THERE is baring your soul on a record and then there is the music of Eels.

Mark Oliver Everett, aka E, the man behind the band, holds nothing back. Nothing.

The loss of every member of his immediate family in quick succession to cancer or suicide; loneliness; spurned love; mental illness and old age. You name it and E has written about it.

The fact his songs are so raw, sad and brutally honest, but beautiful, tender and funny at the same time is why he is often labelled a genius. Nonetheless, Eeels albums still remain largely undiscovered.

The Shrek films, in which E provided songs for the soundtracks, have helped, but Meet The Eels, his new "best of" compilation, should spread the word further. It also includes a bonus DVD containing all of the Eels' videos.

A simultaneous release of a comprehensive two-CD rarities and B-sides collection, which includes a DVD of six songs taken from a 2006 performance at Lollapalooza, will keep fans happy.

The 24 songs on Meet The Eels are a lesson in how to make dark, painful themes sound so easy on the ear. For every song about his inner despair is accompanied by a lovely piano melody or catchy pop chorus - of which he appears to have an inexhaustible supply.

My Beloved Monster and Susan's House are the pick of his early material, while Love Of The Loveless and Climbing To The Moon are the essence of what an Eels song is all about.

Souljacker Part 1 and Saturday Morning show he can rock out with the best of them, while I Like Birds and Mr E's Beautiful Blues prove he's not all doom and gloom.

His music videos don't do the songs justice, except on Novocaine For The Soul, on which E gets to fly.

The Useless Trinkets package has multiple entertaining versions of his best-loved songs, two Christmas tracks that better Wizard and Slade on every level, as well as epic previously unreleased tracks such as Bad News that are enough to induce tears.

An absolute must for any record collection.

  • Eels plays Grand Opera House, York, on March 21. Box office: 0870 606 3595.