First there was the birth of the Eels with Beautiful Freak. A bunch of quirky, rocky little tunes that got them noticed for the first time. Then there was the funeral when things took a turn to the darkside with Electro-shock Blues. Daisies of the Galaxy was the wake, stepping out of the shadows and into the bright sunshine. So what would we class Souljacker as? Well the calling it the marriage seems suitable as E himself got himself hitched whilst recording this album. This unconventional path of life has been rewarding to the fans so far and seems to carry on with the latest album.
Souljacker is a mix of heavy rock and gentle love songs. The rock is sometimes raw and often harsh in mood and tone, linking to the Electro-shock Blue phase. The gentle love songs are obviously inspiration from his wife. They make up quite an interesting album and marks another step in their career. While each of their albums had a set mood this one seems to mix a number, from the dark to the quirky to the gentle.
It is hard to pinpoint when all the material for Souljacker was written. E has enough material to do another three albums so it’s hard to tell if this is the stuff or he added new ones along the way. It does certainly fit the bill of the ‘darker’ album he was working on when he was writing Daisies of the Galaxy. However I think it is safe to say that the marriage also added a few new songs into this album.
Us people in the UK get the Souljacker album before those in the US. In fact they won’t even hear the single until January, well not accounting for the mp3 downloads. We also get a bonus CD as well consisting of 4 extra tracks. Those are also are commented on but do not reflect on the final score but just the songs on the actual Souljacker CD.
1. Dog Faced Boy (3.17)
‘You little punks think you own this town’
The album starts off with a heavy rocky track to set the tone of most of the album. Telling the tale of a boy who is pretty hairy lad who has to go through life mainly depressed because of his hairiness. In actual fact E encountered someone like this but it was a girl who was hairy not a guy. He likened him to a boy to ‘relate’ better. E shouts out the lyrics in many parts to give it a harsh feel. The lyrics are strong yet Eels inject a bit of black comedy they are famous for with lines such as ‘Ma won’t shave me, Jesus can’t save me’. A good starter track to the album.
2. That’s Not Really Funny (3.19)
‘I like what you have to say but that’s not really funny’
Another rocky track but somewhat weaker than the starter track. Although the lyrics are a strong point to this song and E uses his voice to the best of the ability it falls into the problem that Daisies of the Galaxy had, that being a relatively
short song in terms of words and a lot of screaming and repeating of the musical score. However, to its credit, this is a very listenable track but not the albums strongest.
3. Fresh Feeling (3.37)
‘Try, try to forget what’s in the past, tomorrow is here’
Probably the best track on the album. The first gentle love song and one of the most beautiful and satisfying songs that the Eels have come up with. The start of the song is absolutely excellent with its use of strings. Yet it also sounds familiar. People have compared it with the strings from Selective Memory from Daisies of the Galaxy, which it does indeed bear some resemblance to. The sound my ears pick up is The Shining by Badly Drawn Boy and that’s no bad thing at all. This is also the first serious song on the album regarding lyrics. Obviously it is about his wife and the love between them (how sweet). Indeed the opening line gives an indicated of it ‘You don’t have a clue what it is like to be next you, I’m here to tell you that it is good, that it is true’. This is one of the first times you will hear E singing about true love and not singing it sarcastically. All going well this is their 2nd single from the album.
4. Woman Driving, Man Sleeping (3.30)
‘Looking straight ahead into black’
Keeping the relaxed mood going this song, supposedly the 3rd planned single from the album, isn’t as carefree or loving as the previous one, but still has its charms. It is hard to describe what this song is about and is open to interpretation. On one hand the couple may be fleeing. On the other they are drifting apart and the main is in a ‘dreamworld’ and the woman in reality. However a nice, mellow song to listen to. A nice beat is maintained throughout the song that doesn’t suffocate E’s voice and is kept at a fairly slow but interesting pace.
5. Souljacker Part I (3.15)
‘Sister’s brothers make better loves, family affairs down under the covers’
And so we get to the darkest and most violent song on the album. If you wanted to know Souljacker refers to an American serial killer who said he not only killed his victims but also stole their souls as well. Perfect material for E to write a song with then. Released as the first single and making it into the top 30, this marked the comeback of the Eels it also had the infamous privilege of getting the video banned because of what it portrayed (women being locked up in a sort of prison thing). Starting out with a few quick strumming of a guitar the pace soon picks up and soon enough were in for some very heavy rock and E’s voice shouting over the sounds. A very quick song, with the lyrics over quite soon, but the sounds are so good that you don’t really mind. A definite stand out song of the album even if it is just because of loudness of it.
6. Friendly Ghost (3.22)
‘If you’re scared to die, you better not be scared to live’
After the harsh sounds of Souljacker comes this quirky and pretty lively (on the irony) little number. This song most resembles the songs found on Beautiful Freak but has the maturity mixed in through their years of experience. One of my other favourites from the album this song is quite funny and lifts the mood somewhat from songs before it. The beat is pretty weird as well which fits in with the song.
7. Teenage Witch (4.44)
‘Silky gown, pink and brown, shut you down and shut you up’
Another weird song to follow the other up. This one has a heavier beat to it and a slightly darker side to it as well. A sort of song that can be related to outcasted people and how the world treats them makes this song kind of sombre in tone. Although the pace is quite quick it does get quite repetitive at the end of the song.
