Reviews (page 3 of 9)
I used to hate this cover as a kid. I ws definitely too young to appreciate Eels back when this came out but I quite enjoyed this in later life.
hahaha also s albumcover widerspieglet sicher mal de titel mmhhh okee ghör de post-grunge hahahah s isch na cool? hahaha HÄ und jz ischs loungemusig mit gsang?? er druckt d stimm schochli sehr fest für min gschmack DEFINITIV Z FEST DRUCK beautiful freak findi na cool, wenn auchli sehr fest chinder-/guetnachtliedli poaahh es isch so komisch, au not ready yet findi grundsätzlich eeecht geil aber glaub d stimm stört mich glaub chli? oder holt mich iwie usse? d giti findi riiichtig geil ok evt. chli obsessed mit not ready yet, muss mal im album wiiterlose ahh de classic quirky "random echli lärm mache" findi eifach chli wack de chor im hindergrund bi flower findi sehr cool ICH WETT AU ES WALKIETALKIE mit mental gahts wiedermal chli ab ich bin würkli überrascht wie guet ichs find hahaha chli trip-hop bi your lucky day in hell? isches sogar es sample? hmm denn leider doch echli seicht manchild isch na cute so als abschluss bin fest zwüsche 4 und 5, chanmi gad nöd entscheide s isch sehr kreativ, meistens ohni weg dem unnötig quirky oder pretentious z würke jaa hans nomal glost und es isch scho keis 5i. aber han eeecht spass gha, muss vlt mal meh lose vo ihne
3.5, rounded up
Accidentally listened to it on shuffle so had to listen to it again in order… Fortunately, I did enjoy it so it wasn’t a slog. This has a nice line in taking conventional songs and subverting them with a nice variety of instruments.
Some moments in this that really stick out, the lyrics at times (that must be be her sister, that must be her sister, right?) and changeup of tone and instruments in others. A solid piece of work with few lowlights. Was nice to revisit.
This was a big surprise and I enjoyed listening the album.
having heard blinking lights and other revelations before this i can see a lot of that classic eels sort of grounded sorrow pouring thru this album
I knew, and liked a few Eels songs before this, but I was really shocked at how solid this was. Honestly, one of the better late '90s alt-rock/"post-grunge" albums I've ever heard. I actually enjoyed every song on at least some level: not bad for a "one hit wonder". The songs are full of pop-hooks, but they never try to trick you. This presents itself as a rock/indie album the whole way, and makes the hooks work by tethering them to understated palettes, conversational vocals, and a sort of approachable vibe. The lyrics are also deeply important here. I haven't decided if they *always* work, but I think they are generally compelling. Mark Oliver Everett is definitely shooting for a kind of bittersweet, even depressing vibe by focusing these songs on tragedy, mental health and more. And sometimes, it's a little clunky or even crude. I'm still not sure if the very first line of the album is great writing or terrible writing. But the way it comes together, even with some off lines, creates a larger picture of someone earnestly trying to connect, and explain themselves, and cope with the world: and the inelegance works in this context. Not the absolute greatest thing ever, but shockingly good, I loved this quite a lot, and even found it sort of weirdly relatable at times. (quick note, I'm more familiar with Electro-Shock Blues by Eels, which is an album I probably owe a revisit)
very interesting, definitely quite a range of influences, I feel like there's quite a lot of trip hop type stuff in here with the atmospheric synths and stuff and drum breaks. His voice is quite gravelly at times, but also very nice at times, both I guess are good for different reasons. There's one song which quite reminded me of Pavement, so I guess its very possible these guys were inspired by that. There's also quite a mix of singing styles, like more spoken word stuff, which I guess is interesting. Favourite songs: all but: guest list. Overall around 7/10
7/10 Novocaine for the soul tics this just over the line for 4 stars. 12-4-2025
I thought I wasnt gonna like this after song one. Pleasantly surprised. Mental had a weird ending though. Good guitar, but the other instrument/sound was odd, especially to go from that into the piano on spunky.
For the first minute, I thought it was going to be a quite dull album for people who want to pretend they’re super indie and niche, but then it picked up. This is good, and I will definitely like it more after a few more listens. That said, I did find Mental a bit poorly written. A bit cringe. Sorry to anyone who relates to that one but it was way too surface level to work for me.
Catchy, dark, but preferred the upbeat moments. 3.5/5. Raising to a 4.
Mijn zusje had deze cd. Vage jarennegentigmuziek dus, beetje van het schoenenstaargenre, maar eigenlijk klinkt het best geinig. Best vaag en soms lijzig, maar het heeft enige power en het is muzikaal genoeg om een plaat lang te boeien.
Ik zit momenteel niet zo lekker qua albums, het bevalt me allemaal maar weinig. En dan is het toch lekker als je een alto-90s plaat krijgt. Eels heeft een fijne, zoetgevooisde stem. Het beatje is relaxt en af en toe zit er een prima gitaar in. Het was niet iets dat ik in die tijd vaak luisterde, het is iets te veel alto en te weinig rock naar mijn zin. Maar het luistert wel lekker weg en 90s muziek voelt als thuiskomen. Dus dat levert al snel een 3,5 op. Die ik deze keer naar boven afrond, want ik wil geen zure broeder zijn.
The nostalgia upon hearing this was immediate - so nice to hear some of these songs again, although admittedly little desire to go back afterwards. A strong 4 - varied, catchy and fun, without being lifechanging
I assumed I wouldnt really like it but I mesh with the album quite well and I enjoy it a lot, a few songs will be added to my mix
Best Track - "Novocaine For The Soul"
A good reminder about judging a book by its cover
actually thought this one was pretty interesting, and that's even before i realized they had a song on the shrek soundtrack.
Listening to a lot more music lately I didnt realize how unique this actually is. One of a kind sound.
No argument here. There are other Eels albums that I like a bit more, but this is an obvious entry point for those unfamiliar with E's work.
Very nearly a 5. Everything I love about 90s alt music on one album.
Makes me want to listen to Wilco
I know I've listened to Eels before. They're an alternative rock band with elements of trip hop in their sound, fronted by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Oliver Everett. Having established himself under the stage name E, Mark formed the band with drummer Jonathan "Butch" Norton and bassist Tommy Walter. They ended up being one of the first acts signed to the now-defunct DreamWorks Records, meaning there's a good chance you've heard them before in soundtracks for films like American Beauty and Shrek. As for their debut record, Beautiful Freak is very much what it says on the tin, epitomized by the little girl with enlarged eyes on the album artwork. It's a quirky, weird slice of post-grunge with samples, pop-adjacent melodies, and the occasional noise, complete with Mark's fried vocal delivery as he sang about depression, loneliness, unrequited love, and other such emotional and mental complexities. It may seem a tad repetitive in the lyrical themes, but I consider Mark's words to come from a genuine place. I would say this is another debut record that shows potential in the songwriting and construction, but could use a little more refinement in the hooks and more standout moments from the band personnel. I consider Beautiful Freak to be a weirdly pleasant album. I know that the band members will continue to rotate over the years, leaving Mark as the sole original member in the Eels lineup. But even if it's just Mark from here on out, he's shown enough passion and talent to do something great with his music.
