World of Shit

...but for a couple of hours last night, the eels helped us all to live in the moment and just put aside the tragic condition of our fair world. As one of E's lines goes “...tired of the old shit, let the new shit begin.”

So It's gonna be an eels Friday Random Ten. Friday Random eels.

As we were leaving I said “I didn't know what to expect from the show. That was not what I expected.” Not in a bad way.

First off, some mad props for the openers, Smoosh. Two preteen girls on drums and keyboards, with a surprisingly sophisticated musicality and songwriting. The drummer in particular was impressive. I made observation that all the guys in bands at school probably wouldn't let them join 'cuz they're girlz, man, and we wanna rock, man!' but they went on to write the songs and go on tour with the eels. My wife mentioned that they were probably the nieces of someone in the eels, I replied 'which makes the guys who wouldn't let 'em in the band even bigger chumps!'

Here's what AllMusic Guide has to say about eels:

Although marketed as a band, the leader and focus of alt-rockers Eels is undeniably singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist E (real name Mark Oliver Everett). Born April 9, 1963, in Virginia, Everett became interested in rock music at an early age via his sister's record collection, and began playing drums at the age of six (as well as tinkering on his family's piano). After his father's passing just a few years later, Everett began leading a troubled teenage life, being arrested and expelled from school. But the turmoil led to an even stronger interest in music for Everett, as he taught himself how to play his sister's guitar, and shortly thereafter wrote his own original compositions.

Due to the fact that several of his friends also were called Mark, it was also around this time that Everett began going by just his initials, and eventually, solely by the letter “E.” By his early twenties, E was demoing countless songs on a used four-track cassette recorder, eventually deciding to pursue his rock & roll dreams by relocating to Los Angeles. Due to his prolific songwriting, the quality of his songs naturally began to improve, which prompted a recording contract as a solo artist for Polydor Records. A pair of underappreciated releases soon followed, 1992's A Man Called E (which was supported with a tour opening for Tori Amos) and 1993's 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, and issued their debut, 1996's Beautiful Freak, as the group's sound was often compared to Beck. The album spawned a sizable MTV/alternative radio hit with “Novocaine for the Soul,” as its promo clip received three MTV Video Music Award nominations the following year, and the group's popularity rose in England (resulting in a Brit Award, presented to the group by goof metallists Spinal Tap).

What should have been a time of great promise for E and company turned out to be one of tragedy, as both the singer's sister and mother passed away (in addition to Walter leaving the group). The dark mood resonated in Eels' sophomore effort, Electro-Shock Blues, which proved to be even stronger than their debut, yet failed to break the group through to the big time commercially; despite collaborations with the likes of Mike Simpson (the Dust Brothers), Mickey P., Grant Lee Phillips (Grant Lee Buffalo), Jon Brion (Aimee Mann), and T-Bone Burnett. With new bassist Adam Siegal in tow, the group toured behind the release, before returning back to the studio immediately afterward to work on their third album. Issued in 2000, Daisies of the Galaxy proved to not be as dark as its predecessor, but again, failed to expand the group's following (R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck guested on the album, and even helped co-pen a track). Despite the album's commercial failure, E put together “the Eels Orchestra” to support the release on tour, playing throughout Europe, America, and Australia, while 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 had 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 group's official website, E began preparing for Eels' fourth studio release overall. Instead of penning the entire album by himself (as he'd done with the group's previous work), Souljacker was co-written and co-produced by E along with John Parish, as the album was issued throughout most of the world in September of 2001, but not in the U.S. until March of 2002 (in the U.S., the first edition of the CD 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 Messiah's splattering mix of hip-hop beats, dance grooves, and kitschy samples may or may not have been E in DJ drag, the album was nevertheless an enjoyable slice of summertime fun. April of that year saw the release of E/Everett's score for the indie film Levity, and in June came Shootenanny!, the Eels' fifth studio album. Its follow-up, 2005's 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 the New York Town Hall performance during their 2005 tour of the same name. Their first properly released live album, With Strings: Live at Town Hall, was simultaneously issued in February 2006 with a concert DVD.

So I've been an eels fan since he was just a Man Called E. Finally, we got a tour through Brewtown. So we went, basically. How could we not?

As Noted, the last tour was Live, With Strings. The album reveals much more produced songs, and the more mellow stuff. So it isn't particularly surprising that this time out, E wanted to rock. They even did a song called “Rock Show”. They also did covers of “I Put A Spell On You” and Tom Waits “Jesus Gonna Be Here”. But I get ahead of myself.

After a roadie came out with full bottles of Maker's Mark and Jack Daniels to put on the drum riser (and when was the last time you saw a band drinking whiskey on stage?) a large - Large! - man wearing a SECURITY shirt, sunglasses, and muttonchops came out to stand by the side of the stage. While a guitar feedback/drone was reverberating throughout the room, he just sort of lurked there while the band came out and just kind of made noise for a bit. I like to think it was kind of a tribute to the Sonic Youth show on Sunday. The rest of the band (for Security Guy, who I shall just refer to as SG from now on, was certainly part of the band) were all in beards, dark clothing, hats and sunglasses. E looked like an aviator rescued from several years on a South Pacific island, the drummer looked like a Confederate soldier, and the guitarist looked like a lost Castro brother.

And they did rock. It was the biggest sound from a three piece band since the Figgs. The guitarist played a six string bass, so could play both bottom and lead.

SG handled most of the between song banter. “You People are the Deal.” “If I was more emotionally available, I would fall for you” and other non sequiturs. Otherwise, he kind of goofed- he held a phone up to E during one song, he played tambo, he did martial arts kicks, and even pumped some iron during one song. Toward the end, he pulled on a rubber glove and gave hand claps to audience members pointed out by E. During the encore, he sprayed whipped cream into audience members mouths.

During a 20 minute stretch of “I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart”, e left the stage for a bit, leaving the band to keep playing, and gave his guitar to SG, who filled in with some rhythm work, then cam back to finish the song.

They played lots of stuff I didn't know, several covers, and one of the encores was the little ditty “I Like Birds”, sped up and rocked a la the Ramones. And they brought out Smoosh to dance and sing for the encores.

1. Grace Kelly Blues from the album “Daisies Of The Galaxy” by Eels
2. I Write The B-Sides from the album “Rotten World Blues (EP)” by eels
3. If You See Natalie from the album “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” by Eels
4. Things the Grandchildren Should Know from the album “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” by Eels
5. Spunky from the album “Live At Town Hall: Eels - With Strings (Live)” by Eels
6. Last Time We Spoke from the album “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” by Eels
7. Souljacker Part II from the album “Souljacker” by eels
8. The Sound Of Fear from the album “Daisies Of The Galaxy” by Eels
9. It's a M**********r from the album “Live At Town Hall: Eels - With Strings (Live)” by Eels
10. Theme from Blinking Lights from the album “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” by Eels

Bonus eels:

11. Losing Streak from the album “Live At Town Hall: Eels - With Strings (Live)” by Eels
12. God's Silence from the album “Blinking Lights and Other Revelations” by Eels
13. Teenage Witch from the album “Souljacker” by eels
14. Estate Sale from the album “Daisies Of The Galaxy” by Eels
15. Something Is Sacred from the album “Daisies Of The Galaxy” by Eels

Good show, E.

Go out and get some of this music. 'Electro-Shock Blues' is one of the best. Have a Friday, folks.

Oh, and a thumbs down to Shiner Bock. I only had three beers, and man I've got a hangover. Bleah.