Mellow Gold

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Stereopathetic Soulmanure1994One Foot in the Grave1994studioMellow GoldMellowGold.jpgBeckMarch 1, 19941992–1993* Alternative rock

• anti-folk
• experimental rock<ref name="RC"/>
• lo-fi<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>47:31 (with hidden track)* DGC

• Bong Load* Beck Hansen
• Tom Rothrock
• Rob Schnapf
• Carl Stephensonx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

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,<ref name="AM"/> 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.<ref name="billboard2">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Background

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

According to the album's liner notes, Mellow Gold was recorded at Carl Stephenson and Rob Schnapf's houses, predominantly utilizing a four-track.<ref name="auto"/>

Album cover

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.<ref name="yahoo.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Title

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.<ref name="yahoo.com"/>

Reception

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."<ref name="AM"/>

Guitar World magazine included Mellow Gold in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Track listing

Samples credits

{{#invoke:Listen|main}}

"Loser"

• "I Walk on Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins
• Kill the Moonlight dialogue

"Fuckin with My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)"

• "Save the World" by Southside Movement

"Soul Suckin' Jerk"

• "The Big Beat" by Billy Squier
• "Cow" by Melvins

"Sweet Sunshine"

• "Save the World" by Southside Movement

"Beercan"

• "Hog Leg" by Melvins
• Care Bears dialogue

Personnel

• 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

Weekly charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref name=ryan>Template:Cite book</ref>	53

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	94

External links

• 10 Years of Mellow Gold Documentary (retrospective documentary done for anniversary of the album)
• Template:MusicBrainz release