Great listen. Multiple radio hits. Cool mellow vibes with a melancholy under current.
I've always been a fan of Eels and its founder and one constant member, Mark Oliver Everett. This is a great album and his songwriting is a great example of dark lyrics set to beautiful pop constructions. So many good songs on here and there really isn't a dud on it. Jon Brion's production really elevates it and gives it a distinctive sound. Sad sack odes to LA living never sounded so good.
I like Shrek as much as the next guy, but Mark Everett deserves to be known as much more than the Shrek guy. Eels are great, and this is one of their best, behind only Blinking Lights for me. The fuzzy and explosive guitar complements his voice so well, but the lyrics are the highlight here. He's a terrific lyricist, writing songs that are vivid, sometimes humorous, sometimes just bleak, but also really down to earth, accessible and human.
Melancholic, sometimes depressing, some other sunk in happy sandness.
Hate this album art but honestly enjoy this album greatly :3
I really enjoyed this, worth another listen I think
This album was really good, I listened in the shower though so I need to give it a relisten.
A fan of this album when it came out. Relistened. Enjoyed it again
I actually own this album, but I don't think I've listened to it since the 90s. It actually holds up really well! A very good album!
Yeah, I like this! Oddly enough, I'd just heard this for the first time about a month ago. Somebody told me that I'd like them based on some bands I said I liked. I thought it was Ok, but nothing worth coming back to. Then when it popped up here and I listened again, I guess the familiarity I'd already had made it seem much better. Long way to say that if you didn't love it, you might want to come back to it and try again. It definitely grew on me! It's good just pre-grunge or grunge-adjacent indie (for the time) rock. Not that goofy, jangly indie that came about 10 years later. At first I didn't love the guy's voice. No good reason. He's not particularly whiney or anything. Just didn't grab me, but again, upon repeated listening, it's interesting. Some strange musical structures and funky lyrics. This is a good album. Added some songs "Novacaine" "Susan's House" and "Lucky day in Hell" to some playlists and saved the album. Quite good. Say 4.5 but I gotta round down. 5's are pretty hard to come by from this guy and it's not groundbreaking enough.
The album cover sucks. Don’t worry about it. This is a really great album all around. Favorites are definitely novocaine for the soul, my beloved monster, susans house.
Novocaine for the Soul fue un trallazo que sirivió para descubrir a Mark Everett. En esa época estaba al nivel de Beck, Manic Street Preachers, Garbage o Suede, por delante aún de Radiohead. Luego publicaron el igualmente exquisito Electro-Shock Blues, que incomprensiblemente tuvo menor éxito. Mr E. no es un cualquiera, un tipo formado intelectualmente y con talento para la melodía y para las letras, de hecho ha publicado varios libros con éxito. Hasta Souljacker se le siguió bastante bien la pista, luego a pesar de publicar con bastante regularidad ha venido a menos, aunque no por falta de calidad. De este debut, destacan los sencillos Novocaine for the Soul y Susan's house, que es un maravilla de canción. Suena muy bien, como acertadamente indica la crítica, se trata de una mezcla de Sparklehorse y Beck de la que tomaron nota Wilco que siguieron sus pasos (basta escuchar Guest Light). Entre la delicadeza de Beautiful Freak o Spunky y la electricidad de Not ready yet, a las que se puede unir la experimentación de My beloved monster o la Flower. ¿Grande? Enorme. No es poco para un tipo que esquivó el destino de morir de forma repentina y tan absurda como el resto de su linaje.
Quality mellow stuff from Eels. One of the few bands of the late 90's i got into and it is still a good listen now.
Rounding up to 4 since I'll probably listen again. Reminds me a lot of Wilco.
I like the weirdness in it
There's a lot of charm to this indie, light rock
4.0 Hauntingly beautiful. Seems to be a lot of pain in these words but at the same time it's cathartic for him to release it and use to hear it. A few weaker tracks which drag the score down, but the high point are very high. The opener is an amazing track. Can't even come up with any similarities to what this sounds like, it's alternative rock but sounds unique.
With my first listen I wasn't sure of this and was going to give it a 3. I liked it, but it feels like an album you need to live with for a while. On my second listen I bumped its score up to 4. It's definitely a grower. I think if I lived with it a while longer it might even reach the heady heights of a 5. I don't know why I wasn't already friends with this album, it somehow passed me by despite totally being my kind of thing. I hope we become better acquainted in the near future.
It's band I wasn't really aware of before listening. It's not the kind of music I tend to gravitate towards, but it was very enjoyable. It was a lot more melodic than I was expecting. It didn't really feel like rock, more like moody pop. A very nice surprise.
Legal, bem eclético, e bem emblemático da época em que foi feito. A capa é feia, vou dizer isso, mas ela é chamativa, te deixa curioso pra saber o que te espera pela frente. Faz seu trabalho. Achei este álbum imprevisível, e isso é um ponto bem positivo pra ele. Ele vai para várias direções diferentes. A única coisa que não muda muito, são os vocais deste cantor, que sendo sincero, são monótonos, e às vezes o elo fraco em algumas canções. Mas ao todo, o disco contém muitas ideias. Nem todas são executadas de maneira alegre. Algumas vezes as letras deixam à desejar. Mas a instrumentalização nunca deixa de ser interessante e brilhantemente composta. As faixas mais downbeat são as que mais me agradaram. Me lembrou um pouco de Beck, um pouco de Flaming Lips, até um pouco de Ween em partes, casando muito bem com minha paleta musical pessoal. De certo um disco ambicioso, e me deixou curioso pra ouvir o resto da discografia deles. Farei isso um dia. 4/5
Never heard of this album or group. That being said I found listening to it relaxing and melodic. I particularly liked Manchild.
I suppose this band is an indie rock blindspot for me, but this is a good album! Reminds me a lot of Grandaddy.
Very nice, chill vibes. Some classics but overall a very cohesive album.
The album cover is very creepy, but the music was good.
Eels up inside ya, finding and entrance where they can. I spent most of this album thinking the singer sounded familiar and then the shrek song came on and it all made sense. I really liked this for music I wouldn’t really like most of the time.
This album is a great introduction to them. Lots of melodies that feel like lullabies. It's clear he was going for a sound. One of the best albums of my week this week.
Nije electro shock blues ali je svejedno super albumčić
Well , this was a surprise. I know a couple of the songs , but the rest I enjoyed too !
I remember loving Novocaine for the soul on release and expecting an album full of similar stuff only to be disappointed. However, all these years later I love the slower introspective songs.
