In contrast with his prior experimental work, Beck takes an introspective step back on his album Sea Change, which was released in 2002. Known for his alternative rock experimentation and intersection into other musical genres, Beck decides go a different route for Sea Change and strips down his sound to a more bare-bones, acoustic feel. Following personal hardship, he gravitates toward melancholy lyrics and an overall softer sound. However, there is a consistent underlying state of unrest throughout the record, which Beck allows to surface through waves of intense strings and periods of distortion. His songs—edging on ballads— are passionate, demonstrating his abilities as a singer-songwriter. Sea Change is a transformative record, for Beck personally and as a musician, and has given listers the opportunity to observe how dynamic of an artist he really is.