EELS | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A musical project that weds a rich variety of off-kilter pop influences with deeply personal lyrics often obsessing over the darker sides of human experience, Eels is the rubric used by singer, songwriter, and musician Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) for the music he creates with a rotating group of collaborators. Born in Virginia on April 9, 1963, Everett became interested in rock music at an early age via his sisters record collection, and began playing drums at the age of six, as well as tinkering on his familys piano. Everett led a troubled life as a teenager, which was further complicated by his fathers death. The turmoil led to an even stronger interest in music, as he taught himself how to play his sisters guitar and began writing his own original compositions. (Tragedy would later form the catalyst for Eels magnum opus, Electro-Shock Blues.) Since several of his friends were also named Mark, Everett began going by his initials -- and eventually, solely by the letter E. By his early twenties, E was recording demo material on a used four-track cassette recorder, and decided to pursue a career in music by relocating to Los Angeles. As Everett became a prolific songwriter, the quality of his tunes began to improve, which led to a recording contract as a solo artist for Polydor Records. This was followed by a pair of underappreciated releases, 1992s A Man Called (E) (which was supported with a tour opening for Tori Amos) and 1993s Broken Toy Shop, before E left the label and formed Eels along with bassist Tommy Walter and drummer Butch Norton. The trio inked a deal with the then-newly formed Dreamworks label, which issued Eels debut, 1996s Beautiful Freak. The album spawned a sizable MTV/alternative radio hit with "Novocaine for the Soul"; its promo clip received three MTV Video Music Award nominations the following year, and the groups popularity rose in England (resulting in a Brit Award, which was presented to the group by satiric metal heroes Spinal Tap). What should have been a time of great promise for E turned out to be one of tragedy, as both the singers sister and mother passed away in quick succession. This was compounded by Walters departure from the group. The dark mood resonated in Eels sophomore effort, Electro-Shock Blues, which proved to be stronger than its predecessor, yet failed to fuel much commercial success. With new bassist Adam Siegal in tow, the group toured behind the albums release before returning to the studio immediately afterward to work on a third album. Issued in 2000, Daisies of the Galaxy offered a slightly brighter outlook and featured a guest appearance from R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, who also helped co-pen a track. Despite the albums commercial failure, E put together the Eels Orchestra and launched an international tour in support of its release. The six-piece band featured saxophone, trombone, trumpet, banjo, guitar, violin, upright bass, piano, melodica, clarinet, and timpani; to make it work on-stage, each bandmember was required to play three to four different instruments each night. After a live recording of the 2000 Eels Orchestra tour, Oh What a Beautiful Morning, was issued via the groups official website, E began preparing for Eels fourth studio release. Instead of penning the entire album by himself (as hed done with the groups previous work), E turned to John Parish for help. The two created Souljacker, which was issued throughout most of the world in September 2001 and hit American shores early the following year (in the U.S., the first edition of the CD also contained a bonus four-track disc). The resulting tour saw E and Norton joined by multi-instrumentalist Parish, as well as new bassist/synthesizer player Koool G Murder. A live disc, Electro-Shock Blues Show, followed soon after to promote the tour. Spring 2003 began a flurry of Eels/E-related releases, beginning with MC Honky and his SpinART release I Am the Messiah. While the man behind Messiahs splattering mix of hip-hop beats, dance grooves, and kitschy samples was little more than E in DJ drag, the album was nevertheless an enjoyable slice of summertime fun. Es score for the indie film Levity arrived in April, and June saw the release of Eels fifth studio album, Shootenanny! Its follow-up, 2005s Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, was an ambitious double album including 33 songs. Eels With Strings: Live at Town Hall album, recorded June 30, 2005, documented their New York Town Hall performance during their 2005 tour of the same name, and another With Strings: Live at Town Hall edition was simultaneously issued in February 2006 with a concert DVD. In 2008, Eels released two CD/DVD sets, the first a best-of package and the second a collection of odds & sods. The bands music also comprised the bulk of the soundtrack for Yes Man, a comedy featuring Jim Carrey. E then returned to the drawing board and emerged with Hombre Lobo, a concept album about desire that arrived in mid-2009, followed closely by the Transmissions Session 2009 live EP. The lo-fi End Times, which revolved around the central theme of broken love, arrived in 2010, but was followed in August by Tomorrow Morning, a much more polished album of upbeat optimism that relied heavily on analog electronics to drive its songs. Eels tenth album -- the eccentric, hard rock-focused Wonderful, Glorious -- arrived early in 2013. The stripped-down, acoustic, and lightly orchestrated The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett followed it roughly a year later in 2014. On June 30, the band performed at Londons Royal Albert Hall. The show was filmed and recorded, then released as an audio and video disc package in the spring of 2015. E teamed with Koool G Murder and P-Boo to create 2018s The Deconstruction, an effort drawn from his interest in electronic composition and recording. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 27 Title: Beautiful Freak Released: 1996-08-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Novocaine for the Soul (03:08) 2 Susan’s House (03:43) 3 Rags to Rags (03:53) 4 Beautiful Freak (03:34) 5 Not Ready Yet (04:46) 6 My Beloved Monster (02:12) 7 Flower (03:38) 8 Guest List (03:13) 9 Mental (04:01) 10 Spunky (03:11) 11 Your Lucky Day in Hell (04:28) 12 Manchild (04:05) |
| Beautiful Freak : Allmusic album Review : Eccentric and quirky are the best ways to describe the Eels debut effort, Beautiful Freak. Concise pop tunes form the backbone of the album, yet tinges of despair and downright meanness surface just when youve been lulled into thinking this is another pop group, as titles like "My Beloved Monster," "Your Lucky Day in Hell" and "Novocaine for the Soul" indicate. All in all, Beautiful Freak is a satisfying first record. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 27 Title: Rags to Rags Released: 1997 Tracks: 6 Duration: 19:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Rags to Rags (03:53) 2 Animal (02:38) 3 Novocaine for the Soul (Live From Hell) (BBC Radio 1 version) (03:20) 4 Manchester Girl (BBC Radio 1 version) (03:20) 5 My Beloved Mad Monster Party (BBC Radio 1 version) (02:33) 6 Flower (BBC Radio 1 version) (03:17) |
 | Album: 3 of 27 Title: Electro-Shock Blues Released: 1998-09-21 Tracks: 16 Duration: 48:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Elizabeth on the Bathroom Floor (02:08) 2 Going to Your Funeral, Part I (02:37) 3 Cancer for the Cure (04:45) 4 My Descent Into Madness (03:54) 5 3 Speed (02:45) 6 Hospital Food (03:23) 7 Electro-Shock Blues (02:29) 8 Efils God (03:19) 9 Going to Your Funeral, Part II (01:30) 10 Last Stop: This Town (03:27) 11 Baby Genius (02:03) 12 Climbing to the Moon (03:38) 13 Ant Farm (02:11) 14 Dead of Winter (02:59) 15 The Medication Is Wearing Off (03:51) 16 P.S. You Rock My World (03:08) |
