Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes

When I hear this record, I'm almost speechless. I don't now how to explain it...I don't now what to say.

On the soundtrack for the recent film "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind," Beck recorded a cover song. "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes" is the closer of the film, it's the final moments when we see Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet run off together, re-united. The song is originally from a British late '70s band, the Korgis. I've never heard of them, but I like this song. In trying to figure out what Beck album this song is on (not yet realizing it's only on this soundtrack), my first thought was that it would be on "Sea Change," because I had heard the record briefly when it came out, and the sound was similar. Well, I went through all the songs on the CD, and none of them were from the movie. But...it made me want to explore "Sea Change" a bit more. I think I listened to it at least three times a day every day last week, and several days this week, too.

Have you ever heard of Gram Parsons? He was originally in the International Submarine Band, then the Flying Burrito Brothers, then the Byrds, then he went solo, when he started doing a lot of duets with Emmylou Harris. He's known for being one of the originators of the country-rock sound. Bob Dylan's more country-sounding stuff is probably the most well known country-rock. I know you know a song from Gram Parsons. At least one, maybe two. He wrote "Wild Horses," and let the Rolling Stones release it on an album before he did. His version came out a few weeks later on a Flying Burrito Brothers record. You probably also know "Love Hurts." The original is from Roy Orbison, and Nazareth's cover is fairly well known, but Parsons recorded it, too, and it's with Emmylou Harris. I think his version is probably my favorite. It's almost painful, it's so sad.

Okay, I've gotten too far off track. I digress by nature. Sorry. So, what I was trying to say is that Beck's album "Sea Change" is a very, very country-rock record. I need to stress that I'm not saying alt-country. It's not like any Wilco record. And, much like a Gram Parsons record, it's warm and even a little consoling. It's obviously a breakup album, but somehow Beck manages to make you feel like everything's going to be okay. This is not the crazy experimentation found on "Odelay" or "Mellow Gold." There's no Vegas glitz like on "Midnight Vultures." This is a man stripping away all the tricks and baring his soul. His voice is so evocative and and and and I don't know, it's just such a damned good album.