8. Bus Stop Boxer (3.42)
‘Daddy put us in the truck and dropped us off and said good luck’
Although this song is not one that will stand out and hit you in the face when you listen to the album a first couple of times its still a good one. Most like Woman Driving, Man Sleeping in terms of style this song carries on the rode of the dark and sombre side. The beat is kept quite mellow and doesn’t make a fuss; there is a nice inclusion of a boxing bell added to fit the title of the song. The theme of the song is pretty powerful, part loss of identity, part possible abuse it’s all there.
9. Jungle Telegraph (3.29)
‘Mama had an epidural, hoping I would be a girl’
Like Souljacker this song is harsh and powerful. Beginning with a jungle sound and then moving to a distorted guitar sound it starts off powerfully and sounds a bit like Gorillaz latest song (well a bit anyway). Bus Stop Boxer’s content is tame compared to this. Telling the tale of a mans life. Unwanted at first and born in a storm he makes his own way in life, committing a murder and now lives in solitude in the jungle but is now deprived of love. A great song on the album but one that you need to get into to appreciate.
10. World of Sh*t (3.29)
‘Let’s get married and make some people more than equal’
Another great love song. This time it’s a cynical look at the world but that there could be light at the end of the tunnel because they have the power to make it a little better. Again like most of the love themed songs on this album the pace is fairy slow but the lyrics are masterfully done. Despite being slow the beat seems to have a bit more depth in this song with drums and bass being used a lot more.
11. Souljacker Part II (1.58)
‘Souljacker can’t get my soul, at my carcass down a black man hole’
A direct paradox to Part I (and this part was actually written before the first part) this song doesn’t really stand out of the album nor does it last that long to get into. Yet the lyrics are once again its strong point. Not one that you may listen to all the time your listening to the album but one you may dip into now and again.
12. What is this Note? (2.28)
‘No you’re not a toy on my shelf’
The last song on the album and it goes out with a bang. This is a stab at a rather unconventional love themed song. Unfortunately, for me, this is the weakest song on the album. The lyrics just seem shouted to the extreme and the song is ruined by it. Maybe it just needs to grow on me. It may be the initial shock of expecting a slow track as other Eels albums have ended on a thoughtful note but this one concludes with a big rock track.
The bonus CD ’22 Miles of Hard Road’
1. I Write the B-Sides (3.55)
‘I write the B-sides that make a small portion of the world cry’
A great little B-side with some quirky lyrics ‘I like the seaside’, ‘Someone said to me songs don’t float’. A song that doesn’t really go anyway other than match a good beat with some good lyrics. This song can be found on CD 1 of the Souljacker single.
2. Hidden Track (4.25)
‘The crackhead from Texas, he can read my feet
Firstly sounding like something from a sci-fi film this song soon settles into a trippy little beat with the space style songs still beeping around. Then E comes along with a rather strange voice not serious and not depressing…just weird. And so are the lyrics as well ‘I saw a naked picture of me on the Internet wearing Jesus’ snow shoes’? Another great extra song and defiantly a unique one.
3. Jehovah’s Witness (3.39)
‘Lets not pretend for a second you are my friend’
Sounding more than a little like What is this Note this song sounds the most like the ones on the album. Loud and brash but, still keeping to this song, rather a quirky. Also features some nice strumming of a banjo type thing.
4. Mr E’s Beautiful Blues – Butch ‘n’ Joey Remix (3.53)
‘The clown with the frown walking down to the sidewalk fair’
Well it’s the Eels most popular song to date. Although I still prefer the original one (who wouldn’t?) this is still a competent remix and still remains pretty faithful to the original. This just has a bit more of a rustic sound to it.
Once again the Eels have managed to change their style. It seems to have, by in large, paid off. There are some excellent songs on the album such as Fresh Feeling, Souljacker Part I and Friendly Ghost. They also prove they can mix the three things they do best, the dark rock, the beautiful love and the insane quirkiness. This album will pick you up, toss you around, send you down and then bring you up all in one hearing.
Yet it isn’t perfect. To its advantage it does have a lot more diversity than Daisies of the Galaxy, a fault I picked when hearing it. Yet not all songs are as great as the aforementioned ones. Some just don’t stand out and don’t have that extra polished that made the other ones so great to listen to. It would have also been nice to have a few more tracks that just 12 it would have been nice to include the 3 songs on the extra CD on to it because it seems over too quickly.
However the Eels, after 4 albums, still haven’t lost their talent and this album will please fans old and new alike. Here’s hoping it’ll do well so we can hear many others.
SOULJACKER IS
A nice mix of sounds
Packed with a majority of great songs
Another great Eels album
SOULJACKER IS NOT
Going to make you want to ‘Souljack’ people
For the faint of heart
Perfect
06.11.2001 18:21
I love the writing style you employ here and the little details are superb. Worth some cash in the premium fund.
13.10.2001 17:38
I can't take E seriously with that HUGE beard that he's sporting at the moment! Anna
09.10.2001 00:22
Superb op. Always liked what i've heard from E and the Eels, but never bought anything. Still if I bought everything I liked on CD, I'd be a poor man!! Cheers, AL