| Electro-Shock Blues : Allmusic album Review : The Eels second release, Electro-Shock Blues, is a much darker album than their underrated debut, 1996s Beautiful Freak, but just as rewarding. Singer/guitarist/songwriter E experienced many upheavals in his personal life between albums (the passing of several family members and close friends), and decided to work his way through lifes tribulations via his music. The result is a spectacular epic work, easily on par with such classic albums cut from the same cloth -- Neil Youngs Tonights the Night, Lou Reeds Magic and Loss. For some of the most introspective and haunting tunes of recent times, look no further than the title track, "Last Stop: This Town," and "Elizabeth on the Bathroom Floor." And although the lyrics deal almost entirely with mortality, the music for "Hospital Food," "Cancer for the Cure," and "Going to Your Funeral, Pt. 1" is comparable to Becks funky noise, while "Efils God," "The Medication Is Wearing Off," and "My Descent Into Madness" are all ethereal, soothing compositions. One of the finest and fully realized records of 1998, a must-hear. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 27 Title: Daisies of the Galaxy Released: 1999 Tracks: 16 Duration: 47:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Grace Kelly Blues (03:37) 2 Packing Blankets (02:07) 3 The Sound of Fear (03:33) 4 I Like Birds (02:34) 5 Daisies of the Galaxy (03:27) 6 Flyswatter (03:18) 7 It’s a Motherfucker (02:14) 8 Estate Sale (01:36) 9 Tiger in My Tank (03:07) 10 A Daisy Through Concrete (02:26) 11 Jeannie’s Diary (03:37) 12 Wooden Nickels (02:55) 13 Something Is Sacred (02:52) 14 Selective Memory (02:44) 15 Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues (03:58) 16 Birdgirl on a Cell Phone (03:07) |
| Daisies of the Galaxy : Allmusic album Review : The Eels were always a vehicle for a songwriter called (E), but by the point of their third album, 2000s Daisies of the Galaxy, they were his and his alone. When it came time to deliver a follow-up to the intimate, tortured Electro-Shock Blues, (E) couldnt help but deliver a lighter album, but hed already turned so far into himself that his music was entirely insular. Of course, his music had always been fairly insular, but if Daisies of the Galaxy is any indication, hes gone so far in, he cant really come out. Hes certainly not as extreme as Brian Wilson or Syd Barrett, but hes at the level of XTC or Roy Wood, making pop music for an already-established audience. Nothing on Daisies of the Galaxy will draw in casual listeners the way "Novocaine for the Soul" did, since everything is in miniature, from the yardsale production to the poetic scrawlings. Unlike its predecessor, the album doesnt play like (E)s private diary; instead, it feels as if one is rummaging through his sketchbook. And, like many sketchbooks, some moments have blossomed, and others remain just intriguing, unformed ideas. For the dedicated, its worth sifting through the album to find the keepers, since there are enough moments of quirky genius. But not all longtime fans will find this rewarding, since (E) has spent more time in creating mood than crafting songs. There are very few melodies that resonate like his best work, and the stripped-down, yet eccentric production -- sounding much like a cross between Jon Brion and Beck -- never feels realized. Thats the problem with an offbeat, gifted musician becoming too insular; there are still clear clues of why he has his reputation, but theres not enough to justify exactly why he does. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 27 Title: Oh What a Beautiful Morning Released: 2000-12 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:03:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Feeling Good (02:32) 2 Overture: Last Stop: This Town / Beautiful Freak / Rags to Rags / Your Lucky Day in Hell / My Descent Into Madness / Novocaine for the Soul / Flower (07:02) 3 Oh What a Beautiful Morning (06:01) 4 Abortion in the Sky (01:29) 5 Its a Motherfucker (02:06) 6 Fucker (02:18) 7 Ant Farm (02:08) 8 Climbing to the Moon (04:06) 9 Grace Kelly Blues (03:31) 10 Daisies of the Galaxy (04:02) 11 Flyswatter (08:06) 12 Vice President Fruitley (03:13) 13 Hot and Cold (03:10) 14 Mr. Es Beautiful Blues (02:23) 15 Not Ready Yet (04:05) 16 Susans House (04:28) 17 Something Is Sacred (02:37) |
| Oh What a Beautiful Morning : Allmusic album Review : Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Eels only officially commissioned live disc, gives Es loyal fan base a little taste of what a concert is like, as their touring for the previous album, Daisies of the Galaxy, was very sparse. The album compiles performances from all around the world, mainly taking selections from shows in Los Angeles and Glasgow, as well as a few of Es solo dates opening up for Fionna Apple. Highlights are numerous, including several covers (as can normally be found in an Eels set) like the Rodgers & Hammerstein title track and the truly haunting version of "Feeling Good," as well as an overture of previous album favorites, including Beautiful Freak gems like "Rags to Rags," "Flower," and "Novocaine for the Soul," and songs that have previously only been available on U.K. singles. E is joined by drummer Butch Norton and Lisa Germano taking care of bass duties. Germano does an excellent job of filling the void left by Tommy Walter, who left the band after Electro-Shock Blues. This is a necessary album for any fan of the Eels, and is certainly worth the time that one would spend finding this limited-edition treasure. Butchs comical take on the U.K.s water faucet issues on "Hot and Cold" could be worth the price of the CD alone, and certainly is indicative of the lively and lighthearted antics of the Eels concert experience. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 27 Title: Souljacker Released: 2001-09-19 Tracks: 16 Duration: 56:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dog Faced Boy (03:18) 2 That’s Not Really Funny (03:19) 3 Fresh Feeling (03:37) 4 Woman Driving, Man Sleeping (03:30) 5 Souljacker, Part I (03:16) 6 Friendly Ghost (03:22) 7 Teenage Witch (04:44) 8 Bus Stop Boxer (03:45) 9 Jungle Telegraph (03:40) 10 World of Shit (03:30) 11 Souljacker, Part II (01:58) 12 What Is This Note? (02:28) 1 I Write the B‐Sides (03:55) 2 Hidden Track (04:25) 3 Jehovah’s Witness (03:39) 4 Mr. Es Beautiful Remix (Butch n Joey remix) (03:53) |
| Souljacker : Allmusic album Review : As with the bands previous albums, Souljacker bristles with pop euphoria and cracking production, and proves Eels frontman, E, to be a superb songwriter, but just like those previous albums, Souljacker ultimately falls a bit flat over the course of its extended running time. Album opener "Dog Faced Boy" exemplifies the weaker half of the albums 12 tracks. Though its a decent punk glam take on T-Rex dynamics, it doesnt exactly beg for repeat listens like the albums better half. "Thats Not Really Funny," "Woman Driving, Man Sleeping," "Fresh Feeling," "Friendly Ghost," and "What Is This Note?" are as strong as any songs in the bands back catalog. On these songs, lush strings, found sounds, childrens toys, spy themes, surf music, elaborate piano segments, and fuzzy harmonicas mingle in the bands trademark, innovative way. Easily besting almost anything in Becks quirky bag of songs, these songs display the charm, polish, and sincerity of Es original vision. Sadly, theres too much skronking punk-pop noise in the remaining songs that serves to drag the album down. This limited-edition release adds a bonus disc of four songs, one of them superb, two of them downright horrible, and one of them a useless remix. Only "I Write the B-Sides" warrants seeking out the limited edition. Its opening lines show E at his most poignant and wise, as he sings "I write the B-sides that make a small portion of the world cry/I like the seaside and singing songs that make you not want to die." Punchy, exuberant, and smart, the song would have made perfect sense on Souljacker in place of the somewhat mindless filler that permeates its cracks. Souljacker is certainly a welcome addition to any fans Eels collection, but due to its weaker batch of tracks, its hard to recommend it to newcomers. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 27 Title: Electro-Shock Blues Show Released: 2002 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:12:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Cancer for the Cure (05:16) 2 Fingertips, Part III (01:19) 3 Going to Your Funeral, Part I (03:14) 4 Efils God (03:10) 5 Souljacker, Part I (04:30) 6 My Beloved Monster (02:32) 7 Novocaine for the Soul (04:22) 8 Not Ready Yet (12:57) 9 Last Stop: This Town (02:52) 10 Everythings Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (02:58) 11 Flower (03:26) 12 Dead of Winter (03:21) 13 Electro-Shock Blues (03:35) 14 The Medication Is Wearing Off (04:14) 15 Climbing to the Moon / My Beloved Monster (15:05) |
 | Album: 8 of 27 Title: Shootenanny! Released: 2003-05-28 Tracks: 13 Duration: 41:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All in a Days Work (03:24) 2 Saturday Morning (02:55) 3 The Good Old Days (03:03) 4 Love of the Loveless (03:32) 5 Dirty Girl (02:41) 6 Agony (03:07) 7 Rock Hard Times (04:00) 8 Restraining Order Blues (03:11) 9 Lone Wolf (02:47) 10 Wrong About Bobby (02:46) 11 Numbered Days (03:44) 12 Fashion Awards (03:07) 13 Somebody Loves You (03:02) |