Eels albums never blow your socks off, but I find they are always consistently filled with endearing and charming song writing, with interesting subtle use of different instrumentation. This debut album is no different, and Mr E always leave me feeling chilled and happier having listened to him. Now go listen to ‘I like birds’.
How did I miss this first time, there are quite a few songs on here I know well. Really enjoyed this.
4 surprisingly solid
Rock light noventero, pensaba que cantaba ún niggi pero no, tío con gafas y camisa de cuadros grunchero con barba. Bastante guapo
Used beloved monster as my morning alarm for a year, I'm back biased.
Nice variety of tones, some unique chord progressions and melodies. Great voice and production.
Thought this was really enjoyable. Sad sack slacker indie rock, what’s not to love? Eels was definitely one of the first alt/indie artists on my radar from a young age, and even though I never dove into his discog, I’ve always had a soft spot for the thing he does. This album captures it very well and was enjoyable all the way through. Must-listen #214.
A favourite
260921 16:45 4
oh man I am in LOVE with this one! takes me back to my 90s post-grungy roots! i've heard a handful of these songs before just wasn't aware of what artist they were from. i would listen to this any time! susan's house was a personal favorite and i will be making sure my friend susan is aware that it exists
This is a great album. Lots if similar vibes throughout but really engaging and relatable. Some songs feel very comforting too.
8.5 Gorgeous album. There is a certain lullaby quality to many of the songs. No skips. Highlights: Novocaine for the Soul Susans House Rags to Rags Not Ready Yet Beautiful Freak Flower Mental
Irgendwie Napoleon Dynamite vibes.
I remember when my sister came home with this album when it came out. I borrowed a lot of her CDs but never this one. It’s really good! Some of the production is super 90s but the songwriting is timeless. Susan’s House, Not Ready Yet, and Guest List are standouts on first listen, alongside (obviously) Novocaine for the Soul. Will give this a few more spins soon.
I like the bells on some of the songs and the snare tone. It has a song from Skrek. Borderline 4 star but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
A collection of fantastic guitar hooks with pretty good songs attached
woah not the strongest start for me but i liked that.
great
Gran álbum, la verdad si volvería a escuchar muchas de las canciones qué contiene, canciones con mucha energía y personalidad propia, no conocía ni él álbum ni la banda y la verdad me estaba perdiendo de mucho.
I really enjoyed it as an album but no specific songs that made me go wow.
This is a blast from the past! I haven't listened to the Eels in a long long time - I really enjoyed it.
Spunku and Your Lucky Day in Hell were my two favorite songs. There were a lot of surprises in lyrics and tempo.
I was really into Eels back in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Around Shootenanny, it started to feel like diminishing returns for me, but listening to this reminded me why I became a fan to start with.
urgent, intimate, dark, and beautifully crafted
An American version of Radiohead, but in a good way.
Nice grungy music. Enjoyed novocaine for the soul.
Just based on the cover art and band name I went into this with low expectations, but actually found it to be a really enjoyable listen.
I liked the Eels. I enjoy most of these songs and like the vibe it creates. 3.5/4
E is a good boy
Aint much but it's honest work
Eels are like if you combined Elliott Smith and Beck. And it totally works! This is a very good album. Bonus points for appearing on the Shrek soundtrack.
This one is a really surprising album. I've enjoyed it so much, and, as the songs go on, it keeps getting better. I didn't know what to expect, I thought it wasn't going to be much of my like, but it has been such a pleasant listening.
I remember when this album came out but never really jumped on the eels bandwagon. Listening through this record makes me want to add it to my CD collection and investigate the rest of the eels discography. I like that he doesn't shy away from subject matter or deep personal feelings or even asking questions about something greater in this world. My favorite lyrics on this album are from "Novocaine for the Soul"... "You better give me something so I don't die... Jesus and his lawyer are coming back." While it's my understanding that E isn't a Christian, there were no truer words spoken. Jesus will fill the hole in your life.
No i to jest to czego oczekuję od rockowej płyty z lat 90. Zabawne, dowcipne i lekko pokręcone teksty. Kompozycje proste, ale na tyle oryginalne że nie nudzą. I wokal, który może nie jest wybitny, ale da się go słuchać bez żenady. 7/10
A new listen to me and pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this album. Moments of sonic delight and good variety of tonality without getting too out there. Good singing and songwriting. Nice.
Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: Not Ready Yet, Susan's House, Your Lucky Day In Hell, Manchild This is pretty offbeat alternative rock even for my own standards. Or perhaps its just miscategorized. I hear a bunch of influences or perhaps the other way around: Morcheeba, Portishead or I Monstor; elements of trip-hop in Novacaine For The Soul and Your Lucky Day In Hell. Your Lucky Day In Hell could be a Flaming Lips song, similar to Ego-tripping At The Gates Of Hell. When you actually get a guitar heavy track, it sounds like it could be from a Weezer album. And I can't fail to mention that 'Manchild' is played at the end of an episode of my favorite TV show, Futurama (Game of Tones). My gut reaction to this album was out-of-tune vocals and quite strange song composition, but this album is growing on me a lot, mostly for its weirdness. You could say it's a Beautiful Freak.
Unique pastiche of sounds and melodies, apparently born from a hyper-intellectual and traumatic upbringing. I dig it.
I liked the album a lot. It was quite enjoyable. The music and lyrics were nice. Good musicianship.
Great album!
Pour une fois que "rock alternatif" ne rime pas avec truc totalement plat et sans intérêt dans cette liste, c'est à noter.
After about 10 seconds into the first song, I was thinking, what the hell?!! But then it took a turn, and I found that I really liked this album! I had never heard of this band, but I think if I discovered this back when it was current, I would have played the hell out of it. I have really enjoyed most of the selections lately…totally unfamiliar with most of them, but thought they were all really good. 4 stars for this one.
Damn, I recognized this sound instantly from SHREK hahaha. I really liked this. Emo, angsty, folksy, and delightful.
Mathematically it's impossible for Mac Miller to have fronted this band, but if you told me this was released in 2016, you could have convinced me. I think I would have loved this album had I found it in middle school; it's the right amount of catchy pop/rock mixed with a pre-teen level of edginess that would have really scratched my brain in the late 90s. Maybe I'll pretend that happened and I'll retroactively start including this in my pantheon of formative classics. Delving into the rest of their catalog has also been fun, I'm sad it took so long for me to find this band.
Yeah I liked it. Lo-fi alternative 90s stuff.
Great stuff on here. It opens with “the world is hard and so am I” I’ll defo revisit this one
4.3/5 Solid album and surprisingly enjoyable. Felt a tad longer than needed to be.
Only knew of "Novocaine for the Soul" coming in (which is a FANTASTIC song). (Post-listen edit: definitely remember "My Beloved Monster" from Shrek too, been ages since I've heard that!). The songwriting is pretty inspired here and the instrumentals weren't as heavy as I was expecting. A surprising amount of R&B/soul samples for an alt rock record too, which probably contributed to the overall catchiness.
