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.

It was met with favorable responses from critics, who considered Beck's transition from eccentric, sonically experimental work to emotional balladry to be successful and convincing.

Three weeks before Beck's 30th birthday, he discovered Limon had been having an affair with a member of Los Angeles band Whiskey Biscuit.

"[6] Beck had also strayed from the songs to keep from talking about his personal life, as well as to focus on music and "not really strew my baggage across the public lobby."

[11] Regarding the performances of more personal tracks in the days before Sea Change, Beck explained in a 2008 interview that "Those were the kinds of songs I would play in the middle of the show.

"[12] Beck and his group of musicians entered the studio with intentions to make the record an acoustic-based offering, in the vein of those for his emotive 1998 disc Mutations.

[8] Musical partners in the studio included drummer James Gadson, and guitarist Jason Falkner, as well as longtime musical partners, keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning Jr., bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen, drummer Joey Waronker, guitarist Smokey Hormel, and cellist Suzie Katayama.

[5] In order to capture the immediacy of the material, the artists worked quickly and spontaneously, frequently laying second takes of songs to disc.

[8][10] At one session, Hansen began strumming his 1995 single "It's All in Your Mind" randomly before beginning a new song, and Godrich became ecstatic, remarking "We have to do that."

[13] Sea Change is based around a musical suite of reflective, acoustic-based songs that showcase Beck's singer-songwriter side.

[17] James Jackson Toth of Stereogum also compared the acoustic and relaxed melodies of Sea Change to the works of British singer-songwriter Nick Drake and Bob Dylan's 1975 album Blood on the Tracks.

Analysts predicted the album would not receive heavy radio support, noting that Beck's reputation, critical acclaim and the possibility of multiple Grammy nominations might offset an uncommercial sound.

[7] "It's a really beautiful album, but it's going to appeal to a different audience than he's had before," said Vince Szydlowski, senior director of product for the Virgin Megastore chain, shortly before the release of Sea Change.

Several music videos were released to promote the album, including ones for "Golden Age",[21] "Lonesome Tears",[22] "Guess I'm Doing Fine",[23] "Little One",[24] and two versions of "Lost Cause".

[25][26] Sea Change was released with four different album covers, each version containing distinct digital artwork by Jeremy Blake on the CD and the booklet.

In a five-star review, Rolling Stone critic David Fricke wrote that Sea Change was "the best album Beck has ever made, and it sounds like he's paid dearly for the achievement.

[7] Between new and old original songs at each concert, Beck performed many improvisational covers, such as "No Expectations" by the Rolling Stones, Big Star's "Kangaroo", the Zombies' "Beechwood Park" and "Sunday Morning" by the Velvet Underground.

David Fricke of Rolling Stone called the live covers "breathtaking", adding that they were "a perfect fit — songs about commitment and loss, written and sung by the wounded.

2009 Japanese and Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab edition bonus track ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.