About me:another premiership season begins-more of my life wasted!
Member since:30.01.2006
Reviews:39
Members who trust:3
Review rated by 18 Ciao members on average: very helpful
Eels are vocalist and multi instrumentalist E and drummer Butch.They have been the only constant members of the Eels lineup.The band's debut 'Beautiful Freak' is something of a classic and spawned hit singles 'Susan's House' and 'Novocaine for the soul'.The follow up 'Electro-shock blues' was a darker affair concerned with death,disease and suicide, but married such grim lyrical matter to pop melodies.Their thrid album 'Daisies of the galaxy' was a more uplifting journey and they scored further hits with 'Flyswatter' and 'Mr E' Beautiful Blues'.Despite having UK top 40 hits with a number of singles the band never gained as big a profile as you might have imagined until 'Daisies of the galaxy' which saw them appear on Top of the Pops, CD:UK and also play a mainstage set at the Reading Festival.Therefore 'Souljacker' was an important record.It would either ease them further into the mainstream or send them back to the margins of rock.
Before I tell you about the album, I want to say a few things.I own every Eels album prior to this one.I haven't bought any since.I'd seen the Eels twice before this record.I haven't seen them since.Even the most die hard Eels fan will find this record massviely disappointing.The problem is partly that the lyrics,rather than witty and still touching like the earlier albums,are inane and forgettable.The main problem is that almost everything here sounds like a b-side.I get the feeling that this is the Eel's "rock" record.The skewed, but melodically beautiful indie-pop of the previous records has been discarded in favour of harsh and abrassive songs that aren't a patch on their previous output.
1.DOG FACED BOY Quiet verses and loud choruses are pretty standard in rock music, and this is a pretty standard song.The lyrics are plain stupid:'Life ain't pretty for a dog faced boy'.The album has just begun and already you feel like they aren't trying. 2.THAT'S NOT REALLY FUNNY Harsh,paranoid and angry, but unlike the moody 'Electro-shock blues' this just feels like cliched rock whinning. 3.FRESH FEELING Best song on the album.A breezy melody and a great gruff vocal 4.WOMAN DRIVING MAN SLEEPING Simplistic but effective folk rock 5.SOULJACKER PART 1 First single and a good one.Again the quiet verse/loud chorus thing is used but to much better effect on this infectious shout along,with a great bass part. 6.FRIENDLY GHOST Lightweight and forgettable.It kind of drifts by without you realising you're listenning to it. 7.TEENAGE WITCH The lyrics are dire,moaning about nothing in particular and the music is little better. 8.BUS STOP BOXER Again,it's just totally forgettable.It could be one of about four tracks on this album. 9.JUNGLE TELEGRAPH More dire lyrics and a song without much substance or hint of a decent tune. 10.WORLD OF SH#T Despite the title, this is a heartfelt lovesong that is pretty good,although not up ot their previous album's standard. 11.SOULJACKER PART 2 A quiet lullabye esque song,which is passable. 12.WHAT IS THIS NOTE? Low key ending for the album,that is one of the better tracks with some weary yet oddly uplifting vocals.
As this is the limited edition it comes with an extra CD of 4 songs.Of these only 'Rotten World Blues' is worth owning.'Hidden track', 'I write the B sides' and 'Jehovah's witness' are completely unessential.
I used to really like the Eels and so this record really annoyed me.It's not absolutely terrible, but it's average and that's not good enough from a band of this calibre.Buy the other three albums I mentioned and steer clear of this
rican serial killer who claimed to steal the souls of his victims, and dedicated to Life's lost, this fourth visit to E's deadpan world is slyer, more awkward, beautiful and ...
by (17%):
16.04.2006 19:48
I agree, i think they did 1 amazing album but kind of lost it maybe they just got too much publicity and couldnt please anyone after it
06.04.2006 15:52
I like what I know of Eels, namely the earlier albums you mentioned. Thanks for the warning. Paul
06.04.2006 12:15
I agree with you, this CD could have been so much better