Reviews (page 8 of 10)
I feel like I have heard these songs before. Songs like "Novocaine for the Soul" and "My Beloved Monster" sound so familiar yet I really can't place where I've heard them. In any case, I thought this was a perfect example of what a 3/5 album is in my ears. While the album was full of songs that were easy to listen to and enjoy, I didn't really connect with any of them on an emotional level. I enjoyed E's Rod Stewart-esque raspiness backed up by some trip-hop esque drumming and indie rock subtle fuzz. Very '90s. I really enjoyed the experimentation on the album (the chaos at the end of "Mental" for instance). There are heartfelt performances on here ("Manchild") that make me feel like there should be something more here but for some reason I kind of just feel like this is Wheatus's cool older brother.
Feel like we’ve been on a pretty mediocre streak. But of said streak, this is the lowest low. Before Friday I only knew Eels from the Shrek OST CD that invariably found its way into my Mom’s car. On that CD, “Beautiful Monster” was always a skipper. On Beautiful Freak, it is an unfortunate highpoint on an album chock full of skippers. Eels brings to mind 1990s/early 2000s guilty pleasures like Ben Folds, Wheatus, Primitive Radio Gods, Dynamite Hack, even like Sugar Ray to an extent I’m not sure why. Then like, some less-guilty pleasures like Beck or…I don’t even know. This album just seems to have never escaped a hyper specific moment in time. A post-Pixies time when outsider musicians and wannabe artists were inspired by everything from NWA to Daniel Johnston and had all these new musical toys at their disposal to tinker with. This album sounds like tinkering. But where Ben Folds, Wheatus, Sugar Ray, even Beck are fun in their guilty-pleasuredom (ie, pleasurable), this album is a total fkn drag. I feel guilty listening to it *and* it’s depressing. It plays like a Xerox of a Sparklehorse album that re-envisions such artistic integrity and heartbreak as sure-fire radio hits that will someday play on major motion picture soundtracks. It is pretty enough. Just kind of pathetic too. I’m being too hard. Jacob, that documentary sounds special and I will watch it. But for now, I’ve given a lot of 5s and not a lot of 1s. This my friends, is a 1.
Great. Great, all the way through. An album that took me by surprise. I was taken in by the songwriting. I think someone on the reviews said that it was a lot of elements that shouldn’t necessarily work together, but they all work here. I just really liked it. Fun fact: Mark Oliver Everett, the songwriter behind this project, is the son of Hugh Everett, creator of the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum theory. And Mark made this amazing documentary about his relationship with his father (a very cold and absent one in his childhood), and re-discovering his dad, years after he died, by retracing his life and scientific work. It’s a really moving documentary! I’d recommend. That context really gave me a lot, going into this album. 4/5
This is another pretty generic nineties rock record. Saw flashes of Nirvana, Shrek and Gorillaz, but they weren't all that bright. 2.5
Was a fan of this, a lot more listenable then other similar American stuff coming out at this time. Got a bit of The Replacements vibe. Susan's House got a permanent like; the album cover did not. 3.5
Not insulting, not noticeable, not anything
This was surprisingly eclectic, despite the album cover reminding me of the Little Sisters from Bioshock.
Shrek did this album and Eels a LOT of favours. Overall I enjoyed the album but there are, without a doubt, some weak link songs.
3* only gets an extra star for the Shrek song
I only discovered Eels a few years ago. There were some songs I really liked and the quirky lyrics grabbed my attention but for whatever reason I always felt a whole album might be a bit much for me. Well I'm happy to report this album wasn't too much for me; it drew me into its eely world and kept my interest throughout. The grungey guitar bits were a surprise, and really add an extra edge to what was already quite an inviting, pretty mix of sounds.
It was pretty good. There was nothing inspiring about it but I enjoyed it. My beloved monster is a fantastic song though. 7/10
I expected to like an emo indie album more than this. Really liked Susan's House, but nothing else stands out.
So first song kicks in and I think, "wow, this is really good." I downloaded first song right then and thought, wait a minute, is my mind gone from listening to Suicide? And then Susan's House kicks in and I was like, holy shit, what a unique sound, lyrical content, the entire presentation. I started writing down all the songs I liked and I realized I was writing down the album in order. I had to ask myself again, am I damaged from Suicide or am I loving this album? By the time I listened to Rags to Rags and then Beautiful Freak, I realized this is freaking awesome. Maybe not for everyone, but definitely for me. My Beloved Monster, Flower, Spunky and Manchild, all very good, lyrically and content unique. I re-listened on Sunday to make sure I didn't have permanent brain damage from Suicide. I don't. Listened again this morning and I can't even figure out my favorite song off his album because I really enjoyed almost all of them. Are these guys my next Velvet? My next Jesus? What can I say, I really liked this album. I will download most of the songs off this album. Do I are dare give these guys their own Spotify title? I'm going to take the time to listen to some of their other stuff, but damn, this was a very good listen and I am happy to be introduced to the Eels. I'm going to score a 4, yet somehow feel I may be underrating a little here.
Having known Eels solely from Shrek and Shrek 2 I didn't know what to expect. I honestly thought it'd be a cheap Beck rip off with repeating beats and samples. That's not inspiring because I reaaaalllly don't like Beck. Beck can get fucked because this is everything he wishes he could be. Beautiful Freak is one of those rare albums that had me interested in a challenge like this. I knew the odds of find more music that I love than I don't were against me. This is one that I loved. It captures my specific suburban fears and insecurities and ironic hope that feels like it was written only for me. The music was not nearly as repetitive as I was expecting having melodies in places I'm not used to finding them, like bass, for example. The genre experimentation was cool because it never felt like a mish mash of shit. It's like a little flirt with experimentation, like the songwriter is almost afraid to let loose lest he sputter out. Where has this album been all my life? 5
4.5 Really happy Eels made this list. While not an all-time favorite of mine by any means, I do think the band is criminally underrated and has some great tunes… and yes, not just the ones on the Shrek soundtracks. But holy cow, I’ve been underrating them too - this album is fantastic. Novocaine for the Soul is a great song and opener - I’ve always loved the track, and here it’s really effective at setting the tone and themes for the rest of the album. I also really loved how it segued into Susan’s House, a song that sounded completely different (like it could have come off of A Tribe Called Quest album) but never came off as jarring or out of place. As I kept listening, I learned that was the case with the majority of this album - incredibly diverse in sound, yet somehow it flows perfectly. There are a number of songs here I had never heard before but fell in love with instantly, including Rags to Rags - especially the line “And one day I'll come through, My American dream, But it won't mean a fuckin' thing” with the music cutting out on that last part. Guest List was another favorite, with that goddamn “I’m never on your list” outro hurting me somewhere deep. Not Ready Yet, Mental, and of course My Beloved Monster were also highlights. Yes, the latter is known for being in Shrek, but everyone knows the soundtrack to that film went way harder than it had any business doing so, and this song is no exception - I listen to the song semi-regularly because of it. There’s something about the quiet verse/loud chorus dynamics of the song that I absolutely love (probably because of Pixies). Finally, Manchild was a beautiful closer, though I have to ask - is this the first time an artist used their ex-girlfriend’s voicemail in a song?? I guess modern emo bands have just been copying this guy’s notes this whole time. A great time, especially for miserable times, front to back. Airtight musically and lyrically - I’ll be listening again. Probably soon.