| Shootenanny! : Allmusic album Review : Of the legions of artists and characters to emerge in the great alt-rock explosion of the 90s, the man called E is one of the oddest, partially because hes etched a career that is both doggedly obstinate and strangely predictable. Throughout his career, E has followed his muse wherever it takes him -- it just happens to take him to places that seem familiar. Just as the alt-rock circus kicked off in 1992, he released A Man Called (E) to little more than power pop acclaim, but once he formed an ad-hoc band called the Eels in 1996, he gained a hit with "Novocaine for the Soul" and earned a cult following that he sustained into the 21st century when, once again, he was a one-man band, only this time retaining the commercial cache (or at least recognition) that came with the Eels name. His 2003 effort, Shootenanny!, is the first where he doesnt make much of a pretense of this being a band affair -- the notes say its "performed by Mark Oliver Everett (you can call him E)" -- and it does not seem like a coincidence that its also his best album since his dark night of the soul, 1998s Electro-Shock Blues. In many ways, its a lot more listenable, since the doom that hangs over that album makes it a little impenetrable. This has a sour temper and a black humor, as well as a general sense of self-satisfied gloominess, but hes more tongue-in-cheek about it these days, as the impish title suggests. This record isnt folky, the way hootenannies were, but it does have a strong blues and singer/songwriter element to the record. Since hes been saddled with this comparison countless times, it feels both trite and unfair to say he often sounds like Beck on Shootenanny!, but he does -- he sounds like a combination of Beck and Tom Waits, put through a power pop prism. So, even if it isnt entirely original, it is an appealing sound, but E has turned into a good editor, trimming away his excesses, emphasizing both his hooks and his atmosphere, and bringing it all in at 40 minutes. Its not as poppy as some of his other albums, but it is more focused and appealing, and one of the stronger testaments to his ornery talents. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 27 Title: Sixteen Tons (Ten Songs): 2003 KCRW Session Released: 2005 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Im a Loser (02:40) 2 Packing Blankets (02:01) 3 Saturday Morning (02:47) 4 Lone Wolf (03:24) 5 Numbered Days (03:36) 6 Last Stop: This Town (02:59) 7 Rock Hard Times (03:42) 8 Sixteen Tons (02:55) 9 Grace Kelly Blues (02:41) 10 My Beloved Monster (05:13) |
 | Album: 10 of 27 Title: B-Sides & Rarities: 1996-2003 Released: 2005-04-05 Tracks: 20 Duration: 56:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Fucker (live) (02:19) 2 My Beloved Monster (live, Tennessee) (02:32) 3 Stepmother (02:51) 4 Animal (02:38) 5 Susans Apartment (Mike Simpson remix) (03:28) 6 Altar Boy (02:14) 7 Bad News (02:56) 8 Dog’s Life (03:59) 9 Novocaine for the Soul (03:10) 10 Funeral Parlor (02:13) 11 Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (02:51) 12 Birdgirl on a Cell Phone (03:07) 13 Flyswatter (The Polka Dots remix) (02:31) 14 Vice President Fruitley (02:17) 15 Jennifer Eccles (03:20) 16 My Beloved Monstrosity (03:25) 17 Can’t Help Falling in Love (02:08) 18 Her (02:48) 19 Waltz of the Naked Clowns (02:47) 20 Sad Foot Sign (02:19) |
 | Album: 11 of 27 Title: Blinking Lights and Other Revelations Released: 2005-04-25 Tracks: 33 Duration: 1:33:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Theme From Blinking Lights (01:44) 2 From Which I Came / A Magic World (03:13) 3 Son of a Bitch (02:27) 4 Blinking Lights (for Me) (02:01) 5 Trouble With Dreams (04:33) 6 Marie Floating Over the Backyard (02:03) 7 Suicide Life (02:41) 8 In the Yard, Behind the Church (04:05) 9 Railroad Man (04:16) 10 The Other Shoe (02:32) 11 Last Time We Spoke (02:22) 12 Mother Mary (03:21) 13 Going Fetal (02:21) 14 Understanding Salesmen (02:43) 15 Theme for a Pretty Girl That Makes You Believe God Exists (02:06) 16 Checkout Blues (02:27) 17 Blinking Lights (For You) (01:59) 1 Dust of Ages (02:21) 2 Old Shit/New Shit (03:17) 3 Bride of Theme From Blinking Lights (01:52) 4 Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living) (03:02) 5 I’m Going to Stop Pretending That I Didn’t Break Your Heart (03:56) 6 To Lick Your Boots (03:30) 7 If You See Natalie (03:41) 8 Sweet Li’l Thing (03:27) 9 Dusk: A Peach in the Orchard (01:17) 10 Whatever Happened to Soy Bomb (02:26) 11 Ugly Love (02:57) 12 God’s Silence (01:26) 13 Losing Streak (02:50) 14 Last Days of My Bitter Heart (01:35) 15 The Stars Shine in the Sky Tonight (03:31) 16 Things the Grandchildren Should Know (05:22) |
| Blinking Lights and Other Revelations : Allmusic album Review : On 2003s Shootenanny!, Eels frontman and songwriter Mark Oliver Everett seemed to approach his work with fresh ears. He cut through his own trademark lyric and production excesses (very evident on the wonderfully messy and rocked-up Souljacker) and came up with an offering of quirky, sparking tunes that were shot through with American roots music and his trademark power pop hooks, while never compromising his stubbornly iconoclastic way of looking at the world. The same cannot be said for Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. Over 90 minutes and 33 songs, E opens his own, personal Pandoras Box and lets everything out musically, lyrically, and emotionally. This is the most searingly personal album E and his ad hoc stable of cohorts have recorded since Electro-Shock Blues -- though its not as unremittingly dark. The handsomely designed double digipack is adorned with familial photographs -- including a cover shot of his mother as a child. Strings, brass, tinkling bells, and gauzy layers of sonic textures stream through these haphazard songs. In fact, despite the appearance of family, childhood, changing times, and other concerns of personal narrative, Blinking Lights is not a unified album; its tunes are gathered seemingly willy-nilly conceptually. No matter; it is Es world-weary voice that holds the disparate parts of the album together in a loose, soft web that envelopes him and the listener. It sits dead center, allowing the tensions, textures, and moods to grip and release him at will. He expresses it all honestly, without immersion or unnecessary put-on detachment. It is his voice that gives the record a type of spiritual quality, one that seems to gauge lessons learned -- either with acceptance or rejection -- from the various truths revealed. Family and history are woven together over the entirety to create not only introspection but a sense of times slippage, emotional and physical displacement, and grief that is offset in places by poignant humor. Disc ones standouts include the glorious "Railroad Man," a country-ish lament for that quickly disappearing way of life, while "Son of a Bitch," with its elegant saxophones, weepy pedal steel, and stately pace, offsets the painful revelation of the protagonist, "Going Fetal," a new dance tune (à la the Twist) features a vocal sample by Tom Waits and a faux, live rave-up setting fueled completely by a loopy Wurlitzer and a lyric that expresses with true irony the perceived joy of escape. "Mother Mary" is a stomping organ and rhythm-driven track that references reggae and carnival music. Its subject matter is offset by the musical attack and the eerie sound of an empty playground swing weaving its way through the mix. The second disc begins with the elegiac yet shimmering "Dust of Ages," which feels like a demo from Peter Gabriels second album. "Im Going to Stop Pretending That I Didnt Break Your Heart" is gem-like pop/rock balladry, while "Dusk: A Peach in the Orchard" -- co-written with the Lovin Spoonfuls John Sebastian -- is a modern folk song that comes from the broken heart of memory, and could have been written during the Civil War era. R.E.M.s Peter Buck co-wrote and performs on the ironic "To Lick Your Boots." The set closes with the bittersweet personal testament "Things the Grandchildren Should Know." Its unfocused and leaky lyrically, but it gets to emotional places most songwriters only dream of. Blinking Lights and Other Revelations is blessed because of -- not in spite of -- its excesses. Its not like anything else out there right now. It makes no apologies, its shaky in places, and there are cuts that dont seemingly belong on either disc but fit within the context of the album as a whole. It feels like E and his collaborators have made an honest to goodness indie rock record, one that is immediate yet whose depths cannot be fathomed immediately. Its unwieldy, too long, irritating in some places, graceful in others, and sometimes clumsy. But it is utterly original and startlingly beautiful. At this juncture, records like this are almost museum pieces, mistakenly and cynically written off to the delusions of pop grandeur of earlier eras. Thank goodness rock music as we once knew it still exists in the minds and hearts of some of our more perceptive artists. E is one of them; he put everything into making Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, and the payoff is that it shows. