Sea Change by Beck

Sea Change is the eighth studio album by American musician Beck, released on September 24, 2002 by Geffen Records. Recorded over a two-month period in Los Angeles with producer Nigel Godrich, the album features themes of heartbreak and desolation, solitude, and loneliness. For the album, much of Beck's trademark cryptic and ironic lyrics were replaced by simpler, more sincere lyrical content. He also eschewed the heavy sampling of his previous albums for live instrumentation. When interviewed, Beck cited the breakup with his longtime girlfriend as the major influence on the album. Sea Change peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200, later being certified gold in 2005 by the RIAA. It was met with favorable responses from critics, who considered Beck's transition from sonically experimental work to emotionally charged balladry to be successful and convincing. The album later appeared in many publications' lists of the best albums of the 2000s, and is today one of Beck's best-reviewed recordings. "Lost Cause" and "Guess I'm Doing Fine" were released as singles.