Morning Phase
Studio album by
Beck
ReleasedFebruary 21, 2014 (2014-02-21)
Recorded2012–2013
Studio
GenreFolk rock[1][2][3]
Length47:08
Label
ProducerBeck
Beck chronology
Modern Guilt
(2008)		 Morning Phase
(2014)		 Colors
(2017)
Singles from Morning Phase
  1. "Blue Moon"
    Released: January 20, 2014[4]
  2. "Waking Light"
    Released: February 4, 2014[5]
  3. "Say Goodbye"
    Released: May 5, 2014 (2014-05-05)[6]
  4. "Heart Is a Drum"
    Released: July 28, 2014

Morning Phase is the twelfth official studio album and twelfth overall by American singer Beck.[7] The album was released in February 2014 by his new label, Capitol Records. According to a press release, Morning Phase is a "companion piece" to Beck's 2002 album Sea Change. Almost every credited musician who recorded parts for Sea Change returned to record for Morning Phase, with the sole exception being Sea Change producer Nigel Godrich.

Upon release, the album received critical acclaim and was nominated for five awards at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, winning three: Album of the Year, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and Best Rock Album. Beck performed the album's song "Heart Is a Drum" with Chris Martin at the ceremony.[8]

Background

Beck's previous album, Modern Guilt, was released in 2008, and was the final album released under his Interscope Records contract.[9] In the interim between album releases, Beck worked on a wide variety of projects, including new studio material, most of which went unreleased for several years.[9] In October 2012, bassist and frequent collaborator Justin Meldal-Johnsen commented: "I would estimate that there are currently about three or four albums' worth of material floating around," and Beck himself said that "I wasn't sure if I was going to put out a record – or if I should put out a record. It felt like I was standing still, while everything else was in such flux."[9]

In 2012 and 2013, Beck began to perform live with more regularity than in the years immediately following the Modern Guilt tour.[10] This period also saw new original material. The "I Just Started Hating Some People Today/Blue Randy" single was released in 2012, and he self-released the "Defriended", "I Won't Be Long", and "Gimme" singles in 2013.[11] All three of these songs were standalone releases as 12-inch singles on his own FONOGRAF label.[9] "I Won't Be Long" and "Gimme" were allegedly from an unfinished project from 2009, described as being similar to Odelay.[9] According to Beck, the remaining songs from this project may see a similar release method.[9]

In June 2013, Beck announced the expected release of two new albums for 2014, with one of the two being an "acoustic" album. The press release for the "acoustic" album (along with the news of his contract with Capitol Records) arrived in October 2013, announcing the title as Morning Phase and giving a February 2014 release window.[12] The other still-unfinished album would be planned for a later release. In comparing the production of Morning Phase with his previous album, Beck stated that prior to recording Modern Guilt in 2008, he had suffered a serious spinal injury,[13][14] and that the recording process for Modern Guilt was like "doing it with both hands tied behind your back. It hurt to sing. I'm whispering through half of those vocals."[9] On the other hand, Beck said that Morning Phase was a much more satisfying experience: "Some of the songs on the new record – I get to shout and yell. I'm like, 'Thank you!' I had a lot of ideas and things I'd been wanting to do. This last year and a half, I feel like I can really do them."[9]

Recording

In 2005, Beck began recording material in Nashville for a new album, but it remained incomplete for several years.[9] It was not until 2012 that he returned to continue the project, this time recording at Third Man Records (which, incidentally had not existed at the time of his previous sessions).[9] Two songs from these new sessions, "I Just Started Hating Some People Today" and "Blue Randy", were released that year as a non-album single on Third Man's Blue Series.[9] Other songs, like "Blackbird Chain", "Country Down", and "Waking Light", were reserved for what would become Morning Phase.[9] In the beginning of 2013, he recorded a great deal of the album in his hometown of Los Angeles in three days, with familiar studio and touring musicians Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., and Smokey Hormel. The next six months, Beck worked with this material for an album release.[9] His father David Campbell contributed orchestral arrangements for the album, as he had done previously for Sea Change and most of Beck's other albums.[9]

Promotion

On January 20, 2014, the album's first single, "Blue Moon", was released.[4] Beck released the second single from the album, "Waking Light", on February 4, 2014.[5][15] "Say Goodbye" was released as the third single in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2014.[16] "Heart Is a Drum" was released to United States adult album alternative radio on July 28, 2014, as the fourth single.[17]

Reception

Critical

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[18]
Metacritic81/100[19]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[20]
The A.V. ClubB+[21]
The Daily Telegraph[22]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[1]
The Guardian[23]
The Independent[24]
NME8/10[3]
Pitchfork6.8/10[25]
Rolling Stone[2]
Spin8/10[26]

Prior to its release, Morning Phase was placed at number two on Stereogum's list of most anticipated albums of 2014.[27]

Upon its release, the album received acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 81 (based on 46 reviews), indicating "universal acclaim".[19]