Enjoyable, Novocain for the soul being the standout.
Good album like the samples
Musically really interesting, feels very personal while still exploring the medium itself. A little uneven in that it starts strong but flags towards the end.
I've been listening to this since it was released in '96, and revisiting it was a joy. This kind of grunge-meets-trip-hop-meets-elliott-smith is right up my alley and this one in particular hit me at a perfect moment as I was increasingly living in the tension of inner turmoil counter-balanced with a growing sense of wonder about the world. All the melancholy and minor key dirgeness balanced with exceptionally inventive arrangements and production are still to this day pretty dang close to perfect. The Eels have gone on to have a pretty legendary run of albums, but this one will always have my heart, even though more interesting albums are ahead. That said, is this one of the 1001 albums you must hear before you die? Probably not. But I like it better than every "classic" album this list has thrown at me so far.
Generally love it although a few of the songs feel a little half baked
Definately better than I expected - with BritPop in its death knells at this point and British Rock painted into a corner things were much more interesting across the pond at this point. The memorable main single is post-grunge fo sho but much of the rest probably more reminiscent of Beck Odelay era and its trip/hip hop/sampledelica.
Solid A, enjoyed it a lot, though I don't know if this particular album will be on my repeat list.
This was a solid alt rock album that had a very alt rock/late 90s vibe! I enjoyed this album and the darker themes it explored. I would listen to this again and recommend it to others!
There’s a funky sweet spot between and signature sound and samey-boring - and that’s where the eels live.
Really like this!
I like "Susan's House". It's got bleak subject matter, but I like the way the entire track comes together. The production is interesting. The spoken word sections remind me of "Fire Coming Out of The Monkey's Head" by Gorillaz. Each song has been pretty different so far. "Beloved Monster" has some nice riffs. This album was a lot of easy-listening pop. The lyrics were personal, dark, and interesting. 7/10
As I listened to this album there was something so familiar about it and then I heard Monster and Me and it clicked...Shrek! It was also interesting how that song put context for this whole album even before I knew they sang it. There is something childish but dark and haunting about it from the beginning. It connects to the inner dark childlike soul in my and I like that. One critique is that everything sort of sounds the same, but that sound is his and ties it all together.
Interesting...
Beautiful Freak is exactly what '90s alternative should sound like — weird, emotional, a little rough around the edges, and completely its own thing. “Susan’s House” especially nails that vibe with its spoken-word verses and laid-back groove. It’s like grunge’s introspective cousin who reads poetry and watches the rain. The whole album has this strange charm to it — quirky but honest, dark but not trying too hard. It’s not quite a five-star classic, but it’s definitely a strong, memorable listen.
Liked this far more than I thought I would
Some great tracks on here and I found myself enjoying it more than I expected. The restrained grunge sound is an interesting one, so I'll probably check out more of their stuff some time.
I knew the singles, but surprised how much I enjoyed the album as a whole. Scuzzy guitars, dive bar aesthetic
My first encounter with the Eels was the album 'Electro-shock Blues' not this one - and it came at a very inopportune year in my early teens full of funerals of close family members. That album is dark and it itself is grasping with grief and darkness of it's own. This record in comparison is rather more earnest and it's lovely in its darkness - while still bopping. Kind of like a demented Beck, and a whole of sardonic singing. I'm glad I got to hear this - reminded me of Electroshock blues which I should revisit and got familiar with this record, which is solid album.
a little hippy and sad, but rythm was good
This is my first exposure to Eels and I’ve been really taken by how extreme the dynamics are - bolshy guitar noises quickly swap in and out with moments of relative silence. I also love the lyrics. E pushes the jokes in his lyrics really hard, either by developing them into something increasingly more ridiculous, or just by pushing the same joke again and again. They have the same gutsy cathartic style as Nirvana but with the humour amped up a thousand times. Fans of Elliott Smith would also enjoy their cheeky, downbeat worldview.
Loved the first half, weaker second half but v up my street overall.
8/10 Definitely a product of the 90s when executives were looking for weirdos to be new Pop sensations, a lot of great experiments and fun moments Shrekmaxing
Good for studying, relaxing, makes me feel good.
I’d heard Novocaine For the Soul before, but that was about it. Solid album, good sound throughout. Got a little pretentious at times, but I can forgive it for that
this album was sick. in both ways.
What a great indie rock album, I've not listened to a ton of the eels but this was a truly good album! I enjoyed it start to finish! It did sound just a little similar all the way through but I thought it worked!
29 years ago- no way! A great album and a great live entertainer.
i really enjoyed that!! it was very beautiful and interesting although the lyrics weren't always my favorite. but i liked the blend of styles and at times it reminded me a bit of Garbage which I liked. fav tracks: novocaine for the soul, my beloved monster, flower
If Beck and Rivers Cuomo had a love child it would sound like this. Very nineties. I like it.
The best way I could describe this album is it is the most gentle grunge album I’ve ever heard. It’s so easy on the ears and it’s quiet and soft. It’s actually kinda fascinating cause grunge is usually associated with deep emotional wailing and screaming a lot of the time. But this album is an exercise in the opposite, it’s gentle and fragile. It kinda makes me think of Pavement which is obviously a huge complement. The only thing I struggled with is I didn’t immediately love the lead singer. It took like a full day and a half for his voice to start to win me over. To be frank, on my first listen, I don’t think I got the album. I didn’t really enjoy it that first play through. But by the next day I started to really mesh with it. It might not be for everyone but it’s definitely the soundtrack for gentle moshing. Joking aside, look into this album if you are a Pavement fan, kinda similar.
Skemmtileg plata. Gott fyrir sálina að fá smá novocaine. Hræðilegt cover. 3,5
It was a cool album thought-provoking a little dark but fun at the same time sounded a little Lou-Reed-y
As with Beck, Eels have an otherworldly feel to them, one that I love.
Really liked this one. Felt new and familiar at the same time and brought me right back to my childhood.
It's a great album. An impressive selection of songs in here in terms of variation, with a really unique sound. I really like their style, and his singing voice. It conveys a lot of emotion somehow despite sounding quite strained. Novocaine for the Soul and My Beloved Monster are my personal highlights, but I like a lot of the others. 4.5 rounded down.
I liked the beginning of the album a lot but got a lil bored in the middle
Depressing but original. Cobain, Elliott smith, beck, cake vibes. Maybe needs a second listen, thinking 3.6
Really great. Not a ton of range, but they're very good at what they do. Add this to the pantheon of albums I like whose album cover art I absolutely hate.
