Mutations (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Mutations
Type = studio
Artist = Beck


Released = November 3, 1998
Recorded = March 19, 1998 – April 3, 1998
Genre = Alternative rock, indie rock
Length = 49:17
Label = DGC
Producer = Beck Hansen, Nigel Godrich
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Awf9hs30ia3bg link]
*"NME" (8/10) [http://www.nme.com/reviews/1730.htm link]
*Pitchfork Media (9.0/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15359/Beck_Mutations link]
*"The A.V. Club" (positive) [http://www.avclub.com/content/node/9339 link]
*Review-Christgau|A-|artist=113
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/165933?rnd=1120112732488&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1040 link]
Last album = "Odelay"
(1996)
This album = "Mutations"
(1998)
Next album = "Midnite Vultures"
(1999)

"Mutations" is the third major-label studio album by Beck, released in 1998. Though less successful on the charts than the preceding "Odelay", "Mutations" established Beck as an eclectic and innovative artist for his sample-free mixture of far-ranging musical genres, including tropicalia, bossa nova, country, and blues. The album's title is most likely a nod to an influential tropicalia band of the late 60s, Os Mutantes. With this album Beck won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance [http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/altperf.htm] .

The album was initially recorded by noted producer Nigel Godrich with the intention of having it released on Bong Load Custom Records, an indie label (as per Beck's agreement with his major label at the time, Geffen). When Geffen execs heard the album, however, they insisted that it be released by them. This led to a lawsuit filed by Beck against Geffen Records.

Beck made no music videos for any songs on this album, but several singles were released.

"Mutations" peaked at #13 in the US, going gold, and achieved #24 in the UK and #23 in Australia. As of July 2008, "Mutations" has sold 586,000 copies in the United States. [cite web|accessdate=2008-07-18|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/ask_bb/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003829442|title=Ask Billboard|publisher=Billboard|date=2008-07-18]

Track listing

All songs written by Beck Hansen.

# "Cold Brains" – 3:41
# "Nobody's Fault But My Own" – 5:02
# "Lazy Flies" – 3:44
# "Canceled Check" – 3:14
# "We Live Again" – 3:05
# "Tropicalia" – 3:20
# "Dead Melodies" – 2:36
# "Bottle of Blues" – 4:56
# "O Maria" – 3:59
# "Sing It Again" – 4:19
# "Static" – 11:20
#* Includes hidden track "Diamond Bollocks" (which comes in at 5:18). In the UK, this song is allotted its own track number.

Bonus tracks

There are a variety of bonus tracks on non-U.S. pressings of the album. "Runners Dial Zero," "Halo of Gold," "Black Balloon," and "Electric Music and the Summer People" (a re-recording of an "Odelay" era B-Side) each appear on select international versions.

Personnel

*Beck – guitar, harmonica, piano, glockenspiel, vocals, producer
*Elliot Caine – trumpet
*David Campbell – arranger, conductor, viola
*Larry Corbett – cello
*Warren Klein – sitar, tamboura
*Bob Ludwig – mastering
*David Ralicke – flute, trombone
*Nigel Godrich – producer, mixing
*Smokey Hormel – guitar, percussion, background vocals, cuica
*Joey Waronker – percussion, drums, synthesizer drums
*Robert Fisher – art direction
*Justin Meldal-Johnsen – bass, percussion, background vocals
*Roger Manning – synthesizer, keyboards, background vocals
*John Sorenson – assistant engineer
*Charlie Gross – photography
*Autumn de Wilde – photography

External links

*MusicBrainz album|id=295d2001-f034-447d-9545-56c8c63f6455|name=Mutations

References