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Mutations
Studio album by Beck
Released	November 3, 1998
Recorded	March 19, 1998 – April 3, 1998
Genre	Alternative rock, indie rock
Length	49:17
Label	DGC
Producer	Beck Hansen, Nigel Godrich
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link NME (8/10) link Pitchfork Media (9.0/10) link The A.V. Club (positive) link Robert Christgau (A-) link Rolling Stone link
Beck chronology
Odelay (1996) Mutations (1998) Midnite Vultures (1999)

Mutations is an indie rock album by Beck, released in 1998. Though less successful on the charts than the preceding Odelay, Mutations established Beck as a progressive and innovative artist, for his mixture of far-ranging musical genres, including tropicalia, bossa nova, country and blues. The album's title is most likely a nod to an influential tropicalia band of the late 60s, Os Mutantes. With this album Beck won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance [1].

The album was initially recorded by noted producer Nigel Godrich with the intention of having it released on Bong Load Custom Records, an indie label (as per Beck's agreement with his major label at the time, Geffen). However, when Geffen execs heard the album, they insisted it be carried by them. This led to a lawsuit filed by Beck against Geffen Records.

Beck made no music videos for any songs on this album. However, several singles were released from the record. Mutations peaked at #13 in the U.S., going gold, #24 in the UK and #23 in Australia.

All songs written by Beck Hansen.

1. "Cold Brains" – 3:41
2. "Nobody's Fault But My Own" – 5:02
3. "Lazy Flies" – 3:44
4. "Canceled Check" – 3:14
5. "We Live Again" – 3:05
6. "Tropicalia" – 3:20
7. "Dead Melodies" – 2:36
8. "Bottle of Blues" – 4:56
9. "O Maria" – 3:59
10. "Sing It Again" – 4:19
11. "Static" – 11:20
    • Includes hidden track "Diamond Bollocks" (which comes in at 5:18). In the UK, this song is allotted its own track number.

There are a variety of bonus tracks on non-U.S. pressings of the album. "Runners Dial Zero", "Halo of Gold", "Black Balloon", and "Electric Music and the Summer People" each appear on select international versions.

• Beck – guitar, harmonica, piano, glockenspiel, vocals, producer
• Elliot Caine – trumpet
• David Campbell – arranger, conductor, viola
• Larry Corbett – cello
• Warren Klein – sitar, tamboura
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• David Ralicke – flute, trombone
• Nigel Godrich – producer, mixing
• Smokey Hormel – guitar, percussion, background vocals, cuica
• Joey Waronker – percussion, drums, synthesizer drums
• Robert Fisher – art direction
• Justin Meldal-Johnsen – bass, percussion, background vocals
• Roger Manning – synthesizer, keyboards, background vocals
• John Sorenson – assistant engineer
• Charlie Gross – photography
• Autumn de Wilde – photography

• Mutations at MusicBrainz