Released November 3, 1998 Label DGC Release date 3 November 1998 | Length 49:17 Artist Beck Producers Beck, Nigel Godrich | |
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Recorded March 19, 1998 – April 3, 1998 Mutations
(1998) Midnite Vultures
(1999) Genres Alternative rock, Blues, Indie rock, Alternative country, Psychedelic folk, Neo-psychedelia Awards Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album Similar Beck albums, Indie rock albums | ||
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Mutations is the third official studio album and sixth overall by American alternative rock artist Beck, released in 1998 on DGC Records. Though less commercially successful than the preceding Odelay, Mutations established Beck as an eclectic and innovative artist for his sample-free mixture of far-ranging musical genres, including folk rock, bossa nova, psychedelia, country, and blues. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
Contents
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Recording
Mutations was produced by Nigel Godrich, who was well-known at that point for his previous work with Radiohead. The album contains a number of Moog keyboards, acoustic guitars, and string arrangements. The production style was very different from that of his previous album Odelay, which was heavily influenced by hip hop music and contained many samples. The lyrical content of Mutations is also much more somber and serious than that on Odelay, apparent in the songs "Nobody's Fault But My Own" and "Dead Melodies."
Title and packaging
The title Mutations may be a nod to an influential Brazilian band of the late 60s, Os Mutantes. The song "Tropicalia" pastiches the works of Brazilian tropicalia artists of the era.
The record's front cover, a picture of Beck tangled in plastic wrap, was taken by music photographer Autumn de Wilde. Art direction was by abstract artist Robert M. Fisher.
The interior artwork features sculptures and drawings by artist Tim Hawkinson.
Release
Before beginning the recording sessions, Beck gained permission from the major label he was under contract with, Geffen, to release Mutations on the small indie label Bong Load Records. However, when Geffen executives heard the album, they reneged on their agreement and released the record. This led to a lawsuit filed by Beck against Geffen. As the record was in a markedly different style than the multi-platinum Odelay, Geffen's marketing effort suggested that the album was not an "official" follow-up, but this was not given wide credence in the music press.
Singles were released for the songs "Tropicalia", "Cold Brains" (Australia Only), and "Nobody's Fault But My Own" (Japan Only). No promotional music videos were made for any of the singles. Beck appeared on Saturday Night Live in promotion of Mutations, performing "Tropicalia" and "Nobody's Fault But My Own."
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.
Reception
The album received mostly positive reviews, gaining four stars from Rolling Stone and a 9.0 from Pitchfork Media. Thomas Ward of AllMusic deemed the record "one of the finest albums of the 1990s."
Track listing
All tracks written by Beck Hansen.
Bonus tracks
There are a variety of bonus tracks on non-U.S. pressings of the album.
Personnel
Songs
1Cold Brains3:42
2Nobody's Fault but My Own5:03
3Lazy Flies3:43