Beck Vinyl Records – Odelay, Sea Change & Essential Albums on Vinyl

Beck Hansen is one of the most stylistically restless songwriters of the last thirty years. Born in Los Angeles in 1970, grandson of Fluxus artist Al Hansen, and raised between the LA folk scene and the experimental art world, Beck emerged with 1994's Loser and spent the following decades producing a catalogue that moves between sample-heavy hip-hop-adjacent records, pristine soft-folk acoustic albums, synth-heavy electronica and everything in between.

Odelay (1996) and Sea Change (2002) are the two pillars — one a Dust Brothers–produced collage masterpiece, the other an acoustic, Nigel Godrich–produced breakup record of extraordinary beauty. Midnite Vultures, Mutations, Guero, Modern Guilt, Morning Phase and Hyperspace all occupy their own distinct sonic worlds. Beck on vinyl is particularly rewarding — his records are obsessively sequenced and sonically detailed, and the recent Music On Vinyl reissues and the half-speed masters of Sea Change and Morning Phase are all exceptional.

Best Beck Albums on Vinyl

Odelay (1996)
His masterpiece and one of the defining records of the 90s. Where It's At, Devil's Haircut, The New Pollution, Jack-Ass — produced by the Dust Brothers with extraordinary sample-collage density. Won Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammys.

Sea Change (2002)
The quiet masterpiece. The Golden Age, Paper Tiger, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause — written in the wake of the end of a long relationship, produced by Nigel Godrich, and one of the most beautiful acoustic-rock records of its era. Essential.

Mutations (1998)
The Bossa-nova-and-country-influenced follow-up to Odelay. Tropicalia, Cold Brains, Nobody's Fault But My Own — a more reflective, loose record recorded in two weeks with Godrich. A genuine cult favourite.

Morning Phase (2014)
The Sea Change sequel, in spirit at least. Heart Is a Drum, Blue Moon, Blackbird Chain — won Beck a second Grammy for Album of the Year, to widespread surprise. The gatefold 180g is beautifully pressed.

Midnite Vultures (1999)
The divisive, Prince-and-funk-influenced dance record. Sexx Laws, Mixed Bizness, Debra — increasingly recognised as one of his weirdest and most rewarding records.

If You Like Beck vinyl records, check these out:

Radiohead – Vinyl Records, Classic Albums & Essential Reissues Radiohead Tame Impala Vinyl Records – Psychedelic Albums & Reissues on Vinyl Tame Impala The Strokes Vinyl Records – Is This It, Room On Fire & Essential Albums on Vinyl The Strokes Portishead Vinyl Records – Dummy, Third & Essential Trip-Hop Albums on Vinyl Portishead Mac DeMarco Vinyl Records – Salad Days, 2 & Essential Albums on Vinyl Mac DeMarco

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