My lovely assistant arrives home from work at 8:15, tired and far too grumpy to be satiating my queer bloggerism's. However, given all listed chores were dutifully completed i have been dangled a carrot. Yes she has acceded to pick my first random album.
Eels (that's right, don't you dare put a 'The' at the beginning!) are not so much a band as a project of front man and songwriter Mark Everett. Mark (call him 'E') had released two solo albums before this under the E tag (Melbournian's should get this joke). I'm so pleased i get this one first time up as not only is it a tremendous album but also the beginning of a long and passionate relationship with Mark's music.
'Novocaine for the soul' was the first single and my introduction to this album via radio. His use of studio techniques that make parts of this song sound like crackling samples of old children's songs is fantastic and handled with far more subtly than Beck could ever hope for. It aids the track rather than overpowering it, and makes for a great soft/loud transition so common during post Nirvana carnage. All of this in the space of 30 seconds, now that's making a statement of your intentions. Lyrically i was impressed by the fact that i actually listened to the words, which is something i rarely do. How can one ignore the tongue in cheek double entrendre of "Life is hard, and so am i". Brilliant. Even before the loss of his mother and sister soon after this album, he is still fascinated with mortality and the endless search for happiness and meaning while we are here. "This paint by number's life is fucking with my head". Mark is a seeker of truth, a seeker of meaning, and despite his appearance is a man obsessed with filling in the holes of his day with something meaningful and good.
'Susan's House' has this great little piano break that reminds me of 70's television themes and the bridge of kids yelling and people laughing brings to mind afro-era Sesame Street. Contrasted to this is a spoken word verse that reads like an Allen Ginsberg poem of American inner city life. The icing to this Americana cake is the loopy beats and groovy double bass walk. So i guess i am saying this song is Dean Moriarty sharing an Ecstasy pill with Big Bird on the set of Welcome Back Cotter.
If i may continue the story to the next track 'Rags To Rags', then this is the come down after the high. "Rags to rags and rust to rust, how do you stand when you've been crushed". This sounds like Bowie's sequel to 'Space Odyssey' if Major Tom had made it back and met up with Dean and Big Bird in a run down pub off the main walk to get drunk and talk about missed opportunities.
'Beautiful Freak' is a revelation. Could this be the best song ever to walk down the isle to? I just wish i had thought of it at the time. "But that is why i love you, beautiful freak, beautiful freak". Stunning strings hover over organ, piano and synth. Its sounds like the sequel to Brian Wilson's masterpiece Love You album. People adore this song and so they should, perhaps the best track on the album?
'Not Ready Yet' is like the ugly cousin of Radiohead's 'Creep' late nighties soft/loud flannel rock. Still better than anything Pearl Jam have every constructed in hindsight but not up to Eels standards.
'My Beloved Monster', yes that song on Shrek that you mention when people ask who are the Eels? Very much the light hearted Yin to 'Beautiful Freaks' cloudy Yang.
'Flower' begins with a chorus of sad Nuns praying in a cold chapel while a wandering minstrel idles past strumming a sad ye olde ballad. His intros are always something special aren't they? As an aside, we hear a twangy slide guitar later and i cant help picturing an old lady hovering over a Crystal ball foretelling future country leanings on later albums. Lyrically again a reflection of life and being hard done by. No matter how negative you may think E gets, you need to listen a little harder. This man is an eternal optimist, a true survivor hiding behind a victims facade, dressed in a pair of pajamas (E would often walk out on stage dressed thusly).
'Guest list' is a tremendous stick-it-up-em, throwing sand in the face of every bouncer and door bitch that told you "sorry members only tonight". And lets face it, we have all been there, unless indeed you are one of those beautiful people on the list in which case it wont matter as you will never listen to this band anyway. This song is an anthem to all those kids out there that never quite fit into the cookie cutter conveyor belt hell that is high school, as is 'Mental' the next track.
The last three tracks round off the mental Dickensian journey very nicely thank you Sir. 'Spunky' is a quiet unobtrusive track with mellow story telling.lyrics. I never quite got what this song is about. 'Your lucky day in hell' is perhaps the best track on the album. Yes i know i have already said this.... OK its the best alright! Sheesh. "Mama gripped onto the milkman's hand, And then she finally gave birth". He does love to talk about his own birth. The other line that jumps out - "And no one will know my name until it's on a stone". The perfect example of the enigma that is E. He knows that isn't true. WE know that isn't true. There has been enough written about the man to know that he has had a rough trot of it over the years. His music has been his salvation and for that matter it was at one time my own, after the death of my own Mother. Objects can often be described as being an extension of the person, like Agassi with his racket, or King Arthur and Excalibur. The same can be said for Mark and his ability to use a studio as an extension of his grief. To provide an example of this I will close this review with the last lines of this great album. " whisper now, and tell me how you'll watch me, and tell me somehow i'm gonna be alright". His masterpiece was to follow, however this is a truly rewarding listen.
7 out of 10 sparks.
Whether in a Khaki suit or a pimped stripe. I'm a G for G and nuttin' else for life. You can bet your bottom biscuit. You get twisted if you dwellin' in my felon intuition (what up).