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 27 Title: Eels With Strings: Live at Town Hall Released: 2006-02-14 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:03:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Blinking Lights (For Me) (02:02) 2 Bride of Theme From Blinking Lights (01:36) 3 Bus Stop Boxer (03:23) 4 Dirty Girl (02:52) 5 Trouble With Dreams (03:20) 6 The Only Thing I Care About (02:14) 7 My Beloved Monster (01:52) 8 Pretty Ballerina (02:34) 9 Its a Motherfucker (02:14) 10 Flyswatter (05:02) 11 Novocaine for the Soul (03:05) 12 Girl From the North Country (02:48) 13 Railroad Man (02:27) 14 I Like Birds (02:29) 15 If You See Natalie (03:30) 16 Poor Side of Town (02:43) 17 Spunky (03:03) 18 Im Going to Stop Pretending That I Didnt Break Your Heart (03:45) 19 Suicide Life (02:39) 20 Losing Streak (02:17) 21 Hey Man (Now Youre Really Living) (02:17) 22 Things the Grandchildren Should Know (04:53) |
| Eels With Strings: Live at Town Hall : Allmusic album Review : Mark Oliver Everett, or "E," as he is more commonly known in rock & roll circles, did something magical in 2005 with the brilliant and moving double CD Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. According to his website, E was sitting in his L.A. backyard smoking a cigar, not wanting to tour, when he had the idea for an Eels concert with strings and a band that played melodica, celeste, lap steel, pump organs, and whatever else. And, like everything else he does, he went and put that band together: seven pieces with no proper drummer. This concert, recorded at New Yorks venerable Town Hall, was also filmed (the DVD contains eight more songs than the CD as well as interviews and other goodies). From the start, the gig feels special. E begins with "Blinking Lights (For Me)." His acoustic guitar sweetly introduces the set; the strings enter on the second verse. The sheer deadpan emotion calls the demons out of hiding and, as he looks at the world around him, he asks them to leave. Then Big Als autoharp commences to start the theme for "Blinking Lights," and Chet plays a haunting celeste as the strings court the melody. But the drama begins on "Bus Stop Boxer," with its ambiguous introduction and assertive lyrics. One would think that, with nothing but a suitcase percussion kit, this would be the Eels "unplugged," all lilting and tender. There is plenty of that kind of intimacy here -- in fact the set is drenched with it -- but rock & roll makes an appearance on "Trouble with Dreams," and theres a hillbilly shake to "Hey Man (Now Youre Really Living)." The choice of covers here is spectacular as well: theres a hurried yet acceptable version of the Left Bankes "Pretty Ballerina" and a moving read of Bob Dylans "Girl from the North Country." Its Chets piano winding its way through the strings that provides an elegant yet spare backdrop for Es vocals there. The reverbed electric guitar that accompanies Es acoustic starts off the finest cover on the album, with Es read of Johnny Rivers classic "Poor Side of Town." The version of "Novocaine for the Soul" on this set is so full of drama and tension that its almost unbearable. The charm and nuance in these songs make for an essential document for Eels fans, and provide an inaccurate but utterly engaging portrait of Es songs in front of an audience. With Strings: Live at Town Hall has power and subtlety as well as pomp. E is walking the razored edge of his sometimes elegant, sometimes ragged performance, but offers no apologies. But then, he wouldnt be E if he did. The final cut here is also the final track from Blinking Lights, "Things the Grandchildren Should Know," and with the lap steel whining in the background and the strings shimmering around his voice, E lays out an acceptance of his life such as it is, whether he turns out like his father or not. There is something so powerful in his deadpan delivery that it can embarrass the listener. And yes, folks, thats a good thing. This is a document -- nothing more, nothing less -- and as such its charming, beautiful, ragged, and honest. What more can you ask for? | ||
 | Album: 13 of 27 Title: Eels With Strings: Manchester 2005 EP Released: 2008 Tracks: 4 Duration: 13:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Fresh Feeling (03:55) 2 Packing Blankets (02:04) 3 Jeannies Diary (03:19) 4 Climbing to the Moon (03:56) |
 | Album: 14 of 27 Title: Live and in Person! London 2006 Released: 2008 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:01:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Old Shit/New Shit (05:34) 2 Rock Show (02:09) 3 Crazy Love (Crazy Music) (03:12) 4 Eyes Down (03:09) 5 Jesus Gonna Be Here (02:53) 6 My Beloved Monster (03:41) 7 A Magic World (02:31) 8 Not Ready Yet (18:23) 9 Dog Faced Boy (02:53) 10 Souljacker, Part I (04:15) 11 I Put a Spell on You (02:09) 12 Thats Life (04:17) 13 I Like Birds (02:01) 14 Mr. Es Beautiful Blues (04:14) |
 | Album: 15 of 27 Title: Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased: 1996-2006 Released: 2008-01-15 Tracks: 50 Duration: 2:30:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Novocaine for the Soul (Live From Hell) (03:18) 2 Fucker (02:17) 3 My Beloved Monster (live, Tennessee) (02:32) 4 Dog’s Life (03:59) 5 Susans Apartment (03:29) 6 Manchester Girl (BBC Radio 1 version) (03:20) 7 Flower (BBC Radio 1 version) (03:17) 8 My Beloved Mad Monster Party (BBC Radio 1 version) (02:33) 9 Animal (02:38) 10 Stepmother (02:51) 11 Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (02:51) 12 Your Lucky Day in Hell (03:57) 13 Altar Boy (02:14) 14 Novocaine for the Soul (03:10) 15 If I Was Your Girlfriend (live) (04:34) 16 Bad News (02:56) 17 Funeral Parlor (02:13) 18 Hospital Food (BBC) (03:24) 19 Open the Door (BBC) (03:04) 20 Birdgirl on a Cell Phone (03:07) 21 Vice President Fruitley (02:17) 22 My Beloved Monstrosity (02:13) 23 Dark End of the Street (live) (02:35) 24 The Cheater’s Guide to Your Heart (live) (02:39) 25 Useless Trinkets (02:22) 1 Mr. E’s Beautiful Remix (03:54) 2 Souljacker, Part I (alternate version) (03:04) 3 Dog Faced Boy (alternate version) (02:54) 4 Jennifer Eccles (03:20) 5 Rotten World Blues (02:44) 6 Can’t Help Falling in Love (02:08) 7 Christmas Is Going to the Dogs (02:58) 8 Mighty Fine Blues (03:26) 9 Eyes Down (03:32) 10 Skywriting (02:07) 11 Taking a Bath in Rust (02:28) 12 Estranged Friends (03:21) 13 Her (02:48) 14 Waltz of the Naked Clowns (02:47) 15 I Like Birds (live) (02:36) 16 Sad Foot Sign (02:19) 17 Living Life (02:48) 18 The Bright Side (03:41) 19 After the Operation (01:55) 20 Jelly Dancers (04:38) 21 I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (03:38) 22 Mr. Es Beautiful Blues (03:05) 23 I Want to Protect You (03:09) 24 I Put a Spell on You (live) (02:21) 25 Saw a UFO (04:37) |
| Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased: 1996-2006 : Allmusic album Review : Being released on the same day as the companion piece to the CD/DVD package Meet the Eels: Essential Eels, Vol. 1, Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 is a true delight for those who have followed the unwieldy, elliptical career of Mark Oliver Everett (aka "E"), who has employed more musicians than probably even he can count under the Eels moniker. There is a DVD in this triple-disc set. It contains the bands 2006 performance at Lollapalooza. Its a nice addition, the show was fine, but its almost an afterthought for anyone who digs into these cuts with anything approaching earnestness. First off, there are 50 of them spread over two discs. From the beginning E expresses his own ambivalence with a "Live from Hell" version of "Novocaine for the Soul." How do we know? The opening annotation in the liner notes simply states: "When you have a hit song, youre expected to play it every single day of your life. Good luck not going crazy." The performance reflects that truth. But it is followed immediately by the delightfully poignant, I-love-you-I-hate-you ditty of truth called "Fucker"; according to his notes, it was his girlfriends nickname for him. (There isnt anyone who hasnt been involved deeply with someone who doesnt get every word of this simple construction.) "Dogs Life" is full of not only wonder-words, but strings, loopy textures, and sparse guitars. Of course, the soundtrack tunes and rarities are awfully welcome -- especially now, before the Eels single, EP, and movie tunes shelf gets any larger. But Es sense of pulling covers out of his hat walks the same knife-edged push and pull between hell and something less than hell -- purgatory maybe? It adds immeasurably to whats here. The sense of the abject in "I Cant Help Falling in Love with You," accompanied only by his piano, is the opposite of the Elvis version. Elvis begs as a youth begs, E sings into the void of an empty apartment knowing that this confession isnt ever going to be heard because hes already tried that. The reading of the Hollies "Jennifer Eccles" has a beautiful Chamberlin played by E and a very skeletal Gretsch played by the same. Where the Hollies sang this song with its requisite teen confidence, Es comes from the hall of memory before it fades into the ether. The line "I hope that Jennifer Eccles/Is going to follow me there..." takes on a chilling significance. The version of "Dark End of the Street" (a Chips Moman/Dan Penn soul classic that is performed by everybody, but it still belongs to James Carr) has a mournful horn section -- and perhaps its Lisa Germano on the backing vocal. Princes "If I Was Your Girlfriend" is treated with a sublime post-grunge feedback anti-funkiness to begin, but E nails the tune in his way. And the version of Screamin Jay Hawkins "I Put a Spell on You" simply has to be heard to be believed; if you havent already heard it, E sounds like a man possessed with a band out to tear itself apart. And one controversy has finally been resolved: "Rotten World Blues" is only on the U.S. version of the Souljacker bonus EP, kinda making up for the fact that the remix of "Mr. Es Beautiful Blues" was only included in the U.K. version. But theres more. There are alternate readings of album cuts which prove to be just that, alternates without any true revelations, though they are perfectly fitting in this context. The booklet is bursting at the seams with craziness, memorabilia, weird observations written on hotel room stationary, annotated stoicisms, photographs galore, and some hilarious asides. When taken together with its companion, Meet the Eels, the two form a better blueprint for how these kinds of collections should be done. Rather than try to paste it all togeter in a box set, giving people a load of stuff they already have, you can do a basic hits collection with a bonus DVD, providing it contains all the videos. Then, especially for the fanatics, plug in something to cover most if not all of the holes in the tracks, replace bootleg versions, and add an unreleased concert to the mix to make it irresistible. Its still marketing, but at least its semi-honest. The Essential Eels collection contained those videos for the sake of a kind of complete-ism (and to get the hardcore faithful to buy both sets). Its understandable but utterly questionable. Trinkets would have been perfect had it contained those videos as well as the concert on a single DVD -- there was room. But as it is, its not to be missed for having the marginal asides collected so handsomely and carefully. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 27 Title: Meet the Eels: Essential Eels, Volume 1: 1996-2006 Released: 2008-01-15 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:19:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Novocaine for the Soul (03:08) 2 Susan’s House (03:56) 3 My Beloved Monster (02:12) 4 Your Lucky Day in Hell (04:28) 5 3 Speed (02:45) 6 Last Stop: This Town (03:27) 7 Climbing to the Moon (Jon Brion remix) (03:56) 8 Flyswatter (03:18) 9 I Like Birds (02:34) 10 Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues (03:58) 11 It’s a Motherfucker (02:14) 12 Souljacker, Part I (03:16) 13 That’s Not Really Funny (03:19) 14 Fresh Feeling (03:37) 15 Get Ur Freak On (03:29) 16 Saturday Morning (02:55) 17 Love of the Loveless (03:32) 18 Dirty Girl (live at Town Hall) (03:00) 19 I Need Some Sleep (02:28) 20 Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living) (03:02) 21 I’m Going to Stop Pretending That I Didn’t Break Your Heart (03:56) 22 Trouble With Dreams (04:33) 23 Railroad Man (03:38) 24 Losing Streak (02:50) |
| Meet the Eels: Essential Eels, Volume 1: 1996-2006 : Allmusic album Review : For Eels fans, and especially those obsessed with Mark Oliver Everett, the man who created and fronts the ever-changing lineup as well as writing its songs, 2008 kicked off anything but quietly. Despite a mere six studio and one live record in the bands catalog, E and Universal/Geffen have issued what amounts to a truckload of backlog material on two separate -- some would say excessive -- releases: Meet the Eels: Essential Eels 1996-2006, Vol. 1, a CD/DVD package, and Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities, and Unreleased 1996-2006. The latter includes two discs of music and a live DVD documenting the bands 2006 Lollapalooza performance. Meet the Eels is, arguably, the way a "hits" compilation should be presented, to fans as well as the merely curious. Its loaded to the gills with 24 cuts that include the unreleased "Get Ur Freak On." The rest of this monster is culled with cuts from Beautiful Freak (four) Electro-Shock Blues (two), plus an unissued remix of "Climbing to the Moon," by Jon Brion.This decade gets the lions share of the material naturally, with four tunes from 2000s Daisies of the Galaxy, and a trio off 2001s Souljacker; a pair of tunes were tacked on from Shootenanny! (still the most confounding toss of the bands history), and a whopping five from Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. The latter was the bands best-selling record and yet its still debated hotly among fans. One thing is for sure: for the first time since Beautiful Freak it drew new listeners in droves. Also included here for some unfathomable reason is "Dirty Girl," from the Live at Town Hall offering, and luckily, "I Need Some Sleep," from the soundtrack album for Shrek 2. Right, you guessed it, nothing here comes from A Man Called E, making it an incomplete Everett document, but its close enough. Simply put, there is no reason to go into the track choices, they are listed below and can be debated endlessly anyway. This tri-fold digipack is loaded with photos, Es own elliptical annotations for the tracks, and a wonderfully long and now legendary piece by Mark Edwards from the Sunday Times in London. Some of Es notes are clever, and some seem just plain tossed off, as if they are memories he really doesnt have any longer but needed to get down on paper for this. Thats OK -- his very natural ambivalence is part of the appeal in his idiosyncratic, adventurous, and original songs. The DVD contains virtually every video the band shot and released for commercial play; they are compiled and available as a retail item for the first time. As great an introduction or mix the CD makes, its the video collection that makes it all worth the cash. Given the kitchen sink approach of it, it offers an even more diverse and undebatable document; showcasing everything from original conceptions by directors to the escalator to the oblivion lineup changes. There is simply no better way to get acquainted with an enigma. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 27 Title: Yes Man: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Released: 2008-12-09 Tracks: 13 Duration: 41:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Man Up (03:57) 2 Bus Stop Boxer (03:45) 3 To Lick Your Boots (03:30) 4 The Good Old Days (03:03) 5 The Sound of Fear (03:33) 6 Wooden Nickels (02:55) 7 Flyswatter (03:18) 8 Blinking Lights (for Me) (02:01) 9 Somebody Loves You (03:02) 10 Sweet Ballad (02:52) 11 Uh‐Huh (03:14) 12 Keystar (03:11) 13 Yes Man (03:11) |
 | Album: 18 of 27 Title: Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire Released: 2009-05-29 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Prizefighter (02:53) 2 That Look You Give That Guy (04:15) 3 Lilac Breeze (02:35) 4 In My Dreams (03:22) 5 Tremendous Dynamite (02:45) 6 The Longing (04:22) 7 Fresh Blood (04:24) 8 What’s a Fella Gotta Do (03:24) 9 My Timing Is Off (02:57) 10 All the Beautiful Things (02:22) 11 Beginner’s Luck (03:37) 12 Ordinary Man (03:17) |
| Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire : Allmusic album Review : Four years ago, Eels frontman and songwriter E penned a collection of intimate, often gentle, and very revealing songs called Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. It reflected songs of personal experience and the human spirit. But E, aka Mark Oliver Everett, never seems to look at things the same way twice. In many ways, Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire is the mirror image of that album. And, as Everett himself claims, this one is more about animal instinct. Thats fair enough as far as it goes, but this recording, while reflecting a more primal side of human experience as it engages the primacy of desire, actually recalls -- and feels like an extension of -- the song "Dog Faced Boy" from Souljacker. That kid, caught in his loneliness because of his difference, seems to be speaking -- albeit as a grownup -- through many of the songs here. His difference is both his gift and his curse and he understands both sides. Hes finding his loneliness to be both the bane of his existence and his strength to survive and succeed in finding love no matter what. His protagonist, through thoroughly human, is still regarded as an animal because of his hirsute appearance, and he deals with that in these 12 songs with tenderness, rage, and reckless abandon. The sound of the album seems divided in two, the brazenly rockist set betraying the side of animal instinct in all its guises, from anger to wanton lust, desperation, and swaggering self-confidence, with E using resolute raw, distorted roots rock ("Prizefighter"); piledriving, careening garage rock ("Liliac Breeze"and "Whats a Fella Gotta Do"); howling raucous blues ("Tremendous Dynamite"); and the brilliant boasting pomposity portrayed by distorted pop/rock ("Beginners Luck"). Then theres the other half, meant to portray the very human face of the ache that desire causes. These nakedly sensitive, embarrassingly frank ballads literally pour tenderness and reveal the other side of "Prizefighter." They begin with the self-explanatory wish revealed in the simple four-chord "That Look You Give That Guy" and continue with the lilting "In My Dreams"; the somber, minor-key waltz called "The Longing"; the midtempo pop disappointment that is "My Timing Is Off" (perhaps the finest song on the record); and the resolute truth and acceptance in "Ordinary Man," where he speaks to the absent object of his desire and gives her the benefit of the doubt that on "Another warm day, in the city of cold hearts.../You, youre not like that.../And you seem like you could appreciate the fact/That Im no ordinary man." Ultimately theres the thread of hope, because the instinct of desire brings it to us in so many different ways, and E understands this better than most. This is a beautifully crafted, stripped-down recording, showcasing once more that E uses searing honesty and a canny sense of pop, rock, blues, and everything else to chronicle his own strange path through life and its labyrinth -- he combines them all with an endearing craziness that most of us feel every day, but dare not speak of. He may be a loopy poet and songwriter, but here, as is his norm, hes spot-on and a joy to listen to. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 27 Title: The MySpace Transmissions Released: 2009-08-14 Tracks: 6 Duration: 13:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 In My Dreams (03:03) 2 Tremendous Dynamite (02:34) 3 That Look You Give That Guy (03:53) 4 My Beloved Monster (01:30) 5 The Longing (?) 6 Girl From the North Country (02:40) |
 | Album: 20 of 27 Title: End Times Released: 2010-01-18 Tracks: 14 Duration: 39:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Beginning (02:17) 2 Gone Man (02:58) 3 In My Younger Days (03:22) 4 Mansions of Los Feliz (02:47) 5 A Line in the Dirt (03:30) 6 End Times (02:57) 7 Apple Trees (00:39) 8 Paradise Blues (03:01) 9 Nowadays (03:07) 10 Unhinged (02:25) 11 High and Lonesome (01:06) 12 I Need a Mother (02:39) 13 Little Bird (02:34) 14 On My Feet (06:13) |
| End Times : Allmusic album Review : Mark “E” Everett’s Eels have been prolific these last five years, issuing new, live, and retrospective recordings; even a film score. Since 2005’s Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, Everett has written songs increasingly obsessed with his own loneliness and aging. Adrian Tomines cover illustration for End Times depicts a raggedy old man reinforcing these themes before the album even starts. They are so prevalent, expressed so intimately -- even by the Eels own standards 0- it’s almost uncomfortable listening. Es self-reflection feels like he’s singing into a dirty, distorted mirror to offer the truth of his situation back at him -- and consequently, us. End Times is ultimately about the end of a relationship that has left him shattered; reinforcing his loneliness and sense of mortality. E blames no one but himself. He details the joy the relationship brought on “The Beginning,” with an acoustic guitar that quietly remembers its simplicity. In “Gone Man,” however, the next track, a jarring shift occurs: an electric rockabilly shuffle reveals: “Some things you can fuck right up . . . my problem was that I could not see/what was important right in front of me . . . too soon gone man gone . . . She used to love me but it’s over now.” This is a dark, sparse, elegantly -- and enjoyably -- somewhat mopey, paradoxical album. It’s emotionally raw, but devoid of self-pity. Its charming in its sense of irony and self-awareness, and reflects empathy for “a dying world. . . I’m not the only one who’s feeling this pain.” There are reflections on the past in the skeletally atmospheric “In My Younger Days," whereas the title tracks expresses E’s fear of ending up a crazy old man on the street, but one whos willing to accept it if necessary. Throughout there are reminiscences from the relationship both bad and good. First in the piano, banjo, and string-laden “A Line in the Dirt,” and then in “Apple Trees,” where a spoken word tape plays over a barely there three-chord vamp. The closer, “On My Feet,” is a quiet, minimally arranged waltz with organ, guitars, and a vocal that comes out from the ether, that reveals an anthem: "I’m a man in great pain over great beauty . . . but I’m pretty sure I’ve been through worse, I’m sure I can take the hit.” He describes actions he takes to stem desperation: pushing the bed against the wall so it won’t feel so empty. In the end, he expresses his truth: that he loved fully even if imperfectly; before stating: “One sweet day I’ll be back on my feet/and I’ll be alright/I just gotta get back on my feet.” Sometimes art extracts a terrible price from its creator; The Eels End Times proves it. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 27 Title: Tomorrow Morning Released: 2010-08-17 Tracks: 14 Duration: 46:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 In Gratitude for This Magnificent Day (01:25) 2 I’m a Hummingbird (03:14) 3 The Morning (02:17) 4 Baby Loves Me (03:27) 5 Spectacular Girl (03:15) 6 What I Have to Offer (02:40) 7 This Is Where It Gets Good (06:18) 8 After the Earthquake (01:39) 9 Oh So Lovely (04:18) 10 The Man (03:51) 11 Looking Up (02:57) 12 That’s Not Her Way (03:48) 13 I Like the Way This Is Going (02:35) 14 Mystery of Life (04:21) |
