Eels Album: “Beautiful Freak”

I'll admit it. I was reeled in by the single 'Novocaine For The Soul.' It's a song you'll be humming to yourself over and over. Fortunately, the rest of the album is also quite good. There are some songs you could give a miss, but then there are works of genius such as 'Susan's House,' a spoken-word tune that would make you laugh if it wasn't so sad. 'Flower' is affecting in it's gentleness, and 'Spunky' is just sublime. With lines like 'Spunky looks good in her bright red wig, eating chocolate chip mint ice-cream/A cat named Lola with a violent past, is balled-up asleep 'cross her knees" it's that kind of song which makes you take a time out from everyday life and take a deep, life-affirming breath. Even though this album is stacked with sad songs, there's an uplifting quality about them. It took me a while to get into the album, so you might need to play it a few times.

This record is simply amazing. I've yet to hear another album that flows so well from track to track--almost seamlessly. Eels mastermind E is always coming up with better than great stuff (just check out any other Eels album for proof) and really established a high-water mark here on the first Eels album. The melodies, all simple, almost childlike at times, are straightforward and reel you in immediately. The opening track "Novocaine For The Soul," the song for which the band is known largely to the public, is a wonderful pop creation, pure ear candy. The narrative "Susan's House," a spoken/sung track that incorporates a jazzy upright bass sound, an old school hip-hoppish drumbeat sound, and a Gladys Knight & The Pips piano sample into the chorus, is the most experimental track here, for a band known for mucho experimentation, but it still sounds as flawless and like something you could hear on the radio (that is, if radio actually paid any attention to the Eels) as the other tracks.

As always, E's lyrics deal with his usual stuff--chronicles of his status as the smart, cynical, too-cool for mass consumption outsider ("Guest List"), then there are the character sketches ("Beautiful Freak.") It's been a few years since this came out, and there are a lot more songwriters that write similar lyrics to E, but nobody does this stuff better than E.

When, on TV, somebody requested Eels with 'Novocaine for the soul' , I was curious about the group. Never heared of them, a new band. When the song was over, I knew this had to be my next album. E's raw voice and the simple but beautiful melody of the songs make this a great album and one of the best debut albums I 've ever heared in my entire life. Sadly enough 'Elektro shock blues' wasn't quite as powerfull, I'm hoping to hear more of them soon. Anyone, please, mail news of a third album to me, because in Belgium it's very hard to find CD's of unknown American talent like Eels.

Beautiful freak is a haunting cd. The eels have a truly original sound. This is a cd for a person who is tired of all of the same old music and is looking for something more original.

i have made many terrible buys in my short existence, but eels made up for every single one of them. over the years i have listened to this cd so many times in its entire entity and e never fails to allow my world-weary mind to drift off into the almighty reverie of sleep. so many of my dreams are captured in each of his lyrical words. listen - sleep - dream . . .