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| Track list: 1. Novocaine for the Soul 2. Susan's House 3. Rags to Rags 4. Beautiful Freak 5. Not Ready Yet 6. My Beloved Monster 7. Flower 8. Guest List 9. Mental 10. Spunky 11. Your Lucky Day in Hell 12. Manchild Running time: 43 minutes Released: 1996 |
Going back a bit now... hard to imagine that this is almost 20 years old and harks back to when I first started to buy music in any volume. I had two of the singles from this album after hearing them on the radio and then got the album eventually. I did not, however, buy any more from Eels so they were never really a favourite. I have fond memories for some of these songs, but no clue about many more.
We start with Novocaine for the Soul, which was a single here but not one of the two I picked up. For me this song was a bit of a grower, not one that I was taken with from the off. I like the mix of the dark and the ornamental - a contrast of style and substance that characterises a few of my favourite songs, as well as ones like this that I just rather like. Its the expansiveness of the arrangement that gives the open effect, but the darkness of the lyrics and tight confines of the verses that set you up for the majesty. That is a theme that carries on with Susan's House - which was the first single I bought. Verse tense, spoken, dark. Chorus plinky - and very dated - but much more melodic and relatable.
The conversational tone of the narrative is engaging in a voyeuristic kind of way. It's a little like watching something like The Wire and getting a view into a world that is nothing like the one I know. I listen to these now, two decades on, and I wonder why I never picked up more Eels records... and even as I do, and enjoy this one, I do not feel compelled to get more.
Interesting; the songs overlap here. The start point of Rags to Rags is before the backing of Susan's House has completely faded. I know that was more common back then, but I had not noticed it before. I cannot say I really recognise this tune but it definitely carries on the common theme. The chorus and bridge are still more expansive, the verses confined and tight. There is less melody here, just more darkness - but in a decent way, not gratuitous or unwelcome. I am at the end of a week off, just Sunday to go. I have achieved less than I would have liked but have at least managed to get the shelves battened and caused a lot of little red casualty symbols to appear in Blood Bowl. Yeah, the latter is not an achievement really but it speaks to how I have wanted to be spending my time - mindlessly punching digital opponents into oblivion. I do not really feel any better for it, but I suspect I am in a slightly better place for the switching off. Still have a bit to do tomorrow, not least finding time to watch England (hopefully) play well in Dublin. The Six Nations is a dream for getting through these late winter weekends.
Not Ready Yet is more familiar by sound than by name but once it starts is very recognisible; this and the title track that preceded it are more in the same vein: dark and slightly grubby with moments of tenderness or light occasionally chucked in - whether in the form of a lighter lyric, or a particularly sweet chord/hook/backing that is there then gone. So far this album stands up pretty well. The songs are less familiar in this mid-scection; does that mean weaker as they haven't sunk into my subconscious over the years? My Beloved Monster is certainly the oddest and poorest effort yet - it feels more like an interlude, and is certainly for the chop. It's almost like the commentator's curse with sports: say something nice about someone then they disappoint immediately!
The balance appears to have shifted - I want more darkness back as the brighter sound is less engaging. I think it is temporary though as Mental and Your Lucky Day in Hell certainly bring the grubbiness back in later. The other thing I did this week is restart playing World of Tanks. Hopefully not to the level I did before and hopefully in a more laissez-faire fashion. Yesterday evening ended on a hilarious note when my (empty) artillery piece successfully completed a yakety-sax escape from a heavy 1 tier higher than me to complete a capture and win as last man standing. Epic. Why do I digress? Flower and Guest List are filler, that's why.
I have fond aural memories of Mental, despite the name, and when the song kicks in they come flooding back.... this is a little like the reverse of earlier. The lightness is in the verse - a sparse staccato touch - and the grime appears in the chorus with a much harder rockier edge bringing angst and emotion to bear. It loses the plot a little in the bridge but then falls back into its pattern which is a really strong basis... only to disappoint by going a full minute with the only lyrics being a repeated utterance of "not at all" - the edge is still in the composition though, and whilst it wanders a little in the outro the first 2 minutes of the song are really impactful. Spunky comes and goes in the way of dross and then we hit the second of the two singles I bought back in the day.
I love the spooky theme of Your Lucky Day in Hell. Mumbled lyrics over a darkly persistent tune, and that light touch that comes in for the chorus again. Contrast, it's a good idea people. Also, it's a videogame I really should get around to playing - I have it sat in my Steam list but never got around to it yet. This track is, weirdly a bit of a relaxing one, despite the haunting base - the light orchestral touch on the chorus really lifts it and reminds me of downtempo artists like Zero 7 and the like with the relaxing tunes they created some 5 years later (oh jeez, Simple Things being 15 years old makes me feel much older than this being 20...).
