Mutations

Beck | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B00000DHYK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (247 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,019 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #22 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Lo-Fi

Track Listings

1. Cold Brains

2. Nobody's Fault But My Own

3. Lazy Flies

4. Canceled Check

5. We Live Again

6. Tropicalia

7. Dead Melodies

8. Bottle of Blues

9. O Maria

10. Sing It Again

11. Static/Diamond Bollocks (hidden track)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

It's unfortunate how much attention has been paid to how this album was recorded--quickly, without the same level of studio fuss that marked Beck's breakthrough album, Odelay. That's a shame because our favorite chameleon has pulled the neatest trick of all: he's dropped the lyrical schtick that sometimes marred his sonic wizardy, leaving listeners to wonder if he even believed in the music he was playing. That's not an issue here. At times, he sounds like Ray Davies updated for the '90s, stripping himself bare with lovely, simple songs that linger long after they've supposedly ended. Beck may have made his initial mark with "Loser," a clever but insincere admission of inferiority; he's more likely to be remembered for the similar but more heartfelt confession of "Nobody's Fault But My Own." --Keith Moerer

Product Description

Japanese edition of Beck's folky 1998 album with three bonustracks, 'Electric Music And The Summer People', 'DiamondBollocks' & 'Runners Dial Zero'. 14 tracks total, alsoincluding the single 'Tropicalia'. A Bongload/ GeffenRecords release.Geffen. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't think of a title, really - just a great album!, June 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Mutations (Audio CD)

Beck Hansen's most accessible disc to date all but defies comparison. It's a little Donovon, a little early Bowie and some Beatles' white album tossed in for good measure. But these similarities do not overpower - they wash in and out with the ebb and flow of one genre morphing into another. For Mutations, Beck has put aside the discordant hip-hop of Odelay! and goofy Gen-X snicker-snicker of Mellow Gold. Languid vocals and a hypnotic mood prevail over rich layers of acoustic arrangments, twang, psychedelia, synths, sitars and even bossa nova. Like a travelogue into his subconscious, Mutations tours Beck's psyche, his influences and varying moods. Songs like "Bottle Of Blues" and "Canceled Check" are catchy, hummable ditties, while "Cold Brains," "Nobody's Fault But My Own" and "We Live Again" mesmerize with their introspective meanderings. Seems that America's most adorable geek has grown up. Lest you think he takes himself too seriously, Beck's grotesque imagery and clever musings sting with irony. Somehow, though, he still maintains a sincerity that distinguishes himself from the hipster wannabes out there trying to smirk their way onto a Rolling Stone cover.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beck's "fake" album (How Stupid to Call It That!), April 13, 2005

By 

Sakos (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mutations (Audio CD)

When Mutations came out after Odelay!, critics and fans said it wasn't a "real" Beck album, mostly due to its acoustic nature. What rubbish. This is a fantastic album, showing Beck to be more talented than a lot of people thought with his singing, songwriting, and guitar playing really shining here. And the songs, overall, are awesome. Tropicalia, Bottle of Blues, Nobody's Fault But My Own, Lazy Flies, Cold Brains, and an AWESOME hidden track (Diamond Bollocks) that is a cross between what Beck did on Odelay! and what he would do on Midnite Vultures. Just awesome.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great array of colorful melodies and hot beats, November 6, 1999

By 

Evan Blaser (Manhattan Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mutations (Audio CD)

I can't believe the consistency with which Beck shows his ability to manipulate so many types of music. This is a great example. You know how there are those CDs where you listen to a few tracks, but you skip the rest? Well, this is not one of those. This is one where you listen all the way through and love it. Beck's gotta be credited as one of the greatest musicians today. Who else comes up with an album on a yearly basis? And don't say Backstreet Boys, cause that's crap. I'm talkin' about people who write their own music and lyrics, and actually put themselves into it. Beck is obviously influenced by such greats as The Beatles, Bob Dylan and others, and he's not ashamed to show it. If you liked Odelay, this may not be your bag, but if you like Beck, you'll love it.