| Tomorrow Morning : Allmusic album Review : Just when you thought it couldnt get any darker for Mark Oliver Everett (aka E)...it doesnt. On the third Eels album in 14 months, Everett completes a trilogy that began with the rockist Hombre Lobo in June of 2009, which addressed the ravenous hunger and cost of desire. In January 2010, End Times detailed in a low-key and acoustic manner, often in sometimes embarrassingly intimate terms, the shattering toll of a broken relationship. Tomorrow Morning emerges on the other side of both. This 14-song collection meditates on Es own eccentric brand of optimism. The tunes carry his requisite catchy melodies, hooks, and compelling arrangements, but the textures are different from anything hes released before because most of it is electronic and programmed (though his guitar, Koool G Murders bass and keys, and Knuckles drums are present, too). One need go no further than "Im A Hummingbird" for evidence. A synth with programmed strings and winds play counterpoint melodies and harmonics. The song, full of extended metaphors from the natural world as they relate to the protagonists emotional state and letting go of the past, is, quite simply, beautiful. By contrast, "Baby Loves Me" is a punky electro number. Slamming beats, criss-crossing synths, and programmed ambiences collide with electric guitars, drum machines, a live kit, distorted vocals, and hilarious lyrics: "Record company hates me/The doctor says Im sick/The bad girls think Im too nice/The nice girls call me dick/But baby loves me/And shes smarter than you/Baby loves me/Unlikely but true." "This Is Where It Gets Good" borrows its big, bad beats from Peter Gabriels programming fakebook, though the lyrics and orchestral arrangements are pure Everett in terms of quirk and humor. There are quiet and gentle moments, too, such as the lilting "This Is What I Have to Offer" and "Thats Not Her Way" (which could stand in for Bob Dylans "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" in the 21st century). The downright jaunty electric and bass-guitar hook in "I LIke the Way This Is Going" is one of the simplest and most attractive of all Es melodies. While some of this album feels a bit rushed at times, as a whole Tomorrow Morning is a welcome contrast to the darkness of its predecessors, and a deft summertime pop record. Lord knows, a little optimism in these strange times is welcome -- even if it comes from an unlikely source. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 27 Title: Tremendous Dynamite: Live in 2010 + 2011 Released: 2012 Tracks: 40 Duration: 2:24:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Daisies of the Galaxy (03:11) 2 Little Bird (02:19) 3 End Times (03:30) 4 Prizefighter (02:52) 5 She Said Yeah (01:34) 6 Gone Man (03:02) 7 Summer in the City (04:04) 8 Tremendous Dynamite (03:06) 9 In My Dreams (03:07) 10 In My Younger Days (03:50) 11 Paradise Blues (02:54) 12 Jungle Telegraph (03:25) 13 My Beloved Monster (02:25) 14 Spectacular Girl (03:46) 15 Fresh Blood (04:36) 16 Dog Faced Boy (02:51) 17 Mr. Es Beautiful Blues (03:11) 18 I Like Birds (01:53) 19 Summertime (04:49) 20 I Like the Way This Is Going (04:06) 1 Thats Not Really Funny (04:52) 2 Flyswatter (04:10) 3 Somebodys Watching You (03:26) 4 Grace Kelly Blues (03:21) 5 Packing Blankets (01:58) 6 My Beloved Monster (02:46) 7 Fresh Feeling (03:37) 8 Thats Not Her Way (03:42) 9 Love of the Loveless (03:54) 10 This Is Where It Gets Good (05:56) 11 That Look You Give That Guy (03:47) 12 Hot Fun in the Summertime (04:27) 13 Talkin Bout Knuckles (08:48) 14 Novocaine for the Soul (03:06) 15 Souljacker, Part 1 (03:36) 16 Beginners Luck (03:16) 17 Losing Streak (03:43) 18 Its a Motherfucker (03:29) 19 PS You Rock My World (02:58) 20 Looking Up (04:57) |
 | Album: 23 of 27 Title: Wonderful, Glorious Released: 2013-02-03 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:30:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bombs Away (05:23) 2 Kinda Fuzzy (03:38) 3 Accident Prone (02:48) 4 Peach Blossom (04:01) 5 On the Ropes (03:10) 6 The Turnaround (04:49) 7 New Alphabet (04:08) 8 Stick Together (03:42) 9 True Original (03:48) 10 Open My Present (03:09) 11 You’re My Friend (03:47) 12 I Am Building a Shrine (03:35) 13 Wonderful, Glorious (03:43) 1 Hold on to Your Hat (00:46) 2 Your Mama Warned You (03:09) 3 I’m Your Brave Little Soldier (02:51) 4 There’s Something Strange (03:12) 5 Happy Hour (We’re Gonna Rock) (03:50) 6 That’s Not Really Funny (live 2011) (04:55) 7 In My Dreams (live 2010) (03:07) 8 Prizefighter (live 2010) (03:01) 9 Looking Up (live 2011) (05:06) 10 What I Have to Offer (02:56) 11 I Like the Way This Is Going (live at KEXP) (02:13) 12 Spectacular Girl (live at KEXP) (03:32) 13 Summer in the City (live at KEXP) (02:12) |
| Wonderful, Glorious : Allmusic album Review : On his tenth album under the Eels moniker, Mark "E" Everett continues to follow his musical muse wherever itll take him with Wonderful, Glorious. After so many records it seems like E would be well past the point of any new firsts, but this is the first album to be recorded in his expansive new studio, mysteriously named The Compound, as well as the first album written in collaboration with the rest of the band. This more open, organic process comes through on the songs, providing E and company with a refreshing amount of creative freedom after the relative confinement of doing a conceptual three-album trilogy (2009s Hombre Lobo and 2010s End Times and Tomorrow Morning). While this process and studio have made their impact musically, Eels fans can rest assured that Es melancholic, beaten-down lyricism remains intact. Proclaiming "Every time I find myself in this old bind, watching the death of all my hopes/In the ring so long gonna prove em wrong, Im not knocked out but Im on the ropes" during the sad yet hopeful "On the Ropes," the album finds Everett in a more grounded and, relatively, positive place. This feeling is reinforced on "New Alphabet," where Everett lets us know "Its looking good, I dug my way out/Im changing up what the storys about," making it clear that this new way of making music is working for him both artistically and personally, and though theres plenty of evidence that E is still out there suffering for his art, it seems that his days are a little less dark than usual. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 27 Title: The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett Released: 2014-04-17 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:18:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Where I’m At (01:42) 2 Parallels (03:16) 3 Lockdown Hurricane (03:30) 4 Agatha Chang (03:28) 5 A Swallow in the Sun (03:37) 6 Where I’m From (02:49) 7 Series of Misunderstandings (03:23) 8 Kindred Spirit (02:54) 9 Gentlemen’s Choice (02:36) 10 Dead Reckoning (02:28) 11 Answers (02:39) 12 Mistakes of My Youth (04:56) 13 Where I’m Going (03:04) 1 To Dig It (00:30) 2 Lonesome Lockdown Hurricane (03:27) 3 Bow Out (02:46) 4 A Good Deal (03:09) 5 Good Morning Bright Eyes (02:41) 6 Millicent Don’t Blame Yourself (02:46) 7 Thanks I Guess (02:59) 8 On the Ropes (Live WNYC) (03:19) 9 Accident Prone (Live WNYC) (02:56) 10 I’m Your Brave Little Soldier (Live WNYC) (02:35) 11 Fresh Feeling (Live KCRW) (03:52) 12 Trouble with Dreams (03:41) 13 Oh Well (Live KCRW) (03:35) |
| The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett : Allmusic album Review : Its not like Mark Oliver Everett (hereafter known as E) hasnt dealt with these themes before. His whole recording career, most of it done under the Eels moniker, has been full of brilliantly crafted pop songs that tour death, terminal illness, regrets, lost dear ones, a veiled belief in better days and times overlaid by thick angst, and now and then, actual bursts of bouncing joy and humor. So theres nothing really new thematically on the 11th Eels album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, and even its sparse, stripped-down, and lightly orchestrated acoustic folk feel is something E has often visited. He turned 50 while writing these songs, so maybe that has something to do with the heavy and regretful tone that washes through these rather muted, weary, and almost whispered musings, few of which even rise to the tempo of a slow shuffle. Theres hardly a snare drum or a trap kit in sight. E is obviously trying to present a story here, for the album opens with a brief instrumental called "Where Im At," touches down on a song called "Where Im From" midway through, and then closes things out with E doing his best Tom Waits impression on the closing track, "Where Im Going," which ultimately decides, perhaps not quite completely convinced, that the future looks promising. But in truth, most of the songs have to do with regrets over a lost love, one E wishes he hadnt walked away from, and if thats what this cautionary tale of an album is cautioning, then its hopeless, weve all done that. Everyone knows how that feels. What saves this album from being just another version of some guy at the bar going on and on about some lady he lost is Es subtle and easy way with a melody, and even though some of these songs are so slow as to barely have a pulse, they flow well and easily into and out of each other. A couple stand out on first listen, most notably the thoughtful "Parallels" and the first single "Agatha Chang," which captures this albums theme of facing up to and resolving ones regrets in a perfect narrative, and it gives off a Randy Newman singing Leonard Cohens "Suzanne" kind of feel. Obviously E felt he had to make this album. Now he has, and the message seems to be dont mess up a good relationship or youll regret it, but only time will reveal what the future brings, and that future maybe, just maybe, might be better if we actually learn something. Thanks E. Who could argue? | ||