As soon as i heard the first song, the voice and general vibe sounded really fimiliar. Then i heard the song "My Beloved Monster" and i recognized it from the Shrek soundtrack. I also found out that they made another song in the Shrek 2 soudtrack called "I need some sleep", which is a personal favorite on that record. Besides those facts, I really enjoyed that album. +1 star for the Shrek track. Fav songs : Mental, Your Lucky Day in Hell
Wow, I really enjoyed this album. I was happy to hear Novacine, Monster, and others. Not incredible but really good.
Quite enjoyed this, quite a soft, lo-fi sound with restrained vocals, which works for this somehow. Not bad. High 3 low 4 - leaning towards 4.
Excellent debut. So what happened? Would have been a 5 but lose 1 star for 15 seconds of pointless harmonica in Guest List.
Three listens and counting. Post teen angst but much cooler
Eels est un de mes groupes préférés; même si cet album n'est pas mon favori on y retrouve sa signature: les thèmes de santé mentale, la fracture entre retenue et fièvre, rock et électronique, dans une fréquence un peu dépressive.
Really enjoyed this. Solid from start to finish. It didn’t have any transcendent moments so I’m giving it a 4, but I’d say it’s more of a 4.5.
Eels is able to take a lot of influences across sub genres and blend them into something wholly unique. I've always gotten a kick out of the left-turn instrumentation that was well ahead of its time. The songwriting here is subpar, but I think the direction of the songs makes up for it.
Umiddelbart så nittitalls som det går an hahah. Den late, tilbakelente holdningen deres var selvfølgelig i tidsånden. Den sære introen fikk meg på kroken, og de holdt oppmerksomheten min gjennom hele albumet. Digge gitartoner. De veksler mellom rolige låter med skjønne melodier og stilige slappe råkkere, derav er alt veldig behagelig å høre på. Bra saker altså.
Novocaine for the Soul was a very important song for my youth. I never listened to the rest of the album until now and while it doesn't quite hit the highs of Novocaine, E is clearly a talented dude and I can get why he has huge fans.
I never listened to the Eels before, but enjoy this and would return.
Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 👀👧🥀 Production: 🤛😊👌 Music: 🥩🌧️🌈 Rating: 👁️👁️👁️👁️/5
Went with a slightly generous four over a slightly unfair three because I enjoyed it more than other things I've given three to, and I'm in a good mood
Really enjoyed this. Flowed really well and didn’t really have any duds
Thank you you Beautiful Freaks, I’ll be back to listen to more Eels.
This one really grew on me as I listened. I’ll need to return to it to see if I like it even more!
This album sounds sooooo 90s. In a good way Really good, consistent, good length. Good 4
This album was mostly total and complete bangers. Starts amazing, but has a lull near the end (minus "Your Lucky Day In Hell" which is catchy as fuck). I've really never heard of Eels but they always have sounded so familiar. Like the template for what 90's rock sounds like to me
Never heard of this band, but the vocals were distinct and captivating.
p780. 1996. 4 stars. Quality songs on isolation and loneliness, interspersed with a sense of hope and longing. Point deducted for occasional filler.
Goede gitaar, zang moest ik beetje aan wennen, maar halverwege vond ik het al prima. Niet zo heel veel over te zeggen. Had het aan als achtergrondmuziek een groot deel van de tijd. Was net als de eerste heel goed daar voor. Zou hier eerder naar luisteren. 8/10
Godt album. Fortjener et lyt mere inden dommen. Det bliver en 4er. Det er et godt album uden tvivl!
Fed oplevelse. Det her album er meget mere end hittet. Der er en lækker Lo-Fi feel over albummet. Standout numre: Novacaine for the Soul Not Ready Yet Guestlist Mental
Great album. I bought it when it came out on the strength of Novocaine For the Soul, I wasn’t disappointed then and I’m not disappointed now.
Quirky Nirvana vibes. Love it.
This was a lovely album either a funny story behind it. I also gave a great speech at work on why we should listen to it at work even I'd never heard it before. Though if you're wondering what it sounds like we'll it sounds like all of 120 Minutes. Those who know know.
This is a bit cringe in a way, like whoever listens to it gets bullied in school. But if you ignore the whining this unironically vibes. Stand-out: Susan's House
This album was great!! I’d only ever heard one song from this one. That of course being Novocaine For The Soul. I really liked it.
Tender and introspective. Lovely use of samples. Knew the big singles, novacaine, Susan's house but hadn't experienced the full album.
Beautiful Freak is the debut album from the Eels, which is really the work of Mark Oliver Everett. This could have been a "one-hit" story; their "Novocain for the Soul" was one of the songs of the summer of 1996. The Eels parlayed that early exposure, and have recorded fifteen albums to date, and their style developed considerably over that career. This early rendition of the Eels made catchy, lo-fi alt-rock songs, that are comparable to some of the early work of Beck.
No private session used for Spotify. I love Eeels, have most of their albums, seen them in concert a few times, have even read Mark's autobiography. This isn't my favorite Eels album, but I do like it a lot.
Smart, quirky, indie songs. Only ever heard Novocaine before so enjoyed the record.
I knew more songs off of this then I thought. Pretty good, between a 3 and a 4 depending on my mood.
I always enjoyed the Eels. Listened to them a lot in the early 2000s but it's been a while. I've heard them referred to as a poor man's Beck and there's definitely something to that comparison. But still... this album is solid. 3.5 rounding up.
Pre streaming, I used to go to the music section of big bookstores and scan CDs at those little stations with headphones to listen for a few minutes before buying. I would always try to pick artists I'd never heard of to discover something new. I ended up with Eels' 2005 Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, which maybe wasn't the best introduction to the band, I'm not sure. I enjoyed it for a while, but I've never been motivated to revisit it, especially with its 1.5 hour run time. So I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. Novocaine For The Soul is a nice 90s angsty grungey song, and it reminds me of Collective Soul a little. I also really like My Beloved Monster because of Shrek. I love the haunting background vocals on Flower. But my favorite might be Your Lucky Day In Hell. I like when he uses his falsetto, and something about the chord progression, the pulsing bass, and the strings in the chorus make this the kind of song I could keep on loop for a while. This would be a 3.5 if we could do half stars, but I'll round up.
Very strong Uni / Mackie memories of this album. Have not listened in 20 plus years - but surprisingly it still sounds good - with lots of hooks. Just creeps a 4
More whiny white guy music. I liked it, but not completely sold on it. Standouts: Novocaine For The Soul, Rags To Rags, Not Ready Yet, Guest List, and Spunky.
Fantastically weird. I listened to it twice, actually, and then went on to listen to his secret solo work--MC Honky, which was also great!
I almost went with. High 4 mainly because the last half was not as strong as the first.. But I think all I all it deserves a light 4½ 9.2 ★★★★½
Enjoyable album. The best Eels album I have heard. 4 stars
4.5
Never heard this before but I love it.
