Mellow Gold

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 [https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/70861/turn-it-man-remembering-freedom-rock Freedom Rock] feeling, you understand.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/interview-beck-60098/|title=Interview: Beck|first1=David|last1=Wild|date=April 21, 1994|website=RollingStone.com|access-date=April 27, 2019}}

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

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.{{cite web|url=http://yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/music-news/10-more-things-might-not-know-beck-mellow-211206626.html|title=10 Things You Might Not Know About Beck's 'Mellow Gold'|website=Yahoo.com|date=February 28, 2014 |access-date=April 27, 2019}}

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.

{{Album ratings

| subtitle = Initial reviews (in 1994)

| rev1 = Chicago Tribune

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/03/17/becks-breadth/ |title=Beck's Breadth |work=Chicago Tribune |date=March 17, 1994 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2score = B{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1994/03/25/mellow-gold |title=Mellow Gold |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=March 25, 1994 |access-date=September 12, 2012 |last=Aaron |first=Charles |author-link=Charles Aaron}}

| rev3 = Los Angeles Times

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-20-ca-24960-story.html |title=Beck; 'Mellow Gold'; DGC |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 20, 1994 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |last=Gold |first=Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Gold}}

| rev4 = Rolling Stone

| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/mellow-gold-19940507 |title=Mellow Gold |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 7, 1994 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |last=Azerrad |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Azerrad}}

| rev5 = Select

| rev5score = {{rating|3|5|full=U+25A0.svg|empty=U+25A1.svg|rating=medal}}{{cite magazine|first=Roy|last=Wilkinson|url=https://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2014/07/albums2.jpg|title=New Albums|work=Select|date=May 1994|page=84|access-date=December 20, 2024|author-link=Roy Wilkinson}}

| rev6 = The Village Voice

| rev6score = A{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv394-94.php |title=Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |date=April 5, 1994 |access-date=November 19, 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

{{Album ratings

| subtitle = Retrospective reviews (after 1994)

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mellow-gold-mw0000591891 |title=Mellow Gold – Beck |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=June 15, 2011 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}

| rev2 = Blender

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=844 |title=Beck: Mellow Gold |magazine=Blender |access-date=November 19, 2015 |last=Smith |first=RJ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504145242/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=844 |archive-date=May 4, 2006 |url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = Pitchfork

| rev3score = 8.8/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/beck-mellow-gold/ |title=Beck: Mellow Gold |work=Pitchfork |date=May 3, 2020 |access-date=May 3, 2020 |last=Powell |first=Mike}}

| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Beck |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/55 55–56]}}

| rev5 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

| rev5score = 10/10{{cite book |chapter=Beck |last=Weisbard |first=Eric |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=35–36}}

}}

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."

Guitar World magazine included Mellow Gold in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/superunknown-50-iconic-albums-defined-1994 |title=Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994 |date=July 14, 2014 |work=GuitarWorld.com |access-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715053900/http://www.guitarworld.com/superunknown-50-iconic-albums-defined-1994 |archive-date=July 15, 2014 }}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Beck Hansen, except where noted

| title1 = Loser

| writer1 = Hansen, Carl Stephenson

| length1 = 3:55

| title2 = Pay No Mind (Snoozer)

| length2 = 3:15

| title3 = Fuckin with My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)

| length3 = 3:41

| title4 = Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997

| length4 = 3:28

| title5 = Soul Suckin' Jerk

| writer5 = Hansen, Stephenson

| length5 = 3:57

| title6 = Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat)

| length6 = 2:55

| title7 = Sweet Sunshine

| writer7 = Hansen, Stephenson

| length7 = 4:14

| title8 = Beercan

| writer8 = Hansen, Stephenson

| length8 = 4:00

| title9 = Steal My Body Home

| length9 = 5:34

| title10 = Nitemare Hippy Girl

| length10 = 2:55

| title11 = Mutherfuker

| length11 = 2:04

| title12= Blackhole

| note12 = includes hidden track, "Analog Odyssey", which begins at 5:49

| length12 = 7:33

| total_length = 47:31

}}

{{listen|filename=Loser.ogg|title="Loser"|description="Loser" by Beck|format=Ogg}}

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

• "Save the World" by Southside Movement

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

• "Save the World" by Southside Movement

• "Hog Leg" by Melvins
• Care Bears dialogue

• 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

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Mellow Gold|type=album|artist=Beck|relyear=1994|award=Platinum|certyear=2013|access-date=December 18, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Mellow Gold|type=album|artist=Beck|relyear=1994|award=Gold|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|access-date=December 18, 2019|id=9401-860-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Mellow Gold|type=album|artist=Beck|relyear=1994|certyear=1995|award=Platinum|salesamount=1,200,000|salesref=|access-date=December 18, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=3044B78F87F3E3F7 10 Years of Mellow Gold Documentary] (retrospective documentary done for anniversary of the album)
• {{MusicBrainz release|mbid=401b0a2d-a250-4fe0-ae73-53fc4ca4ae68|name=Mellow Gold}}

{{Beck}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Beck albums

Category:DGC Records albums

Category:1994 albums

Category:Albums produced by Tom Rothrock

Category:Albums produced by Rob Schnapf

Category:Geffen Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Beck

Category:Anti-folk albums

Category:Cannabis music