Love the album cover, first of all. Nothing too special but a really good listen. Every song was unique, and the lyrics were entertaining. Fave track(s): Mental
Mid 90's alt rock that was beautifully twisted. Enjoyed! 3/5
first listen i know this came out in 96 but something about it sounds so classic 00s indie movie, maybe it's the shrek song
I think it was ok
Nice enough album.
Some great tunes. Brought back a lot of memories
Strangely enjoyable
This screams later 90's radio 2 to me. It's not a bad album overall but also seems to think it is deeper than it is. First 2 songs good radio tunes.
solid 90s alt rock album, novacaine still slaps
Ild
Ehh pretty generic and nothing really excited me. Bland.
Tracks 1-5 - Hey, it sounds like that one song from "Shrek". Track 6 - Hey, it's the song from "Shrek" Tracks 7-12 - Hey, it sounds like that one song from "Shrek" with the side of the Radiohead.
4/5 This was one of the best albums that I have never heard of in a *long* while. I really enjoyed the 4 count silence in Novocaine for the Soul. I know it sounds silly to like the part of a song where there nothing happening, but that nothing is what contrasts the something and makes it special. In Taiko we call it Ma. The silence between beats. It was just as powerful in All I Really Want by Alanis Morissette. This album also had a lot of lyrics about places I've lived and it felt really relevant. I want to go back and listen to them all again. I mean I heard a lyric that said Winston Churchill in drag. I need to know more. It also had the singable music quality I like, that makes you want to join in. They gave me Eve 6 vibes, which makes sense as as they are from that era. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
I enjoyed this! Varied and kept me listening all the way through. A few songs I already knew and a few songs that really drew me in. Will revisit this!
ome super interesting song writing and arranging. I really like his vocals but I think he may have overdid the spoken parts a bit. Great sounding samples and compressed 90’s drums. I like the 90’s alternative rock sound on songs like Not Ready Yet. Produced and has some cowrites with Jon Brion! 3.5
Kinda cool. I like some of the weirdness of it. Kind of beck-ish. The monster song was in Shrek. I like the weird solo in that song
I liked this more than i thought I was going to. I liked Spunky the best. I'm not sure why this is on the list but I feel that way about a lot of the albums.
Maybe not the greatest album of all time, But it is really pleasing, I like its metaphores. Maybe a 3, but these are my fckn melodies, so I give it a 4
Omg that one song from shrek
Thoroughly bored
Liked the vibes of this album, thought the singer sounded familiar and couldn’t remember where from until I heard the song in shrek. Probably wouldn’t listen to the whole album again, but definitely had a few somgs I liked.
Not my type of music, was pretty bored throughout. Wasn't that the music was awful, but beyond the one song from Shrek there wasn't really anything that I felt anything towards. His voice was nice, but I feel like the style of music he paired it with was a shame for me.
Not my cup of tea at all. Was a real chore going through this album.
Awesome album. I only knew Novocaine going into it. 8.5/10
Another great 90s album. I especially liked Susan's House but lots of good selections and it all followed a theme
Didn't feel particularly personally captivated. Cool textures in the tracks, but unclear if it resonated enough for me to revisit.
Someone else said it best: this is quintessential background music. Truly solid as a rock. Not a bad song on it. Nothing to skip. But, outside of maybe "Susan's House," these aren't tracks that are going to make me stop and listen intently.
amazing
Just too indie/Neutral Milk Hotel-kinda vibes for me. Flower and Mental are favorites but not bangers
Awww, YISS! I remember buying this album. I would have been 16 years old, and this would have been the first album I ever bought on CD. I loved it. I listened to it a couple of weeks back, actually, inspired by another album in the 1,001 - and am very pleased to see it come up in its own right. This album is great. I'm not speaking from a history of nostalgic whatever - there are some supberb lyrics here "Looking out with an ugly face, Winston Churchill in drag"
I've always enjoyed the "one-hit wonder" that is "Novocaine for the Soul", so I was excited to hear this album. And it stands up to that single quite well! I'll admit that I can't remember many details about this right now, as I listened a few hours ago, but I know I really enjoyed this and definitely intend to listen to it again.
I've heard of Eels before, and I could have sworn that I'd never heard their music before, but after listening to this album today, I think maybe I've heard some of their songs? I dunno, and I guess it isn't important. I really enjoyed this album. I thought all of the songs were really good and well made. Each song had its own feel, but felt very much rooted in the post grunge era of the 90's. Every song really pulled me in with its unique instrumentation. I can't say that the lyrics did much for me, but this was still very enjoyable to listen to, and I would listen to it again.
This was such a pleasant surprise! Susan's House is a gem
Wasn't too keen on this one. A couple of good tracks but the rest were forgettable. I will give it another listen just in case.
Just a really melodic group. Enjoyed this a lot.
A somewhat restrained alternative rock release. Pretty consistent and solid... engaging to listen to. Enjoyed Rags to Rags, Not Ready Yet and Guest List.
This music was unknown to me before this project. I really enjoyed the 90s sound and I feel a great bit of nostalgia when I hear music from that era. I liked the singers voice/style and the music was catchy. Definitely will give this another listen.
Depressed people make beautiful music. My favorite Eels album.
Really enjoyed this one. Pretty singular song writing without being overly eclectic.
Very 1990s in style.
It took me a second listen, but I actually really like this. The song writing is interesting and reminds me a little of early Radiohead 4/5
An overall enjoyable mix of rock & sampling. Noticed a couple common samples with hip hop songs, notably Atmosphere - Yesterday piano on Susan's House.
Ok but nothing special - production sounds dated.
A long time ago I randomly bumped into an Eels song while listening playlists, I liked it, saved it and never really dug into the albums. Until now, and it's actually a pretty nice album! I dig the guitar and overall vibe of the songs, and the band is pretty solid. But I just can't seem to get into the vocals, which is a shame because the songs on itself are quite nice! The outro to Mental is amazing though! Favorite lyrics: - How do you stand when you've been crushed? - And I'll be here to see that you don't fade away. - One day the world will be ready for you. And wonder how they didn't see. Key tracks: Novocaine For The Soul, Susan's House, Beautiful Freak, My Beloved Monster, Your Lucky Day In Hell 7 out of 10
If you like this, I’d recommend A Man Called (E) and Broken Toy Shop by E. Broken Toy Shop is definitely the precursor to Beautiful Freak.