7.5/10 This was nice, I’m a sucker for genre-hopping albums. Alternative rock with hip hop, soul, country influences Extremely well produced, lush sound, excellent tunes with a pop sensibility The vocals from E are the best part of the album, get across so much soul whilst occasionally breaking into proper singing or pseudo rap This actually feels quite pretty and tender through its cynical veneer. I liked the ballad type songs the best Best: Beautiful Freak
Comfy music, reminds me of Radiohead.
Super record.
Some really good songs
I’ve enjoyed Eels as a casual fan since I heard his awesome song Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues several years ago. Beautiful Freak is probably his best album that I’ve listened to. It works really well as a cohesive album and doesn’t contain bad songs. One observation from this listen that very few will care about is that I think Mark Everett sounds a lot like a less twangy version of Patterson Hood from Drive-by Truckers (see Southern Rock Opera from this list).
Super wacky in a really good way. Love nov for the soul and all it's stop/starts The rest is hit or miss if it does that wacky weird unique sound good or not some of it is just weird and has nothing actually good about it but a lot of it is good like not ready yet, it's captivatingly odd not just weird 3.5 overall
Love this album. It’s just an under appreciated gem.
Great album, plenty of good tunes
I knew they were a cult band, but was somehow expecting a mid album along with their great hit. Boy was I wrong... Great album, I actually think I heard it back then and forgot about it. great one. additional star for Novocaine and Beloved Monster
che me gustó, es un 7,5/8 pero vamos a darle 8 porque tiene potencial. La tapa es perturbadora igual.
Bought this when it was released, but never really thought much of it at the time. Relistening now, I’m appreciating it more. Nice lyrics and melody.
I enjoyed this. Not at all what I was expecting, pleasantly surprised.
I really liked this and listened twice. Added a number of songs to my faves playlist too.
I’ve quite liked this album since it came out. Catchy songs, lovely vocals, nice mood throughout. Surprised to see they have a 17 album discography.
I was introduced to Eels in high school when, I swear, even though this seems implausible to me, “Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” got radio airplay. I have been a fan ever since, albeit an inattentive, not at all completist fan. Still, I’m thankful I worked my way backwards, because “Electro-Shock Blues” is a five star, stone cold classic album. This album is good. It will not replace ESB at the top of my Eels list. But it definitely has the same dark sense of humor and vibe that I love from this band.
Eels are great. E hadn't yet evolved into the lyricist he would become on the next album, Electro-Shock Blues (Instant 5), but the sound was present.
I am not that familiar with Eels; I have no idea how I missed them in the 90S There are some stand out songs on this album, Novocaine for the soul is a brilliant opening track. I also loved your lucky day in hell and not ready yet, but there is quite a bit of filler. It’s an album of good moments. Favourite song: Novocaine for the soul. Least favourite: Manchild, I was not a fan of at all and Spunky was pointless. Album artwork: The album title is summed up in the album art
Good vibes, solid songs
My nightmares will now consist of this thing. Thanks 1001 list.
First time i had heard of them - wonderful lyrics and sound
Great opener, and the rest of the album could be an anticlimax. But actually there is something novel and interesting in every track.
Like being transported through time. But still sounds fresh. And definitely has an X factor. I liked the story telling lyrics.
8/10. It's another pleasant album. It's softer in some places, and heavier in others. It's not my favourite album of all time, but it's a nice album. :)
This was actually quite good. I like how the play with the instrument location. For some reason the singer is ofter on the right and guitar on the left. Only complaint: a bit mellow at times.
LOVED this album.
This is a very intriguing album. It feels like it wants to be a serious grunge album but the band just doesn't have the chops for it. This doesn't make the album bad, but puts it in a unique place. The sound is accessible, interesting, and compelling despite the lack of strong lyrics. Still, it have a great vibe.
Estuvo lindo de escuchar
It was pretty nice, with soft and rough songs. It was nice to listen to as an album
Rating: 8/10 Honest lyrics with catchy instrumentals. Amazing when it works and okay when it does not. Best songs: Novocaine For The Soul, Susan's House.
Pretty good listen this.
Proper good, very evocative of the time period and it has that song from Shrek on it. We enjoyed it a lot.
Huh, I didn't expect to see Eels on here. I'm not too familiar with them, but they seem pretty niche. 'Manchild' holds a special place in my heart. This grungy, edgy stuff is my bread and butter.
It's very meaningful for a certain type of person of a certain age. And maybe other kinds of people can like it, too.
Y'know, I'd just like to pull up two terms from one of the reviews of this album I read on this website: "Flaming Lips vibes" and "baroque-grunge." That about sums this album's appeal to me. It's the dreamty, contended sigh of melancholy, sometimes wrapped purely in the instrumentation of angst, and other times mixed in with more unique spices. Which, reading that back, sounds like a really pretentious way to put it, but that's the best way I can think of to describe it. Plus, of course—it has a song in SHREK. Nostalgia for that alone already garunteed this thing points, so it's nice to hear that the rest of it holds up as well.
I’m at a 4. I need a hug. It’s just a sad album, you know? Right from the rip, “Novocaine for the Soul” is an obvious drug addiction parallel, and the album never really gets happier from there – the big peak of positivity is probably “My Beloved Monster,” and that might just be because it was used in Shrek. Seriously, the back half of this album is just a rough dose of suburban reality that never really brightens itself up. It’s a bold fucking choice, and it’s one I really deeply respect; this is a somewhat thought-provoking album for 1996. Taking this shit head on without really pulling any punches as to the nature of social anxiety and a desire to feel like one belongs stands out in the sort of commercialized rock and pop that was starting to come back into vogue around this time. I don’t think I can give it a 5; there’s a few tracks that hit really well lyrically and vocally, but are supplemented by instrumentals that don’t do too much to stick out, even when they get their little solo moments. Those types of tracks are really prevalent around the middle of the album, and they do make the experience slow down just a little bit too much, but this is still a really strong album. It can read as a bit generic and a little too angsty and moody in that teenage sort of way, but I think it’s possibly more relatable now in 2024 than it was in 1996 as far as the social dynamics go. It’s a very good 4, and it could be a 5 for people who really fucking relate to some of the subject matter here. It could also be a 2 for people who don’t relate to it at all and want to hear this guy shut up about his poor shitty life. For my tastes, I just liked it a lot, and I thought the storytelling and tone of the album was really well done. And now, I will go get that hug.
I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. I was only familiar with novocaine for the soul before.
Cool
Solid album all the way through.
'Beautiful Freak' took me by surprise. I expected some introspective modern indie rock, which is definitely is on the surface. I didn't quite expect the uneasiness of this album though. It almost manages to reach the style of The Flaming Lips but stops but a little short of proper art rock. The music sounds introverted and kind of alien but also inescapable. It's a shame I didn't know about it when I was younger because I probably would have loved it. Despite having never heard it before, Eels have still managed to take me back in time to the late 90s and a period of subdued angst that just wanted everything to sound different from everything I had heard before.