At Mojo, James McNair stated that "Morning Phase isn't an album that obsequiously courts your approval [...] it just does."[28] Andy Gill of The Independent wrote that the album is "a deeply satisfying journey, the sadness tempered by the warmth and beauty of the settings, and the gentle determination of the resolution. Accordingly, it's a much better album than Sea Change, just as immersive, but wiser and less indulgently wallowing."[24] According to Reef Younis of Clash magazine, Morning Phase has a "slight, melancholic tone", and "there's an awful lot to love."[29] CraveOnline's Iann Robinson rated the album 9/10, calling it a "proud successor to Sea Change" and "downtempo stroke of genius", and noted that it was some of Beck's best work in years.[30]

Commercial

Morning Phase debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling more than 87,000 in its first week, and becoming Beck's second highest charting album in the United States, after Guero (2005).[31] The album also reached top 10 positions in the UK, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.

Track listing

All tracks written by Beck Hansen.

  1. "Cycle" – 0:40
  2. "Morning" – 5:20
  3. "Heart Is a Drum" – 4:32
  4. "Say Goodbye" – 3:30
  5. "Blue Moon" – 4:03
  6. "Unforgiven" – 4:35
  7. "Wave" – 3:41
  8. "Don't Let It Go" – 3:10
  9. "Blackbird Chain" – 4:27
  10. "Phase" – 1:08
  11. "Turn Away" – 3:06
  12. "Country Down" – 4:01
  13. "Waking Light" – 5:01

Personnel

Musicians
"Wave" strings
  • Joel Derouin – violin (concert master)
  • Charlie Bisharat – violin
  • Mario De Leon – violin
  • Julian Hallmark – violin
  • Gerry Hilera – violin
  • Razdan Kuyumjian – violin
  • Natalie Leggett – violin
  • Alyssa Park – violin
  • Tereza Stanislav – violin
  • Josefina Vergara – violin
  • Denyse Buffum – viola
  • Andrew Duckles – viola
  • Matt Funes – viola
  • Steve Richards – first cello
  • Stefanie Fife – cello
  • Rudy Stein – cello
  • David Stone – double bass
Album strings
  • Charlie Bisharat – violin (concert master)
  • Sara Parkins – violin (concert master)
  • Kevin Connolly – violin
  • Julian Hallmark – violin
  • Tammy Halwan – violin
  • Natalie Leggett – violin
  • Grace Oh – violin
  • Michele Richards – violin
  • Sarah Thornblade – violin
  • Josefina Vergara – violin
  • Nina Evtuhov – violin
  • Songa Lee – violin
  • Joel Pargman – violin
  • Tereza Stainslav – violin
  • Roland Kato – principal viola
  • Andrew Duckles – principal viola
  • Matt Funes – viola
  • Jeanie Lim – viola
  • John E. Acosta – principal cello
  • Steve Richards – principal cello
  • Rudolph Stein – cello
  • Suzie Katayama – cello
  • David Stone – principal bass
Technical
  • Beck Hansen – producer
  • David Campbell – conductor, orchestrations
  • Darrell Thorp – engineer
  • Cole Marsden Greif-Neill – engineer
  • Cassidy Turbin – engineer
  • David "Elevator" Greenbaum – engineer
  • Florian Lagatta – engineer
  • Joe Visciano – engineer
  • Robbie Nelson – engineer
  • Tom Elmhirst – mixing
  • Ben Baptie – mixing assistant
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Andy West – design
  • Dan Moutford – initial cover layout
  • Autumn de Wilde – photography
  • Dennis Hallinan – city street image

Accolades

Publication Rank List
The A.V. Club 14 The 20 Best Albums of 2014[32]
The Daily Telegraph 12 Best 50 Albums of 2014[33]
The Guardian 8 Best Albums of 2014[34]
Mojo 1 50 Best Albums of 2014
musicOMH 7 Top 100 Albums of 2014[35]
The Huffington Post Unranked The 23 Best Albums of 2014[36]
Time Out 25 The 30 Best Albums of 2014[37]
Year Ceremony Nominated work Recipient(s) Category Result
2015 Grammy Awards[38] Morning Phase Beck
Beck Hansen, producer; Tom Elmhirst, David Greenbaum, Florian Lagatta, Cole Marsden, Greif Neill, Robbie Nelson, Darrell Thorp, Cassidy Turbin & Joe Visciano, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer		 Album of the Year Won
Beck Best Rock Album Won
Tom Elmhirst, David Greenbaum, Florian Lagatta, Cole Marsden, Greif Neill, Robbie Nelson, Darrell Thorp, Cassidy Turbin & Joe Visciano, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Won
"Blue Moon" Beck Best Rock Performance Nominated
Beck
Beck Hansen, songwriter		 Best Rock Song Nominated

Upon receiving Album of the Year, Morning Phase also beat out Pharrell Williams's G I R L, Beyoncé's self-titled album, Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour, and Ed Sheeran's x.[39]