Very 90s. Too many downtempo songs. One standout here, "Susan's House."
This was almost like magical realism – floating on a storm cloud. It was ethereal and unusual and gloomy and uplifting at the same time. The first two tracks were just brilliant. The rest of the album didn’t quite live up to those and the singing and melodies didn’t particularly change that much. But I liked the whole ambience so didn’t mind that there wasn’t too much deviation. Interesting note, I found out that David Jolicoeur from De La Soul died and started playing ‘Me Myself and I’ at the same time as ‘Spunky’. In a wacky alternative universe, they make a really good mashup. Danger Mouse, you’re welcome!!!
Hot on the heels of my displeasure with the ennui of xx comes Eels, bringing their own brand of disaffected attitudes. But this time, I like it. Not sure if it's familiarity — I own this disc — I think it's more that I can relate to this. It's more world-weary and beaten than irritated, and it paints a sheen and spirit of disconnectedness that is as much a part of the songs as the instruments. I don't even really know what any given song is about, so much as I enjoy the wordplay, tones, and vibe of the band.
Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this one, but this dude's detached attitude and sprechstimme schtick wore thin after the second song.
I really enjoyed this album! I don't recall much about Eels and I didn't do my usual reading about them prior to listening.
A few decent songs but wouldn't listen to the whole album again.
Feels like this was on the list because someone really liked the first song.
Pretty bland generic 90s alt-rock. "You're not like all the others that's why I love you." Yea, deep stuff, Eels. I should be into this, but I just generally thought this sucked.
Another bizarre choice - why this album over the far superior Electro-Shock Blues? It's not bad, but it's not the one.
Quite good
Amazing album, I can't believe I didn't know this band existed, especially since I recognized one of the songs from Shrek! Best tracks: Novocaine For the Soul, Susan's House, Guest List, Spunky, and Manchild.
soft grunge :3
Novocaine was that enjoyable ubiquitous song on the radio that one 90s summer. The rest of that album does not score as high as that one song.
Honestly there wasn’t anything necessarily bad about this album, it was just morbidly boring. I thought the voice was sleazy and almost careless. It wasn’t awful but I wouldn’t listen again.
Mixed reaction here - as ever, vocals get in the way of interesting music. In this case it's not in an aggressive way, but it really gets tiring and quickly. It's more that tired 90s plain-yet-overly-earnest and dry vocal that's at once trying to be sincere but has that wink-wink *i'm just kinda kidding guys remember we're all snarky and don't give a shit* attitude that makes me roll my eyes. I'm Gen-X and it's the worst part of this generation by far - which seems a weird statement commenting on an album :P but it seeps in to so.damn.many of these 90s albums and I hate it. So there's the big negative and it was hard to shake - a lot of this music is interesting, or could have been very interesting with a little more work and emphasis on the music over the vocals; melodic and accessible but not always predictable. It's a good combination and very hard to pull off successfully - e.g. a few times the vocals would obliquely remind me of Ben Folds and his/their album "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" which is one of my alltime favourites - so what's the difference? Maybe variance - in arrangement, in dynamics, and perhaps mostly in tempo (a lot of these tracks have that mid-tempo 90s slacker vibe which ehhhh). But really it's the singing. Completely overwrought absurd affected take on "Spunky" ok please just stop it. For now it seems like between a low 3 (and probably only that high because of the garbage noise rock i've had this week) or a high 2 - no real chills but enough to listen to that is melodic but...AGAIN...sigh...it's just that it seems over the longhaul (i.e. the album) it gets a little boring and his voice starts grating on me more and more. Different/varied instrumentation - and an emphasis on same - would have helped too. 5/10 3 stars. "Mental" is maybe my fave track
I always forget about the Eels. I few people tried to get me into them years ago and I didn't pay that close attention - they were just "okay" to me. This fresh listen made me wish I had started with them earlier. It's really good. Just, good. I don't even really know why.
Rags to rags has great soft rock vibes
This album is so much better than I remember. It's got this great 90's feel all over it. It feels a lot like Beck and the Shins and several other things that were happening in the mid-90's, but it genuinely feels organic to this group rather than derivative or copied. The songs are good, but the attraction is really the production and the studio work. Everything sounds good and the songs vary widely in sound, instrumentation, and timbre without completely losing the plot. There's a funky groove with a break-beat, there's a piano ballad, there are several production "rock" songs, and even a couple sing-a-long sections. Guitars are either super clean or super crunchy, drums are clean and compressed, bass is simple and deep and round. Very 90's! It really makes so that the tracks all blend really well and gives the vocals a clear space to shape the emotion of the record. I'm surprised how well this album holds up for me. I expected it to sound much more dated to my ears and maybe even cringey (very like my own personal 1996), but I really like it. I'm impressed with how well balanced it is, how funky it is, and how well the production fits the album.
Even though I've only heard 1 of the songs on this album before and that might have been in a commercial, this album felt very nostalgic and comforting to me.
I thought I had to save 1-star reviews for U2 and the Doors but here we are
I appreciate the creative slant of this band, but I found some of this to be tedious, the first couple of songs in particular. Once they get that out of their system, there's some decent songs on here. Fave Songs: My Beloved Monster, Beautiful Freak, Manchild, Spunky, Guest List, Your Lucky Day in Hell
A couple of good songs
Excellent mellow/easy listening indie pop Snapshot of 90s indie pop Even their heavier sounding songs still have a mellow vibe
I had no idea this band and album existed, but it's quite lovely
Novocain for my soul is super dope. The album is a rhythmic melody.
I liked this album when it first came out, and on re-listen, I can hear that it was a more mainstream album that was leading me towards other, less mainstream low-fi indie rock bands. The instrumentation is cool - very cool at points - but the vocals haven't aged well for me. The vocal style is distinctly whiny. Like Marie Kondo, I thank this album for the ways in which it served me, but it does not have staying power for me. My time would be better spent listening to Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Built to Spill. 3/5
Very interesting band and album, right up my alley.
Novocaine For The Soul- 5 Susan's House- 4 Rags To Rags- 6 Beautiful Freak- 4 Not Ready Yet- 8 My Beloved Monster- 6 Flower- 5 Guest List- 7 Mental- 9 Spunky- 6 Your Lucky Day In Hell- 7 Mandchild- 6
This one took me a while to get into, what with the spoken lyrics and something in the music that gave me an unbalanced feeling, but I ended up liking the album. It's the 101st that I've listened to from the list and if it ever randomly shows up again, I won't skip over it.