We are coming to the end now. Overall the album starts strong, thematic and interesting but that dwindles over time. There are good points to the later tracks, but they are not so consistently good as the front five and my attention has certainly wandered more as the tracks have gone on. Part of that may be finishing up the dregs of yesterday's wine but I do think that the quality of output has dipped since the end of Not Ready Yet - meaning that I was probably right with my comment on the lack of subconscious familiarity, and right not to run out and buy any more Eels music. Still, some cracking songs here too so I cannot really complain.
We start with Novocaine for the Soul, which was a single here but not one of the two I picked up. For me this song was a bit of a grower, not one that I was taken with from the off. I like the mix of the dark and the ornamental - a contrast of style and substance that characterises a few of my favourite songs, as well as ones like this that I just rather like. Its the expansiveness of the arrangement that gives the open effect, but the darkness of the lyrics and tight confines of the verses that set you up for the majesty. That is a theme that carries on with Susan's House - which was the first single I bought. Verse tense, spoken, dark. Chorus plinky - and very dated - but much more melodic and relatable.
The conversational tone of the narrative is engaging in a voyeuristic kind of way. It's a little like watching something like The Wire and getting a view into a world that is nothing like the one I know. I listen to these now, two decades on, and I wonder why I never picked up more Eels records... and even as I do, and enjoy this one, I do not feel compelled to get more.
Interesting; the songs overlap here. The start point of Rags to Rags is before the backing of Susan's House has completely faded. I know that was more common back then, but I had not noticed it before. I cannot say I really recognise this tune but it definitely carries on the common theme. The chorus and bridge are still more expansive, the verses confined and tight. There is less melody here, just more darkness - but in a decent way, not gratuitous or unwelcome. I am at the end of a week off, just Sunday to go. I have achieved less than I would have liked but have at least managed to get the shelves battened and caused a lot of little red casualty symbols to appear in Blood Bowl. Yeah, the latter is not an achievement really but it speaks to how I have wanted to be spending my time - mindlessly punching digital opponents into oblivion. I do not really feel any better for it, but I suspect I am in a slightly better place for the switching off. Still have a bit to do tomorrow, not least finding time to watch England (hopefully) play well in Dublin. The Six Nations is a dream for getting through these late winter weekends.
Not Ready Yet is more familiar by sound than by name but once it starts is very recognisible; this and the title track that preceded it are more in the same vein: dark and slightly grubby with moments of tenderness or light occasionally chucked in - whether in the form of a lighter lyric, or a particularly sweet chord/hook/backing that is there then gone. So far this album stands up pretty well. The songs are less familiar in this mid-scection; does that mean weaker as they haven't sunk into my subconscious over the years? My Beloved Monster is certainly the oddest and poorest effort yet - it feels more like an interlude, and is certainly for the chop. It's almost like the commentator's curse with sports: say something nice about someone then they disappoint immediately!
The balance appears to have shifted - I want more darkness back as the brighter sound is less engaging. I think it is temporary though as Mental and Your Lucky Day in Hell certainly bring the grubbiness back in later. The other thing I did this week is restart playing World of Tanks. Hopefully not to the level I did before and hopefully in a more laissez-faire fashion. Yesterday evening ended on a hilarious note when my (empty) artillery piece successfully completed a yakety-sax escape from a heavy 1 tier higher than me to complete a capture and win as last man standing. Epic. Why do I digress? Flower and Guest List are filler, that's why.
I have fond aural memories of Mental, despite the name, and when the song kicks in they come flooding back.... this is a little like the reverse of earlier. The lightness is in the verse - a sparse staccato touch - and the grime appears in the chorus with a much harder rockier edge bringing angst and emotion to bear. It loses the plot a little in the bridge but then falls back into its pattern which is a really strong basis... only to disappoint by going a full minute with the only lyrics being a repeated utterance of "not at all" - the edge is still in the composition though, and whilst it wanders a little in the outro the first 2 minutes of the song are really impactful. Spunky comes and goes in the way of dross and then we hit the second of the two singles I bought back in the day.
I love the spooky theme of Your Lucky Day in Hell. Mumbled lyrics over a darkly persistent tune, and that light touch that comes in for the chorus again. Contrast, it's a good idea people. Also, it's a videogame I really should get around to playing - I have it sat in my Steam list but never got around to it yet. This track is, weirdly a bit of a relaxing one, despite the haunting base - the light orchestral touch on the chorus really lifts it and reminds me of downtempo artists like Zero 7 and the like with the relaxing tunes they created some 5 years later (oh jeez, Simple Things being 15 years old makes me feel much older than this being 20...).
We are coming to the end now. Overall the album starts strong, thematic and interesting but that dwindles over time. There are good points to the later tracks, but they are not so consistently good as the front five and my attention has certainly wandered more as the tracks have gone on. Part of that may be finishing up the dregs of yesterday's wine but I do think that the quality of output has dipped since the end of Not Ready Yet - meaning that I was probably right with my comment on the lack of subconscious familiarity, and right not to run out and buy any more Eels music. Still, some cracking songs here too so I cannot really complain.
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