To be completely honest, I am terrified of eels. Not the band, of course, but the actual creatures. They're weird and slimy and their teeth are particularly intimidating. I think it all stems from when I played New Super Mario Bros. as a kid; there was a level that had a giant eel chasing you through a difficult water level, and it chomped you up if it caught you. Anyways, the dread and incomprehensible, slightly pathological fear of eels has absolutely nothing to do with this fantastic album. It's very cohesive and luckily has nothing to do with eels. There are themes of existential dread, which is much more up my alley. I need to check out more eels. The band I mean.
Stunning truthful and beautiful
not bad 4 stars
Really enjoyed it. Great album, great lyrics.
New to me. I’d withdrawn from like around 1996. Enjoyed enough I queued up the sophomore album.
This album is a lot more than Novocaine For The Soul. It speaks directly to my inner angst-filled teenager. The low point for me is that the last song, Manchild, is literally Everybody Hurts (REM) which I thought was a bit lazy. Hard to choose a fave track, but Guest List hits home. Rating: 4
Beautiful Freak is a sweet album. It’s melodically comforting and the lyrics are genius. There’s a bit of a mom rock vibe but sometimes that’s nice.
Cet album de Eels réside dans l'ADN auditif de ma génération. J'entrais au collège. Je me souviens de Novocaine for the soul à la radio, de mon père achetant le single puis l'album, du poste qui le diffusait dans le salon pendant que je faisais mes devoirs... Je prends toujours plaisir à écouter Beautiful Freak, il est ancré dans son époque, à l'intersection des styles musicaux emblématiques des 90's. Ce n'est peut-être pas le meilleur de Eels parmi les (nombreux) albums qui suivront, d'où ma note. Mais il n'en demeure pas moins un des albums "d'adultes" parmi les plus marquants du haut de mes 11 ans !
I love 90s music and have listened to this whole album in the past. I forgot about them and was glad to take that trip down memory lane.
Loved the vibe and happy to hear early Eels since my only exposure was the song Fresh Blood
Just good music
Interesnate debut; toques originales. Lástima que no se hayan superado posteriormente.
Love this album. Never heard of them before this list. Standouts: Nonvaccine for the Soul, Susan's House, Beautiful Freak, Your Lucky Day in Hell, Flower, Manchild,
Das Cover sagt: Nein! Reinhören ist trotzdem Pflicht. Und siehe da: Was zu hören ist, gefällt, teilweise zumindest.
Beautiful freak album!
solidly good rocking album. 4 stars.
I’ve seen this cover for as long as I can remember, but for whatever reason, it’s one of those albums I never thought about listening to. Now that I am listening to it, I can’t believe I always passed it up, because back in the late 90s, I would have fallen in love with this album, especially considering everything else I was listening to back then.
Good
Good decompressing music.
4/5
was perfect for a rainy london walk
Reminded me of old dEUS. Less whimsical and crazier than the direct follow up to this one. Really solid album all around.
This is a wonderful album. It’s definitely a little “different,” but it’s amazing. Novocain for the Soul was a massive hit that most people will remember. The lyrics are tremendous - thought provoking and, in places, heartbreaking. E is amazing at seeing people and writing from the heart. 4 solid stars.
Ive only really heard a handful of Eels songs. But this album was pretty solid. Reminded me a bit of Sparklehorse
Hated the album cover, loved the album itself. I've not generally enjoyed 90's rock, but this was a really good blend of surfish rock with a slight hint of grunge that resonated really well for me. Also, big shoutout to Shrek.
Really enjoyed this album, perfect mix of quirky with alternative, easy to listen in a variety of settings. ‘Beautiful Monster’ I recognized from Shrek but I probably had heard some of this when it released. Vocals were somewhat one-dimensional but some cool effects helped. 4.25/5
I surprised myself here. This record is pretty great. Alt-rock nearly at its finest, with little bits of influence from jazz, funk, and classical (among others). Reminiscent of Radiohead's debut album, Pablo Honey, though I would argue Beautiful Freak is generally better and more consistent. Lots of electrical SFX, synths, and sharp/sudden editing, all of which I really enjoyed (though I understand people who don't). That editing is especially apparent in the stop-start-filled opening track, Novocaine For The Soul, which is coincidentally also my favourite song on here. My main criticism is that the vocalist doesn't have much variety – but even so, it's still a more convincing voice than half the albums on this list, so I can't complain too much. 4/5 Key tracks: Novocaine For The Soul, Flower, Mental, Spunky, Manchild
Very good. I'm not a fan of self-pitying lyrics, but they worked here. Good vibe
Never heard of the Eels but I truly loved listening to this album. Listened to it quite passively but felt a deep level of intrigue all through. Would love to pay closer attention next listen to really follow the story
4 for vibes but second half was definitely weaker
a personal favorite
Day107 - seems like a big debut song from the debut album hurt the band overall. gen-x can’t help but be pulled to this music after getting raised like we were
Yeah, it’s pretty 90s. Not sure how this flew under my radar. It falls in line with most of the other stuff I was listening to at the time.
The cover is creepy, but once I got past that I enjoyed the album. Interesting vibes, and the strained vocals reminded me of the Elliot Smith album we got earlier.
Pretty good! 7.5/10
7/10 - There were some good songs. Some of it was too edgy for me but others were good. Susan's house was weird
Lowkey really good, really liked the guitar
Wow I camt believe I had never listened to this album. Its very cool amd experimental that forst song is pure gold and got me into a full groove to listen to the complete album. Its indie experimental rock and I love the voice distortions on the songs amd the sudden unexpected pauses amd just crazy stuff going on all the time. A surprise song every song I really was lind of clueless of what to expect after the first song but was intrigued and needed to know the progression. One of the nest albums I didnt had a clue about that Ive “discovered” here. Know the band amd know a few songs but have never ever listened to an album of them and they have 15 albums which is very very impressive.
Enjoyably melodic, indie-pop-rock, worth listening to a few times.
Hell yes, I love this album. My 90’s bias is probably showing, but I just think this album captures that post-grunge 90’s alt-rock sound so well. I think this is probably under appreciated, there’s a lot of clever choices from progressions to instrumentation.
I’ve always enjoyed Novocaine for the Soul but never really gave the album a chance. I liked it quite a bit! Is it on par with some other albums at this rating? Prob not. Did it give me tasty 90’s vibes? Indeed. And for that reason, 4*. 3.5/4
Awesome record from start to finish and I liked it very much
Today's album is like 90's alternative rock/indie rock. Not bad at all. They did have that song My Beloved Monster that was featured on Shrek. Favourite songs: Rags to Rags, Mental, Novocaine for the Soul, Guest List, Not Ready Yet, Susan's House, My Beloved Monster Least favourite songs: Beautiful Freak 4/5
Love the sound. Would prefer a less pretentious set of lyrics
I continually forget how underrated the Eels are. Really solid album from front to back. 4/5
This guy is the final boss of the 90s angsty grunge era. It's not my favorite genre in the world, but it does feel like this album has set the standard for all other albums for this era from both a musical and a lyrical perspective. You might not like it, but this is what peak indie performance looks like.