Looking at the name of the band and the name of the album I was expecting more shoegaze and admit to sighing audibly when I pushed play. Imagine my surprise at actually recognizing the first song. Good song, not great song, but at least it is legitimately music. Second song, Susan's House, is interesting. OK, eels, you've got my attention. Show me what else you got. Overall I like the album, a nice varied set of songs. Not convinced it should be on this list. Possibly. 3.5
I need to re-listen to this; It was alright though... Too sad and mopey for my taste.
Although I know Novacaine this album passed me by at the time but I like it. Sounds like a lot of other 90s sounds that I like encapsulated into one ball of odd offbeat topics and sounds. Not sure if they are the 'originals' (thinking Beck) though but that doesn't bother me.
It's quite good one!
Very good album. I enjoyed the music it wasn’t that memorable. I feel there are sounds from this album that influenced some of the music on the radio today. 2022
This takes me back to high school.
Not bad. Spotify kept glitching the first song. Liked.3/4 of the album. Metal was good. Last few so gs dragged on. 3 stars.
They have other songs! Oh no...second track is depressing as fuck... Some nice fuzzy guitar on Not Ready Yet. Still getting the "music to kill yourself by" vibe overall. Some tracks more fun than sad...but overall probably not putting this on again.
I liked that it had a different feel than most 90s albums we've heard on the list but ultimately nothing really stuck out or would draw me back fot another listen
Meh, it was fine. I guess 3 stars, it wasn't 2 stars bad I don't think..?
This album dragged a bit but I do love the generic 90s. I almost gave this 4 stars because My Belovef Monster was in Shrek.
I liked some of the parts on here, which made me think that maybe I should give it a 2, but the lyrics are just so bad.
This ticks all of my alternative boxes. Mr Es autobiography is particularly good too.
Eels up inside ya Findin an entrance where they can Eels up inside ya Findin an entrance where they can Boring through your mind, through your tummy, through your anus, eels! Eels! Eels (x14)
This is a combination of excellent 90s rock and some wild spoken word. There are so many bands that must have spawned from having the access to this.
cool
Ik heb een voorliefde voor een ander album van Eels, deze was mij net iets wat te vlak.
Prachtig album
Het is nooit een band geweest die écht bij mij is geland. Ik hoor zeker dat het goed is, en het verveelt ook zeker niet. Sterker nog, het luistert heel prettig weg. En de scherper rand in de zang is ook heel fijn. Maar toch, toch kom ik niet hoger uit dan 3 sterren. Sorry E.
😍. Prachtig, wel een beetje sip. Wisten jullie dat de vader van de zanger een zeer beroemde en belangrijke natuurkundige was?
Kinda feels like a lot of decent ideas just thrown together. Some good stuff here and there but really bogged down by some very fleshed out bad ideas. Susan’s house.
I’ve heard Novocaine For the Soul many times, and it’s a song I’ve skipped or changed the station on many times too. It’s one of those songs that I don’t hate so sometimes I let it play through or I feel annoyed by it because I don’t particularly like it. The rest of the album felt the same. I got through it, it was fine, but it was also just kind of bland. Basic 90s stuff.
Ik vind het wel leuke muziek. Beetje relaxt, wat filmische geluiden, en dan een melodieus popliedje. ***
Eels är mysigt!
Gostei não
Was my fourth or fifth favourite Eels album... but better than I remember it being
I love the eels.
This was nostalgic at first, and rapidly became confining.
Okay, so VERY 90s sound, and also, I'm shocked at how many of these I knew. OR DID I? Is it just the sound of the 90s that has lulled me into familiarity? Any way, sometimes familiarity breeds nostalgia and stars, and sometimes it doesn't. Nothing wrong with this album, but nothing I'm going to come back to.
This album is such a bummer. Every tempo is set to depression. Kinda like a tedious version of Sparklehorse. Enjoyed a few songs, but overall not a record I'll be returning to.
Helt ok. Tänker på Johannes från när vi var små ☺️❤️
I liked it. Felt like some sort of post grungy poetry reading. Like watching some sad movies about small towns in the middle of a cold and snowy winter day.
Really just okay. Likable enough with a few winning moments ("Spunky" would be one's personal faves and "Novocaine" and "Lucky Day" are also solid, if not compelling) and made with an artisinal touch, but also vaguely gimmicky in feel and modest, low-energy to a fault, even by the ironic (and iron-deficient) standards of the mid-'90s. Lyrically, it's okay – "life is hard/and so am I" is meant to be what – edgy? funny? It's not credible either way. Yes, the line would've got a chuckle on "Jackass," but the delivery would have had to have been more raucous or agressive (like a "your Momma" joke). Hard to credit it as anything like profound or even remotely distinguished. The vocals are either talked or half-mumbled, and the voice sounds cough syrupy. The whole effort is neutral – and one's emotional reaction is commensurate – and thus the record never achieves exit velocity or liftoff. And what genres, exactly, does it span? It's unfathomable that Yo La Tengo is overlooked for an act as bland and feckless as this. Comparisons to Brian Wilson and the Beatles are laughable.
interesting
It is fairly good; better than I anticipated. But, still fairly vanilla.
Quite interesting rock. Wouldn’t switch off if it came on the radio, but not going to go headlong looking out for the music.
Incredible album. I had heard novocaine in the 90s and liked it, but never bought the album. I wish I had. The whole thing comes together in thoughtful and unusual ways. Great songs and song variety.
Some interesting tracks, but didn't catch my ear enough that I'll be seeking out the remainder of their discography. 3/5
Weird that this is on the 1001 Albums list. I've heard "Novocaine for the Soul" and don't mind this album but I didn't think the Eels were that popular or influential.
Idk kind of an abrasive sound.
The start of indie being cool.
Everything I hate about 90s rock
Honnêtement long à passer au travers. Pas foncièrement mauvais, mais juste fatigant à écouter. Trop un son "typique" 90s que ça en tombe sur le coeur.
Even though I knew several of the songs on this album, I wasn't a fan.
I went into this one cold. I may have heard something from it before, but I don’t think so. Really appreciated what felt like experimentation and creativity with restraint — every song had a spine of some sort. A hook/refrain/chorus that you were excited for it to get back to. Felt like someone with a degree in musical theory, but I say that as someone with nothing close to a degree in musical theory.m Also enjoyed that the lyrics had something to say, the use of spoken word, degree to which a lot of it seemed to be a subversion of something that initially seemed positive, etc.
Very 90s but forgettable
Don’t think I’ve ever listened to eels before. Enjoyed this really good 90’s alternative rock, good variations through out the album gets it’s the 4 stars.
Love this album, I used to listen to it a lot when I first got my car. I have great memories of it, but I'm drawing a blank at some of the titles on the second half. Looking forward to giving it another listen! Listening back to this, it's about as flawless as I remember. Love "Novocaine For the Soul", the piano and hip hop influences on "Susan's House", and the weird bee-guitar solo on "My Beloved Monster". Very weird and innovative, and that's just the big singles! Of the titles I didn't recognize, I knew them all and remembered most of the lyrics even. I love the melancholy and the weird humor on these tracks. Great bassline on "Your Lucky Day in Hell" too.
