MAKE no bones about it, Eels’ Mark Everett is one of the more troubled men in show business. A sometimes suicidal alternative Prince.
Fortunately also one of the most gifted and prolific. Dogged by a devil of a childhood and his family’s well-documented and regular close encounters with tragedy, it is fortunate his bare-knuckle songs are so often lightened with humour, melody or wacky energy.
After the well received, noisier Wonderful, Glorious, this album is genetically closer to Blinking Lights And Other Revelations or arguably his most economical masterpiece, Electro Shock Blues.
Everett is again in quiet confessional mode here, so don’t expect hit singles, but he has arranged the album beautifully framed in strings.
Starting with an overture Where I’m At, Series Of Misunderstandings and Dead Reckoning point to the sombre subject matter, but listen carefully and you see the care and love lavished on this record. The double deluxe edition is quietly indispensable.
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