Mellow Gold

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Mellow Gold
File:MellowGold.jpg
Studio album by
Beck
ReleasedMarch 1, 1994
Recorded1992–1993
Genre
Length47:31 (with hidden track)
Label
Producer
Beck chronology
Stereopathetic Soulmanure
(1994) 		Mellow Gold
(1994) 		One Foot in the Grave
(1994)
Singles from Mellow Gold
  1. "Loser"
    Released: February 4, 1994
  2. "Pay No Mind (Snoozer)"
    Released: April 1994
  3. "Beercan"
    Released: 1994

Mellow Gold is the third studio album by American musician Beck, released on March 1, 1994, by DGC Records as Beck's major label debut album. Critics noted the album's hybrid of various styles including rock, hip hop, folk, blues, psychedelia, and country,[3] as well as ironic, witty lyrics. Its decidedly anti-commercial attitude led to it becoming an unexpected commercial success, peaking at number thirteen in the United States and eventually being certified platinum. As of July 2008, Mellow Gold has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States.[4]

Background

[edit | edit source]

In a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone, Beck said of the album:

The whole concept of Mellow Gold is that it's like a satanic K-tel record that's been found in a trash dumpster, quite matter-of-factly. A few people have molested it and slept with it and half-swallowed it before spitting it out. Someone played poker with it, someone tried to smoke it. Then the record was taken to Morocco and covered with hummus and tabouli. Then it was flown back to a convention of water-skiers, who skied on it and played Frisbee with it. Then the record was put on the turntable, and the original K-Tel album had reached a whole new level. I was just taking that whole Freedom Rock feeling, you understand.[5]

According to the album's liner notes, Mellow Gold was recorded at Carl Stephenson and Rob Schnapf's houses, predominantly utilizing a four-track.[2]

Album cover

[edit | edit source]

The robot on the cover of Mellow Gold was created by artist Eddie Lopez, who made a cameo in the music video for the hit song "Loser". The sculpture was named "Survivor from the Nuclear Bomb". The shot was originally taken in Lopez's garage space by Beck's friend as well as early collaborator Ross Harris. The last image was reshot in a studio where Harris was able to control the environment and also add visual effects to make the cover look more apocalyptic.[6]

Title

[edit | edit source]

The album was originally going to be titled Cold Ass Fashion, sharing its name with an earlier song of Beck's. The final title used, Mellow Gold, was named after a potent strain of California marijuana.[6]

Reception

[edit | edit source]
Professional ratings
Initial reviews (in 1994)
Review scores
SourceRating
Chicago TribuneStarStarStar[7]
Entertainment WeeklyB[8]
Los Angeles TimesStarStarStar[9]
Music WeekStarStarStar[10]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star[11]
SelectStarStarStarFile:U+25A1.svgFile:U+25A1.svg[12]
The Village VoiceA[1]
Professional ratings
Retrospective reviews (after 1994)
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarStar[3]
BlenderStarStarStarStar[13]
Pitchfork8.8/10[14]
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarStarStarStar[15]
Spin Alternative Record Guide10/10[16]

Mellow Gold received general acclaim from music critics. AllMusic and Rolling Stone gave it five out of five stars (the latter originally giving it only three and a half).

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "although his inspired sense of humor occasionally plays like he's a smirking, irony-addled hipster, his music is never kitschy, and his wordplay is constantly inspired." He also wrote, "It's a dizzying demonstration of musical skills, yet it's all tied together by a simple yet clever sense of songcraft and a truly original lyrical viewpoint, one that's basic yet as colorful as free verse."[3]

Guitar World magazine included Mellow Gold in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.[17]

Track listing

[edit | edit source]

All tracks are written by Beck Hansen, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Loser"Hansen, Carl Stephenson3:55
2."Pay No Mind (Snoozer)" 3:15
3."Fuckin with My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)" 3:41
4."Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997" 3:28
5."Soul Suckin' Jerk"Hansen, Stephenson3:57
6."Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat)" 2:55
7."Sweet Sunshine"Hansen, Stephenson4:14
8."Beercan"Hansen, Stephenson4:00
9."Steal My Body Home" 5:34
10."Nitemare Hippy Girl" 2:55
11."Mutherfuker" 2:04
12."Blackhole" (includes hidden track, "Analog Odyssey", which begins at 5:49) 7:33
Total length:47:31

Samples credits

[edit | edit source]

"Loser"

[edit | edit source]

"Fuckin with My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)"

[edit | edit source]

"Soul Suckin' Jerk"

[edit | edit source]

"Sweet Sunshine"

[edit | edit source]

"Beercan"

[edit | edit source]

Personnel

[edit | edit source]
  • Beck – vocals, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, electric guitar, bass, harmonica, synthesizers, percussion, producer
  • Mike Boito – organ (track 8)
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • Tom Rothrock – producer, mixing
  • Rob Schnapf – producer, mixing
  • Carl Stephenson – producer, beats, sampling, sitar (track 1)
  • Petra Haden – violin (track 12)
  • David Harte – drums (tracks 2, 10, 11)
  • Rob Zabrecky – bass (track 12)
  • Robert Fisher – art direction, design
  • Ross Harris – photography
  • Mike O'Connor – drums

Charts

[edit | edit source]

Certifications

[edit | edit source]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[29] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Gold 100,000*
United States (RIAA)[31] Platinum 1,200,000[4]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Beck – Mellow Gold" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  20. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Beck – Mellow Gold" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Beck – Mellow Gold" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  22. ^ "Charts.nz – Beck – Mellow Gold". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Beck – Mellow Gold". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  24. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Beck – Mellow Gold". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  25. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Beck – Mellow Gold". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  26. ^ "Beck | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  27. ^ "Beck Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  28. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  29. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  30. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  31. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]

Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Mellow_Gold&oldid=440202"