The "musicality" (?) of this record, and all Eels records, really, are amazing. Harmonious, haunting, emotional. It's like the Eels signature sound. I loved this record when it came out, and listening to it again that hasn't changed.
sad songs. Some of the lyrics come off a tad overemotional. Even The Smiths threw us a fun one every once in a while. There is something about the effects on the instruments -- guitar and organ I guess -- that creates really harmonious, beautiful, emotional sounds.
Enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away. Lyrics a little cringe sometimes.
Weird, sometimes fun album whose standout song was featured in the first Shrek movie.
Excellent. Glad to listen to this after way too long
очень очень хорошо!!! есть немного/много от нирваны, но в более чилловом режиме и еще реденько, местами марс вольта теперь один из любимых
I've heard it said that the first song of the first album of a band is their "thesis" - if this is true, "Novocane for the Soul" is one hell of a thesis. As with most of their stuff, many of these songs fall flat for me but the ones that are great are really freaking great - wish there were more of them.
Simply does not belong on the list. I remember the single "Novocaine for the Soul," and that is easily the best thing on the album, but the rest is just painfully bad. Every single song has lyrics that make me cringe, his voice is constantly strained and way too high and bright in the mix, and the production is awkwardly dated in that all over the place trying too hard to be eclectic 90s kinda way. Then there's that album cover: I'd put it in serious contention for the worst album cover of all time. I honestly can't respect an artist who would allow that kind of aesthetic nightmare represent their work.
There are a few tracks by Eels that I like, but overall this album is a bit too postgrunge pop for my tastes. Lots of the lyrical direction is slightly cringey cliche that is surface level of "world is bad" and it's almost like baby's first existential crisis.
Hmm, tough one. In general, I like the band's sound; I feel they've successfully tapped into a method of creating mood through repeated and engaging sound clips, whether riffs, spoken passages, or both. That said, it doesn't always land for me, resulting in a collection of everything from not great to great.
Happy (miserable) days…
TBz 1. Novocaine For The Soul 2. Your Lucky Day In Hell 3. Guest List 4. Not Ready Yet 5. Mental I can keep going with top bangerz. I immediately connected with this album. It’s beautiful, dark at times, and deep. Solid 5!
it might because cause. I was diagnosed with chronic dumbassery but this feels like it has a lot of Bob Dylan influence on it. That’s just me, but it’s honestly a pretty good album
Surprisingly pleasant
Kind of one hit for me, but I can dig their style.
I like Eels. 3 To 4 3.5 And I don't believe there's anyone in the world who likes that albumcover.
This feels like a student attempt at performance art. It's extremely amateur and basic both musically and lyrically. Plays like a highschool kid who's really into Cake trying to make something "real" in his basement because nobody will be in a band with him. Did not enjoy.
Shit was ass
Bit depressing but not a good album
It’s the Eels so of course I love it
Nice album. Used to listen to it a lot in high school so it brings me back. Maybe the perfect mix of sadness and pop that creates a sound that is both ironic and heartfelt at the same time.
One of the most solid 3s up to now. It's actually a very good album and I like the sound of it. It's just a little forgettable. First Listen?: Y Fav. Track(s): Novocaine For The Soul, Susan's House Rating: 3/5
Very repetitive and didn't catch me
Notes - Sample heavy indie rock - You may know eels for their song on the Shrek soundtrack - Very blunt lyrics and smoky raspy vocal delivery - Lots of lyrical content about life in America in the 90s - Some Elliott smith-y, sparklehorse vibes at times - fav - spunky - i like the stripped back style and string parts least fav - my beloved monster - i really like the sound of this song but the lyrics and melody are just a bit too predictable 3/5
not too bad. Mellow 90's vibe.
It's not bad. It's not great. It just is.
the hideous album cover gave me low expectations, but this was pretty enjoyable. Plus, there's a shrek song.
I loved Electro-Shock Blues - that one has some all time great songs on it for me. This one feels like that one's little brother. 'Novocaine for the Soul' was a song title that fit in well the year it came out - a little over-dramatic, a little too on-the-nose? But I still like the general sound of all of this, even if 'Novocaine' is the only song that stands out for me.
Feels like the zanier end of power pop crossed with the tamer edge of alt rock - Jellyfish meets Bush, perhaps? It's quirky in its own way, idiosyncratic for sure, but a little studied. Perfectly listenable, no more, no less.
Solid 90s alt-ish rock
Not really my thing to be honest but I understand why people like it. It does sound dated, as you might expect with a mid-90s album. Still, its got its high points. The songs are well written and the album is cohesive.
B-list 90s rock. The first track is fire but on the whole Beck does it better.
4.5/5 pretty fucking goooooooooood
Fascinating!
I like Susan's House and there's a few interesting tracks.
I was not familiar with this band or any of the songs. It was just ok. Totally unremarkable
I love this album. Eels have done a lot since, but this one still tops it. It felt more like a band at the time than it did a further Mark Everett solo project under the name Eels. Some great songs here.
I remember this album cover vividly... and yet, only one track really landed for me at the time. Novocaine for the Soul which had a lot of airplay to drive it into my brain, I quite liked Your Lucky Day In Hell and My Beloved Monster this time around though. Overall at least a three for me.
Very interesting album, very easy to listen to, needs another listen because some of it blended into the background for me, which isn't necessarily a bad thing
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Rags to tags, Your lucky day in hell
Super 90’s
10/03/2022 Retrospective listen. This was better than I thought it was going to be, but still gave me this weird dark feeling regardless. I put off listening to this album bc of the cursed ass album art, but I'm glad I've heard it now. For some reason, I couldn't help but think of Owl City while listening to some of these songs. The musicianship is good, sometimes the vocals were grating though. Giving this album a few points for having a Shrek song in it. I guess the creative team for that movie were big Eels fans bc I Need Some Sleep came out in Shrek 2.
Overlooked this back in the day. Extra star for 90s rock
Cool sound
A pop grunge pop indie album that has last the test of time.
“Life is hard and so am I” may be one of the greatest opening lines to a record I’ve ever heard.
Prima wel leuke muziek
4*, prima poprock, niet heel speciaal
Made me think of Shrek
A bit emo but pretty cool. An upbeat jazz feel to it but pretty hard hitting lyrics.
Fine.
An interesting one. The songs have some really nice ideas and melodies in them. A few duds in the track list as well tho. 6/10
Isuse šta je ovo ružan cover, majke ti božije. Ali, (Muhamed), album je catchy, dostaaaa mi se sviđa. Depresivan je, da, ali mi paše. Dakle četvorka sigurno, bit će nekih repeticija sa albuma, definitivno. Potez od prve stvari Novocaine for the Soul do Flower je odličan. Al brate taj cover...
