"Mutations" is the sixth studio album by American songwriter Beck, released on November 3, 1998, by DGC Records. While it was less commercially successful than its predecessor Odelay, it won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
The album was produced by Nigel Godrich, known for his work with Radiohead, and features a mix of Moog keyboards, acoustic guitars, and string arrangements. The production style marked a significant departure from Odelay, which was heavily influenced by hip hop and contained numerous samples. The lyrics in Mutations are notably more somber and serious, as evident in tracks like "Nobody's Fault but My Own" and "Dead Melodies."
The album's cover, showcasing Beck tangled in plastic wrap, was photographed by Autumn de Wilde, with art direction by Robert Fisher. The interior artwork includes sculptures and drawings by artist Tim Hawkinson.
Prior to recording, Beck secured permission from his label Geffen to release the album on the smaller indie label Bong Load Records. However, after Geffen executives heard the finished product, they decided to release it themselves, resulting in a lawsuit filed by Beck against the label.
Singles from the album include "Tropicalia," "Cold Brains" (released in Australia and New Zealand), and "Nobody's Fault but My Own" (released in Japan). No promotional music videos were created for the singles, but Beck performed "Tropicalia" and "Nobody's Fault but My Own" on Saturday Night Live to promote the album.
Mutations reached number 13 on the US charts and was certified gold, while it peaked at 24 in the UK and 23 in Australia. By July 2008, it had sold 586,000 copies in the United States and had surpassed one million copies sold worldwide by 1999.
