Forest for the Trees was a group started by Carl Stephenson in 1993. The project produced only a single full length album during its duration. Self-titled, the album was released in 1997 after being delayed by a nervous breakdown that kept Stephenson from working on it for several years. Forest for the Trees produced only one single of note entitled "Dream". Forest for the Trees had many members, including John "coz" Acosta, Beck

Beck

Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...

, Papa Bear Martinez, Mark Petersen, Jasper & Amadeus amongst others. One album remains unreleased as of 2006 being shelved by the now non-existent DreamWorks Records. In addition to be the creator of the group and producing, Stephenson plays violin, guitar, sitar, drums, keyboards and the didgeridoo

Didgeridoo

The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...

. "Forest for the Trees is also beautifully infected with a collage of sounds from answering machines to dripping water to roller coasters, which bring a real-life aspect to rather abstract music."

Response

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

s David Browne described the self-titled album this way: "With its bong-watered, headphone-ready melange of distorted vocals, hip-hop beats, space-cadet lyrics, and sampled effects, the album is a spiritual cousin to Beck's debut Mellow Gold

Mellow Gold

Mellow Gold is the third studio album by American alternative rock musician Beck, as well as his major label debut. Mellow Gold was released on March 1, 1994 on the strength of the surprise hit "Loser"...

, which Stephenson co-produced." The album's lead single, "Dream," enjoyed modest success in MTV's heavy-rotation "Buzz Bin

Buzz Bin

MTV's Buzz Bin was a select group of music videos by up and coming artists and bands that the network deemed "buzz worthy", "cutting edge", or "the next big thing"...

," and received mixed reviews. As credit to the obvious psychedelic nature of the music, Shroomery.org lists Forest for the Trees as "good music to trip to."

Pitchfork Media

Pitchfork Media

Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...

 gave the album a disappointed 6.1, but did state "Given the fact that this album was completed three to four years ago, it takes on visionary qualities. Had this been released when it was originally completed, Beck's Odelay

Odelay

Odelay is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock artist Beck, originally released on June 18, 1996, by DGC Records.After the mainstream success of "Loser", Odelay featured several hit singles, including "Where It's At", "Devils Haircut", and "The New Pollution"...

may never have been hailed as the cut-n-paste production blueprint it has become."

Single chart information

"Dream"

Chart	Peak Position
Modern Rock Tracks	18
Billboard Hot 100	72

Album chart information

Forest for the Trees

Chart	Peak Position
Heatseakers	16
Billboard Hot 200	190