This album is so 1996 it hurts. I'd never listened to it before, but recognised "Novocaine for the Soul" and "Susan's House" when the choruses kicked in because those buggers were *everywhere* for a while. A lot of really cool sounds and production choices. It's just a shame that the Gen-X try-hard misanthropy of Mark Oliver Everett's lyrics gets old very quickly!
Quite interesting.
Pretty good, bit samey though.
It is not an unbelievable breakthrough in anything, not the "omg album of the year / decade". It is, however, emotional. And that's something that E makes you feel quite instantaneously and will keep you glued to your headphones to for the whole runtime. It is 90s "woe me and my aching heart thinking of missed connections, phantasizing myself into RomCom main-character situations and feeling the melancholy drip through the ceiling of my Toyota Camry on the college parking lot" in a highly distilled bottle.
This album to represents the 90’s perfectly.
great album
A bit of a weird, funky, techy vibe.
Generico album alternative di metà anni '90. Nessuna canzone spicca per originalità e tutti i brani sembrano scopiazzature da altri artisti. Bonus: la copertina è una delle più brutte che abbia mai visto.
This one is pretty good. I think starting off with novocaine for the soul is nice. Sets up what the hell I'm gonna listen to cause with this site you never really know what your gonna get. I liked Susan's house but I was so focused on where else I've heard that sample that I don't know how much I paid attention to it. And oooo baby when beautiful monster came on I was screaming "SHREKKKKK SHREKKKK" over and over again. Guest list may be my favorite song on here. Overall a pretty solid album. Saving a few tracks for later listens
I remember loving 'Novocaine For The Soul' when I first heard it. I find the rest of the album interesting with a couple of good tracks, but overall a little disappointing after that first hit. I always feel they need winding up a bit as songs tend to just meander and generally don't get anywhere.
This is the debut album by the American rock band Eels - whose only permanent member is Mark Oliver Everett, and he is the main contributor to this album. Reviews were mixed for the album and it ended up being more popular in Europe than America. The alternative rock on this album was musically great, but the lyrics were self-absorbed and patronizing which turned off some listeners. I liked listening to this album in the background while I worked, but I don't think I need to listen to it again. It was just alright.
Had never heard of this album or artist before but really liked it. A bit of a Wilco vibe.
Eels are always great, but when they are on they are REALLY on
In 1996 I heard Novocaine For The Soul and hurried that afternoon to my local record store to listen, and buy, the album. The album with its weird cover, parental advisory sticker and emotional, quirky indie-rock music became one of my most loved albums of that year. And it has not lost any of its power over the years. The clever lyrics, the many beautiful tributes to his mentally ill sister, the wide array of techniques, samples, instrumentation and inspired production makes 'Beautiful Freak' one of the most interesting, and at times haunting, debut albums I've heard in my life. The songs go between samply dreamy to guitar grungy and the tracklist makes it you're never bored by alternating between styles throughout. And to think that this the prelude to Electro-Shock Blues, which might be even a better album.
Rock lento que intenta parecer trascendental. No me ha gustado mucho.
Unique, funky and grungy and emo. Loved all but a couple tracks!
Lite svårt att gå igång på den här plattan. Egentligen inte så dåligt men den tilltalar inte mig. Tyckte en låt var bra.
Such a classic of the 90s
Title track is a gem
did not like susans house, really like not ready yet mediocre
good melancholic vibes
Voici ce que j'en ai déjà dit: "J'aime vraiment beaucoup Novocaine For The Soul. Pour ce qui est de la voix, elle est bien particulière et j’aime le traitement qui est fait pour lui donner encore plus de textures par moment. Pour l’ensemble, on est dans la vibe Beck et Cake avec les influences Hip-hop. J’aime beaucoup cette vibe. On retrouve un peu l’ambiance de cet album sur ce qu’a fait Buck 65 dans son style de Hip-hop."
Any other Beck fans making unconvincing knock-offs on this list I should be aware of? Would help me to know what's coming.
Other than Novocane, meh
Beautiful Freak is largely the solo work of musician Mark Oliver Everett. It is his first album using the full band name Eels, in an attempt to get the records in the same general location in the stores as his previous works under the name "E".
Classic 90s sound. I liked it, dint love it.
Fantastic I loved it
7/10. Ah, yes, the album with the song from Shrek on it.
Manipulate your girlfriend to think you’re the only person in the world that loves her - the album. 5/10
It was novocaine for the soul.
Eels have something distinctive that puts them in another level as their many 90s alt indie counterparts. This album isn't all memorable but when they're good they're really good.
Maudlin and basic, spending time in the company of Eels is a tiresome affair and the worst of sixth form poetry.
One of the more interesting alternative albums. I was very impressed with the musicality. Especially with the drums. Great listen
i liked some of the tracks but overall a pretty dry experience
A completely inconsequential album. The musicians are fine, and there are even some nice moments, but the lyrics are almost painfully vapid, cliche and shallow, and the singers voice is fine for a song or 2, but too monotonous to carry a whole album. This was gonna be another 1-star, until Mental came on, if they had only pursued the sound they had on this song and maybe pushed it even more, this would have been a much more memorable album.
Interesting production with some early highlights in 'Novocaine For The Soul' and the catchy 'Susan's House'. I'm not quite sure that the lyrics hold up, like on 'Guest List' which sounds like a sad RHCP song. There is a fine line between naïve and simple lyrics. That cover still gives me nightmares.
Novocaine and Susan’s really did a great job getting my attention with unusual songwriting, structures and production. I like the simplicity that seems to haunt the entire record… Even though it at times also turns out to be its greatest weakness. Especially regarding the lyrics. A solid 3 for having My Beloved Monster appear in Shrek.
Probably not listening to this with others
Frábær 90s-angistar plata.
Not bad, not bad at all. 3.5 stars.
Clearly I haven’t seen Shrek for a while, didn’t recognize “My Beloved Monster” when it came up on the album. Something about mid-90s alt-rock/grunge production puts me off at times (though I was born in the mid-90s), but the songs are good enough that it doesn’t matter HL: “Beautiful Freak”, “Flower”, “Lucky Day in Hell”
Oh I love the sound of 90s alternative. The drums, the fuzzy guitar, the vocal delivery. Starts and ends on high notes but the middle gets a bit hazy
I've heard of the Eels, but I'm not familiar with their stuff. In an odd coincidence, I *just* heard "Novocaine for the Soul" yesterday. I remember the opening lines catching my attention, but I can't say the same for the rest of the song. It's possible I heard it back when it came out, but if I did, it obviously didn't leave much of an impression. The spoken word bits of the album remind me of Nada Surf's "Popular," which apparently came out a handful of months before this album, so that's an interesting bit of synchronicity. "My Beloved Monster" has a whimsical charm and "Mental" isn't bad either, but the rest literally just blended into the background as I went about my morning. Feels like the answer to "What if Beck had less personality and was trying way too hard?" It's a shame we can't give half-stars, because I liked this album more than the ones by The xx and Travis (both of which I gave two stars), but I can't bring myself to give it three stars. 2.5 stars feels about right.