I was skeptical that this would be another mediocre alternative album. Well, this is isn't. There is this grungy sound, but combined with such interesting, partly surprising instrumentation, that this album stands out. "Susan's House" was the one with the most impression on me, followed by "Flower" and "Guest List".
Reminds me of the cure, or Radiohead. Actually enjoyed listening to this album.
Went in with low expectations based purely on the cover art.. but it’s actually a really nice mix of grunge and pop. Also love My Beloved Monster from Shrek - never knew who sang it. I’ll revisit this for sure.
Didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I'll need to listen to it a few more times to fully flesh out my opinion, but as of first listen it's going into my rotation. Weird and pretty.
Pretty good. Never heard of them before. Indie alt easy listening.
Wasn't familiar, but I really like it.
Was a little weird at first but got better.
Musically nice and slow and melodic and at times ethereal countered with creepy lyrics and singing that varies from almost falsetto to strained/smoky. "My Beloved Monster" reminds me of Shrek movie but it's still a great tune. "Susan's House" (along with Atmosphere's "Yesterday") samples Gladys Knight and The Pips piano intro.
4.3 - Great album, seen them live and prefer this more than later stuff I think
I liked this more than I thought I would. It felt pure 90s and v nostalgic. Susan's House was a fave, toe tapping.
3.5
Reminds me very much of Uni days, great album though not the cheeriest of subjects.
This was not what I expected. Having never heard of the Eels, an alt band that was around when I was into the scene made me double take at this suggestion. Turns out, it's a good record and I'll add it to my que. 4/5.
Sad/melancholy lyrics with an upbeat chorus is a winning formula for me. This album made me feel like world is shit, but I guess I'll keep on doing my thing. Standout songs: Novacaine for the soul Susan's house Rags to rags My beloved monster (THE SONG FROM SHREK!!) This is an interesting band to be signed to DreamWorks label. I guess it makes sense. DreamWorks isn't going to have a safe pop band to play in their Disney family friendly fairy tale. They're going to have an ugly sad ogre of a band that you eventually fall in love with by the end.
Shrek!
Don’t have much else to say about this one other that upon recognizing the first track I was positive this was also the band who plays ‘Pepper’ Of course that is the incomparable Butthole Surfers
I remember eels! Brought me back to my high school days lol.
SHREK SONG IN THIS RASIED THE WHOLE ALBUM A STAR (my beloved monster)
I know a lot of Eels songs and had some of their later albums on cd, but this one is a first for me, although I know some of the songs here. It's a snowy slow Tuesday and this feels like it's going to be just right. Okay, Eels are one of those bands - I'm into this, I like every song.
Reminds me of Our Lady Peace, good listen!
Didn't hear the significance of this album. Recognized one song and the others sounded very much like a typical band from the era.
"Beautiful Freak" is the debut album by Los Angeles rock band Eels. Alternative rock is the genre. I'll agree there. Eels are "E" - Mark Oliver Everett (vocals, guitar, piano), Jonathan Hayes "Butch" Norton (drums, backing vocals) and Tommy Walter (bass, backing vocals). Commercially, the album did really well in the UK reaching #5 (#114 in the US). Critically, it had mixed reviews. The album leads off with their hit "Novocaine for the Soul." Bells, a beat and orchestral strings. Lush and layered with the guitars. Sampling Fats Domino. He needs novocaine before he sputters out. Catchy song. That catchiness continues in "Susan's House." This slows things down. Piano led. A song about his girlfriend's house. "Rags to Rags" gets the rock out. Guitar led. Always love the soft-loud-soft. E moved to LA poor and, well, pretty must stayed poor. "Beautiful Freak" is slower and piano-led melody with strings. This has a real sad/melancholy feel. Another song about E's girlfriend. A banjo begins "My Beloved Monster" which changes to a guitar-led melody. We get the soft-loud-soft again. I'm reminded of the Flaming Lips. It's a moving song maybe about his schizophrenic sister who ended her life. "Your Lucky Day in Hell" goes even darker. Ominous and darks guitar and keys. Underlying synths with a slow beat. E's trying to be optimistic but he can't. This album really grew on me after a few listens. The songs alternate between softer (piano-led) and harder (guitar-led). I even thought they ventured into shoegaze land. Nice arrangements. The overall tone is sad/ melancholy, sometimes quirky but nonetheless compelling. E's voice is perfect (smokey, deep) for his lyrics and reminds me of Jeff Tweedy. And his lyrics can be dark. I think most people would like this especially the singles.
Pleasantly surprised by an album I wasn’t familiar with. No song in particular jumped out as a favorite if add to a playlist or something but together it was a cohesive enjoyable listening experience. I could see myself coming back to this album
I've seen the album cover a bunch of times, and it always creeps me out (big eyes and all). The quirkiness of the band makes up for the cover, I guess. Some of it feels a little forced, like they were doing quirky to sound quirky and not to be naturally quirky, like XTC. I wonder if that's who they were shooting for, particularly with songs like "Lucky Day In Hell." The vocalist grew on me, although his falsetto I could do without (like in "Manchild"). I dug it, ultimately. WOuld like to hear some of their other stuff. Favorite songs: "Rags To Rags," "Lucky Day In Hell."
I’ve always enjoyed “Novocaine For the Soul,” but hadn’t heard any of the others. I was pleasantly surprised! At first I thought the album was a bit pessimistic, but on second listen it felt more like the lyrics spoke to finding hope in a cruel world. I connected particularly with the lyrics of “Flower” and “Guest List.”
Wait im loving this!!!! Its certaintly an of the era sort of vibe but i like it!! Pop but also sort of weird rock music I honestly dont know how to categorize it, moody and really cool.
Good. Started well but I couldn't finish. Got a bit whiny.
Considering how awful the cover is, surprisingly good so far. Novocaine is really good. Same with Rags to Rags and My Beloved Monster. And Flower. And Mental. And Your Lucky Day in Hell. Manchild is good too. Considering how horrifying the cover is, I had a surprisingly great time with this one. Consistently good the whole way through. Don’t have a ton to say, though. Just a really good album. 8/10 Top 5: 1. Novocaine For The Soul 2. Manchild 3. My Beloved Monster 4. Rags to Rags 5. Your Lucky Day In Hell
Fun album. Will listen to again
rock forever
Great album. Plenty of variety, interesting, uplifting yet depressing melodies, and enough surrealism to keep it interesting but not clichéd.
Całkiem przyjemne, 4/5. Kilka znanych kawałków.
Just some very solid 90's alt rock, with a very suburban feel to it. Falls off a smidge on the back end, but it is overall a very solid record.
I actually kind of like this, sort of a downtempo Foo Fighters.