Charts and certifications

Release history

Region Date Label Format(s) Ref
Australia February 21, 2014
Digital download [71]
Netherlands [72]
New Zealand [73]
Argentina
  • CD
  • digital download
 [74]
France February 24, 2014 [75][76]
United Kingdom [77][78]
United States February 25, 2014
  • CD
  • LP
  • digital download
 [79][80]
Germany February 28, 2014 [81][82]
Poland March 3, 2014 Universal Poland CD [83]

References

  1. 1 2 Rahman, Ray (February 19, 2014). "Morning Phase". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Hermes, Will (February 24, 2014). "Morning Phase". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Cooper, Leonie (February 21, 2014). "Beck – 'Morning Phase'". NME. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Blue Moon: Beck". Amazon. January 20, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Waking Light: Beck". Amazon. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ "IndieLondon: Music - Singles of the week - Monday, May 5, 2014 - Your London Reviews". IndieLondon. May 5, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  7. ↑ Ayers, Mike (October 28, 2013). "Beck Returns to 'Sea Change' Vibe for February LP 'Morning Phase'". Rolling Stone.
  8. ↑ Couch, Aaron (February 8, 2015). "Beck With Chris Martin Grammys Video Performance (2015) - Hollywood Performance". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Fricke, David (November 21, 2013). "Beck Shares 'Morning Phase' Details". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 23, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Search for setlists: beck". setlist.fm. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Beck Discography at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Beck Announces New Album Morning Phase, Signs to Capitol Records". Pitchfork. October 28, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  13. ↑ Hudson, Alex (November 14, 2013). "Beck Opens Up About Severe Spine Injury". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Beck Details Spinal Injury That Nearly Ended His Touring Career". Rolling Stone. March 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ Minsker, Evan (February 4, 2014). "Listen: Beck: "Waking Light"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  16. ↑ Lane, Daniel (May 5, 2014). "This week's new releases 05-05-2014". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Morning Phase by Beck reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Reviews for Morning Phase by Beck". Metacritic. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  20. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Morning Phase – Beck". AllMusic. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  21. ↑ Schonfeld, Zach (February 25, 2014). "Beck's new album, Morning Phase, revisits the mourning sounds of Sea Change". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  22. ↑ Brown, Helen (February 20, 2014). "Beck, Morning Phase, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  23. ↑ Jonze, Tim (February 20, 2014). "Beck: Morning Phase – review". The Guardian. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  24. 1 2 Gill, Andy (February 14, 2014). "Beck: The road to a new dawn plotted on a gorgeous return". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  25. ↑ Dombal, Ryan (February 25, 2014). "Beck: Morning Phase". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  26. ↑ Gubbels, Jason (February 24, 2014). "Beck Harvests Some West-Coast-Folkie Sunlight on the Stark, Lovely 'Morning Phase'". Spin. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  27. ↑ DeVille, Chris (December 23, 2013). "The 100 Most Anticipated Albums of 2014". Stereogum.
  28. ↑ McNair, James (2014). "Rise and shine: The recent INXS and Bowie covers were mere fitful dreams. After his long, dark night, Beck gives us a sleeping beauty". Mojo. p. 86. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  29. ↑ Younis, Reef (February 12, 2014). "Beck – Morning Phase". Clash. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  30. ↑ Robinson, Iann (January 31, 2014). "Review: Beck's 'Morning Phase' Shines With Honesty and Warmth". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  31. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (March 5, 2014). "ScHoolboy Q's 'Oxymoron' Debuts at No. 1 On Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  32. ↑ A.V. Club (December 9, 2014). "The A.V. Club 20 Best Albums of 2014". American Songwriter. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Best 50 Albums of 2014". The Telegraph. AllMusic. November 27, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Guardian Best Albums of 2014". The Guardian. November 26, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  35. ↑ "musicOMH's Top 100 Albums of 2014". musicOMH. December 6, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  36. ↑ Goodman; Kristobak, Jessica; Ryan (December 15, 2014). "The 23 Best Albums of 2014". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ↑ "The 30 Best Albums of 2014". Time Out. December 6, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  38. ↑ "The Complete List of 57th Annual Grammy Awards Winners". Yahoo! Music. February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  39. ↑ "57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  41. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Beck – Morning Phase" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Beck – Morning Phase" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Beck – Morning Phase" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Beck Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  45. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Beck – Morning Phase" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  47. ↑ "Beck: Morning Phase" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  48. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Beck – Morning Phase". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Beck". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  51. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  52. ↑ "Charts.nz – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  53. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  54. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  55. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  56. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  57. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  58. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Beck – Morning Phase". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  59. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  60. ↑ "Beck Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  61. ↑ "Beck Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  62. ↑ "Beck Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  63. ↑ "Beck Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  64. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2014". Ultratop. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
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  66. ↑ "Alternative Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2015. (subscription required)
  67. ↑ "Top Rock Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard.
  68. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Beck – Morning Phase". Music Canada.
  69. ↑ "British album certifications – Beck – Morning Phase". British Phonographic Industry.
  70. ↑ "American album certifications – Beck – Morning Phase". Recording Industry Association of America.
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