Boring & generic with that one song from Shrek. Terrible.
Other than the first track, I'm not all that familiar with The Eels. What can I say, I gave up on 90s music around 1993. I did rather enjoy this though it was mostly relegated to background listening today. I'll definitely give it another shot though down the road.
Not a bad album, 90s melancholy rock, Novacaine for the soul was a small hit.
This album has the kind of whiny self-pity lyrics that I usually hate and I have panned other albums in the past for this reason, but I guess I'm a hypocrite because I thought it worked here. The more albums I listen to on this list the more I realize that I am just going by my gut and then post-hoc rationalizing my feelings here.
C’est très « de son temps » comme album. La voix du chanteur fini par énerver à mesure que l’album avance. Il y a pleins de bonnes choses, mais c’est dispersé dans l’album en entier, ce qui fait qu’aucune toune est vraiment excellente.
J'aime vraiment beaucoup Novocaine For The Soul. Pour ce qui est de la voix, elle est bien particulière et j’aime le traitement qui est fait pour lui donner encore plus de textures par moment. Pour l’ensemble, on est dans la vibe Beck et Cake avec les influences Hip-hop. J’aime beaucoup cette vibe. On retrouve un peu l’ambiance de cet album sur ce qu’a fait Buck 65 dans son style de Hip-hop.
i have mixed feelings about this album. i think i liked it! the album had an unusual sound, and the album cover added to that. there was an even, morose feeling throughout. "your lucky day in hell" might be the most stand out song. i thought it was so clever! i do like wit in my songs.
This was a super interesting listen! It has a lot of the typical 90s alternative vibes that one might expect from bands like Beck or Cake, yet Eels finds a way to make the album slightly more eclectic, slightly more diverse, slightly more eerie, and at times, slightly more ambient. This album feels familiar and yet unique at the same time. I wouldn't say this album just "sucked me in", it was more like a strange new thing that makes itself known and its up to you whether you want to investigate its strange and eclectic nature. And I did want to; I found myself eager for a second listen so that I could pick up on all of the quirks that I missed the first time around. Ultimately, this genre is an absolute soft spot for me, but this album really had me feeling like I was discovering something very 90s that I had never quite put my ears on before. As a sidenote, I had always wondered why so much of Eels was in the Shrek soundtracks. Well, they're both put out by DreamWorks. I had no idea DreamWorks even produced music, so today I learned.
Liker ca hver andre Eelsplate.
Ikkje Eels sitt beste, men bra!
Plagsomt album bilde, ok musikk
Perfect 90s indie pop album
Some weird stuff here, in an ok exciting way.Elements of grunge, Radiohead and Velvet Underground
I found the lyrics, although interesting, to be too doomsday-ish, pretentious, and a bit too terse (Susan's House, Flower, Guest List . . . etc.) This album left me seeking songs that are more positive-in-a-profound-way. Favorite track: Rags to Rags
Kinda boring rock would not listen to again but not bad
Not bad, but not really great either. Favorite songs were Flower and Manchild.
Great album. Wonderful production. The opener is a (25 year old) modern classic.
Freaky and beautiful.
freakily beautiful
Enjoyed this album, but wouldn’t listen to every song
3.5
I don’t know if I love or hate that cover… The album opens on novocaine for the soul a rather creepy track that does this cool emulation of vinyl pops and crackles that evolves into this really well played 90’s pop rock track . The only problem is that it’s not that great lyrically. Susans house is a more deeper sounding drum and bass based track that has spoken word verses the chorus is very different to all of this though being quite harmonic and piano led. Each bit is slightly too separate but not bad It flows perfectly into rags to rags the transition between verses and chorus is still oddly separate but they’re actually executed well ( especially the kick arse chorus). The album’s title track is slow and dreary yet emotional and hopeful at the same time I hope the songs stay at the quality of these last two songs. Not ready yet is just what you would want at this point in the album it’s fairly slow but explodes into this grand, spectacular chorus with amazing guitars. Just what I wanted! My beloved monster ends the first half of the album a mostly slow track with brilliant guitars but a booming epic chorus. Flower is a rather angelic, beautiful relaxed track that brings the mood of slowly waking up on a warm summers day. Also the lyrics are some of the albums best. Guest list is quite a good idea for a song thematically. And all is good ( a nice slow burn) until the dam harmonica. God those things can be annoying. I enjoy the bass line and the slow build up of metal it’s a great song, good lyrics good chorus it’s all you need. May have swapped this and flowers positioning on the album though. I thought with a name like “ spunky” that this song would be song youthful burst of energy but what we actually get is a semi mature slow burn that isn’t a favourite but I like it. The penultimate track your lucky day in hell is an amazing song that slowly builds up throughout the intro. It’s so sad probably the album’s best song! I love a random lot of samples like the beginning of manchild it’s a brilliant close off kinda feels like the aftermath of the whole album putting everything to a gentle resolve. There’s so many songs that I enjoy on here but it’s definitely an album where the singles aren’t necessarily the best as it slowly reveals its best cards rather than throwing it all in your face making some moments rather boring. But the majority was great!
What a cracking album. Not a bad track on it.
Let's talk about that album cover. Actually, let's not. A few good songs, but mostly forgettable. "Novacaine for the Soul", "Susan's House" and "Mental" were my favorites. Not a huge fan of the singer's voice - he sings like he's just going through the motions most of the time.
I like Eels, but I'm still not convinced about the many worlds paradigm.
Depressing, but good...
not bad
I enjoyed this so much, I listened to it again immediately after my first play. Lyrically & melodically unique and adventurous. Totally enjoyed it, and have added this and two additional Eels albums (so far).
Kinda cool, not what I expected. Saved one song.