 | Album: 25 of 27 Title: Royal Albert Hall Released: 2015-04-10 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:23:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Where I’m At (02:22) 2 When You Wish Upon a Star (01:55) 3 The Morning (01:49) 4 Parallels (03:07) 5 [Addressing the Royal Audience] (03:23) 6 Mansions of Los Feliz (02:55) 7 My Timing Is Off (02:58) 8 A Line in the Dirt (03:34) 9 Where I’m From (03:17) 10 It’s a Motherfucker (02:24) 11 Lockdown Hurricane (03:33) 12 A Daisy Through Concrete (03:15) 13 [Introducing the Band] (03:25) 14 Grace Kelly Blues (03:09) 15 Fresh Feeling (03:39) 1 I Like Birds (02:33) 2 My Beloved Monster (03:10) 3 Gentlemen’s Choice (02:49) 4 Mistakes of My Youth / Wonderful, Glorious (06:01) 5 Where I’m Going (04:08) 6 I Like the Way This Is Going (02:50) 7 Blinking Lights (For Me) (02:11) 8 Last Stop: This Town (04:01) 9 The Beginning (02:39) 10 Can’t Help Falling in Love (02:34) 11 Turn on Your Radio (03:24) 12 Flyswatter (01:10) 13 The Sound of Fear (01:29) |
| Royal Albert Hall : Allmusic album Review : In 2014, Mark Oliver Everett received "the freedom of the City of London" (in essence, a key to the city) the same week as his band Eels performed and recorded this set at the Royal Albert Hall. Theres a bit of irony here: four years earlier, he was arrested as a suspected terrorist while strolling through Hyde Park. The raucous Eels of Wonderful, Glorious is not the band that showed up for this concert (which is also captured so handsomely on video for inclusion in the package). This version of the band is in suits, not track wear. Everett is mostly at the piano. The Eels introduce the show with brief, lilting versions of "Where Im At," Disneys "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio, "The Morning," and "Parallels" before Everett greets the audience with a wry, humorous monologue. It references the esteemed venue as a "dump" and promises the crowd an evening of "sweet, soft, bummer rock." What follows is a musical tour through the bands catalog with each studio album but Shootenanny! represented. The second half of the gig draws more heavily from then-current The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett. Sure, these are the "hits," but this guided tour through the dark, often heartbreakingly honest complexities of this songwriter is played with mostly sparse elegance by the Eels, including a stripped-back (though hardly all-acoustic) arrangement of "Grace Kelly Blues." Sometimes the monologues are longer than the songs, but none are excessive, and hearing them more than once doesnt detract from the enjoyment. The shows second half picks up the intensity a bit with the roots rocker "I Like Bird," but its followed by the poignant, reflexive pop romanticism (complete with a doo wop backing chorus) of "My Beloved Monster." Its "official" closer is a loping "Where Im Going," which looks at turning 50 unflinchingly. There are three encores, however, including "I Like the Way This Is Going" and "Blinking Lights (For Me)" that leave their studio counterparts wanting. In a "Phantom Encore" Everett plays the Halls mighty pipe organ that he was previously forbidden to -- by the institution -- not once, but twice. This three-disc package is an essential document for fans; it reveals almost all of Everetts dimensions as a songwriter, and how tight and fluid the Eels are. Everetts humor balances the sometimes harrowing narratives in his tunes. All told, most of these interpretations are essential. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 27 Title: The Complete Dreamworks Albums Released: 2015-10-30 Tracks: 83 Duration: 4:39:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Novocaine for the Soul (03:08) 2 Susan’s House (03:43) 3 Rags to Rags (03:53) 4 Beautiful Freak (03:34) 5 Not Ready Yet (04:46) 6 My Beloved Monster (02:12) 7 Flower (03:38) 8 Guest List (03:13) 9 Mental (04:01) 10 Spunky (03:11) 11 Your Lucky Day in Hell (04:28) 12 Manchild (04:05) 1 Elizabeth on the Bathroom Floor (02:08) 2 Going to Your Funeral, Part I (02:37) 3 Cancer for the Cure (04:45) 4 My Descent Into Madness (03:54) 5 3 Speed (02:45) 6 Hospital Food (03:23) 7 Electro-Shock Blues (02:29) 8 Efils God (03:19) 1 Going to Your Funeral, Part II (01:30) 2 Last Stop: This Town (03:27) 3 Baby Genius (02:03) 4 Climbing to the Moon (03:38) 5 Ant Farm (02:11) 6 Dead of Winter (02:59) 7 The Medication Is Wearing Off (03:51) 8 P.S. You Rock My World (03:08) 1 Grace Kelly Blues (03:37) 2 Packing Blankets (02:07) 3 The Sound of Fear (03:33) 4 I Like Birds (02:34) 5 Daisies of the Galaxy (03:27) 6 Flyswatter (03:18) 7 It’s a Motherfucker (02:14) 8 Estate Sale (01:36) 9 Tiger in My Tank (03:07) 10 A Daisy Through Concrete (02:26) 11 Jeannie’s Diary (03:37) 12 Wooden Nickels (02:55) 13 Something Is Sacred (02:52) 14 Selective Memory (02:44) 15 Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues (03:58) 1 Dog Faced Boy (03:18) 2 That’s Not Really Funny (03:19) 3 Fresh Feeling (03:37) 4 Woman Driving, Man Sleeping (03:30) 5 Souljacker, Part I (03:16) 6 Friendly Ghost (03:22) 7 Teenage Witch (04:44) 8 Bus Stop Boxer (03:45) 9 Jungle Telegraph (03:40) 10 World of Shit (03:30) 11 Souljacker, Part II (01:58) 12 What Is This Note? (02:28) 1 All in a Days Work (03:24) 2 Saturday Morning (02:55) 3 The Good Old Days (03:03) 4 Love of the Loveless (03:32) 5 Dirty Girl (02:41) 6 Agony (03:07) 7 Rock Hard Times (04:00) 8 Restraining Order Blues (03:11) 9 Lone Wolf (02:47) 10 Wrong About Bobby (02:46) 11 Numbered Days (03:44) 12 Fashion Awards (03:07) 13 Somebody Loves You (03:02) 1 Cancer for the Cure (05:16) 2 Fingertips, Part III (01:19) 3 Going to Your Funeral, Part I (03:14) 4 Efils God (03:10) 5 Souljacker, Part I (04:30) 6 My Beloved Monster (02:32) 7 Novocaine for the Soul (04:22) 1 Not Ready Yet (12:57) 2 Last Stop: This Town (02:52) 3 Everythings Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (02:58) 4 Flower (03:27) 5 Dead of Winter (03:20) 6 Electro-Shock Blues (03:35) 7 The Medication Is Wearing Off (04:14) 8 Climbing to the Moon (03:13) |
 | Album: 27 of 27 Title: The Deconstruction Released: 2018-04-06 Tracks: 15 Duration: 42:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Deconstruction (04:10) 2 Bone Dry (03:42) 3 The Quandary (00:54) 4 Premonition (03:12) 5 Rusty Pipes (04:04) 6 The Epiphany (02:18) 7 Today Is the Day (03:03) 8 Sweet Scorched Earth (03:02) 9 Coming Back (00:58) 10 Be Hurt (03:59) 11 You Are the Shining Light (03:39) 12 There I Said It (02:50) 13 Archie Goodnight (00:48) 14 The Unanswerable (02:08) 15 In Our Cathedral (03:19) |
| The Deconstruction : Allmusic album Review : Mark Oliver Everett, the artist better known as E, has never seemed averse to collaboration, but as the sole constant in the Eels history, hes clearly a guy who needs to call the shots. And given Es eagerness to bare his soul in song, he may not want to share his multiple neuroses with a bunch of other musicians as he and his muse get to work. So the electronically oriented production of 2018s The Deconstruction suggests E has found the ideal format for his music, one where he can do most of the musical heavy lifting himself. While The Deconstruction features plenty of guitar work from E and some lovely string arrangements, a good bit of this album has been built out of samples and keyboards, and the slightly low-tech sound of the loops and synth patches adds to the off-kilter personality of many of the songs. Plenty of Es best work has always sounded as much like a journal entry as a pop tune, and the slightly boxy, homemade tone of The Deconstructions best tracks (which E produced in collaboration with Koool G Murder and P-Boo) only adds to the "dark night of the nervous soul" tone that E conjures so well. The Deconstruction finds Eels once again dealing with matters of the heart, and as usual, love is not something that comes easy or goes smoothly for the protagonist of these songs. Even when he tells his partner how much he loves her on "There I Said It," in this context it sounds like too little, too late, and while "Today Is the Day" seems hooky and upbeat on the surface, lines like "I dont know if youll come along/I just wanted to sing my song about change" tell us hes not so confident about the good times sticking around long. Thematically, The Deconstruction doesnt add a great deal of new ideas to the Eels repertoire (happiness has never been his strong suit), but Es gifts as a songwriter and vocalist are still sharp, and if youve ever been partial to Mark Everetts slightly skewed but engagingly literate outlook on the world, then The Deconstruction should meet with your approval. | ||