous works but it’s not necessarily bad. It is the one Beck my wife can tolerate in the car. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/13 "2003-03-13T20:36:36Z")
Odelay if you want to hear familiar tunes. Mutations if you want something mellower. Check out “Tropicalia” and “Nobody’s Fault.” ---
**Author:** ![Florentine\_Pogen\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Florentine\_Pogen\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Florentine_Pogen_1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/14 "2003-03-13T20:43:29Z")
Definitely _There and Back_. This is truly a pinnacle in guitar playing… Oh, _that_ Beck. _Odelay_ is definitely my favorite. It’s one of those CDs that you never need to fast-forward. It plays through perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/15 "2003-03-13T20:49:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Florentine Pogen \* > \*\*Definitely _There and Back_. \*\* Hee hee. When I saw this thread, I had to bite my tongue not to post **Truth**. Leave it to someone with your excellent screen name… ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/16 "2003-03-13T20:59:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Florentine Pogen \* > Oh, _that_ Beck. _Odelay_ is definitely my favorite. It’s one of those CDs that you never need to fast-forward. It plays through perfectly. I disagree. The ending of Novocane nearly ruins ths song. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/17 "2003-03-13T22:23:45Z")
All of Beck’s albums are fantastic (though I haven’t heard _SSM_), and they’re so different that it’s hard to compare one to another. That said, _Odelay_ was the best album of the 1990’s, IMO, and if it isn’t in your collection, it should be. Dr. J ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/18 "2003-03-13T23:32:53Z")
Hey, I loved _Sea Change_. Or, rather, I like the individual songs on the album. Listening to the whole thing is not recommended if you need to either operate heavy machinery or be surrounded by sharp objects. But a lot of the individual songs, on their own, are beautiful. Now _Odelay_… god, I can’t even begin to say how much ass that album kicks. I think I become a cooler person when I’m listening to it. Plus, the album version of “Where It’s At” is leagues better than the radio edit, which kicks ass in its own right. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/19 "2003-03-14T01:34:01Z")
I love _Sea Changes_. I thought it was the best album of 2002. I echo what **SNenc** says though, not exactly an uplifting album. In fact, in some other thread I think I opined that SC might be the best album made since DSOTM. ---
**Author:** ![Auntie\_Social](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@Auntie\_Social](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntie_Social)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085/20 "2003-03-14T01:46:19Z")
If you’ve got $20, you can go to a used CD store and get _both_ Odelay and Mutations. Stretch those dollars! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-by-beck/161085.md?page=2)