Alternatywne rokowanie jesli kiedykolwiek slyszalem jedne, jest to pierwszy album grupy Eelsowej, chociaz wiki mowi, ze jest to bardziej solowy material pana Mark Oliver Everett, pojawiajacego sie tu pod tajemicznym E, jest on autorem wszystkich trakow, gra na gitarce, klawiszach i byl odpowiedzialny za produkcje i mikserowanie, jak alternatywny rock to dodatkowymi instrumentami bedzie oczywiscie bas i drumy i to by bylo na tyle z zespolu, dodatkowo muzycy sesyjni wnosza dodatkowe klawisze, elektroniczne lub synthowo brzmiace, no i jakies dodatkowe gitarki czy inne tamburyny jak chocby na your lucky day in hell, ktory jak dla mnie prezentuje co najlepiej robi ta banda, czyli buduje sarkastyczne moodowe utwory, ktorych ironie mozna czuc zarowno przez melodie jak i slychac lirycznie, a taka synchronizacja to prawdziwe zaskoczenie, nawet nie sluchac, tylko czuc, ze robione mysla jednego czlowieka, pana E, moze taki akurat mam nastroj, ale trafiaja do mnie takie moodowe uzalania sie nad soba przedstawione w ciekawy sposob, bo tutaj jakies tamburino, tam brzdakanie akustyka czy banjo nadaje unikalnosci temu nagraniu, calosc ma 44 minuty na 12 trakach, wiec dosc standardowo jak na debiutancki material pod szyldem wytworni, poza wspomnianym lucky day in hell dodam jeszcze openingowego novocaine for the soul, ktory jest jednym z najpopularniejszych trakow zespolu, a nie wylacznie tego krazka, ktory jest specyficzny, ale sluchalny, pomimo tego ze pan E brzmi jak wyciety z szablonu brodatego okularowego alternatywnego grajka
Susan's House is such a standout for me, just a perfectly delivered narrative. Novocaine For The Soul is great and it was nice to dig in to the rest of the album.
Ja känner att de finns int rikit makten å känslan i musiken här för att de allvarliga ämnena ska kunnas tas på allvar… tbh!
Not sure about this one. I find it difficult to describe the way this album keeps changing it’s sound song for song. The variety produces some great songs like ”Not Ready Yet” and ”Mental”. Also not too fond of the vocals on some songs, although they’re better on others. Idk It also feels strangely long for it’s length. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but it’s worth noting
Låter som att det inspirerade ett visst LUM album men det här är inte alls lika bra.
2.5/5
I liked the song from Shrek. Other than that it's pretty boring music, honestly.
Wondering if the singer ever feels embarrassed at some of the lyrics on this album. They remind me of a high school student trying to write deep poetry. Some of the lyrics in "Susan's House" were almost laughably bad. Musically, however, this is pretty great. Genre-flipping, sometimes grungy, sometimes shoe-gazey, sounds very of-its-time (which is good because 90s alt is my personal favorite)
Interesting album, enjoyed it. Very 96 in the alt distortion, good chord progressions, sometimes the singing was good, overall catchy. Would possibly listen again
Genre: Alternative Rock 3/5 Now a 3 might look like I didn't enjoy this album all that much, but I did enjoy it! Even more after recognizing one of the songs in the tracklist was in Shrek, and even a bit more so after realizing that they also had a song featured in Shrek 2, which was hilarious as those movies are emblazoned in my memory forever. Leaving that aside for now, Beautiful Freak, the debut album from the Eels, a group built by a singer/songwriter who goes by E, is pretty good all things considered. The first 3 tracks, Novocaine for the Soul (started slow, but grows into a solid jam), Susan's House (one of the best 90s alt rock songs I've heard in a while), and Rags to Rags (another solid pop/alt rock flavored track) do a very good job of making it seem like this album would turn out to be an alt rock masterpiece. After those 3, though, it fell into what ended up being a fairly decent alt rock experience, but nothing too much to write home about. My Beloved Monster, the song used in Shrek, was very funny to hear pop up, but isn't paritcularly enjoyable. All in all, not a bad record. A gem or two short of a 4, and should be entertaining for any average rock fan.
Interesting music, interesting lyrics, totally listenable but never boring. It's a perfect choice of 90s alternative and "Beautiful Freak" is an apt description.
So, if you had asked me yesterday if I know about this band called Eels, I would have shrugged and said "nope". However, when this album popped up with the cover staring me in the face, it struck me as somehow familiar. Then I started to play it and was singing along...not just to the first tune, but the second and the third... Thank you to this project for bringing this album back into my life!
This is adorably creepy and misanthropically cute. The comparison to a David Lynch movie is apt with darkness behind white picket fences --- Susan's House in fact sounds a lot like A Real Indication from the Fire Walk with Me soundtrack. This Could Be Your Lucky Day (sounds nice!)...In Hell (uh oh!). I truly love Novocaine for the Soul, My Beloved Monster, and Spunky (a cat named lola with a violent past is balled-up asleep 'cross her knees). There are a handful of songs that are a bit of a wash for me but I like the general feel.
Eels can be relied on to provide playful tunes that shimmer and shine instrumentally while delivering dark lyrics struggling to make sense of life and the world. It makes for a very engaging listening experience!
I must confess to be at a bit of a loss about how to review Eels’ 'Beautiful Freak.' I can’t think of two more apt words to describe it, though. It is often beautiful, if framed in melancholy, like a flower garden shrouded in the morning’s mist. In fact, on ‘Flower,’ lead vocalist E images himself as one, but in a hailstorm rather than the gentle dew. Accompanied by the mournful chorus of a ghostly choir, one gets the feeling his self-image has taken a beating by his life’s situations in general, but in particular, by women. ‘I’m never even on your (guest) list,’ he laments on ‘Guest List.’ ‘Rags to Rags’ pronounces his prior rags to riches plan a sour bust. He’s ‘Not Ready Yet’ (by a long shot) to reengage with the outside world. And, hitting rock bottom- literally- ‘no one will know my name until it’s on a stone (‘Your Lucky Day in Hell’).’ He sings all these tales of woe with a beautifully wounded voice that evokes an image of an abused, frightened puppy. The freak component of all this, however, is his unfortunate over identification with all these unrealized desires and dreams which has caused him to feel as if he’s deserving of all this misfortune. Essentially, the entre LP seems to be your invitation to his grand pity party. Don’t worry, though, there’s plenty of mood altering depressants to go around. The tiny band is certainly munching on some meds with rythym section Butch and Tommy Walter, and E himself on guitar and Wurlitzer electric piano, performing sparse arrangements with much restraint. There are little instrumental solos to speak of, with the exclusion of ‘My Beloved Monster,’ which delivered one the oddest sounding little breaks I’ve heard in a while. (I liked it, too, by the way.) ’Mental’ also featured some action towards the end, but I couldn’t figure out if the soloing was avant garde or just a lack of proficiency. Either way, I wished Eels would have stretched their legs a bit more on most of these songs. There’s some untapped potential in there, I reckon. I didn’t not like it. The question is: did I? And E, I’m puzzled by this about-face lyric on the concluding song, ‘Manchild,’ when you suggest to your negligent lover that ‘when you forget I’m here, I’m not. It isn’t really me that you forgot.’ Maybe the pity is finally being escorted out of this party?
Really strong start, I thought we might be on track for an unexpected 5 stars after hearing jazz, rock and trip hop in the first 2 songs. While the rest of the album was perfectly enjoyable, it seemed to settle into pretty standard fare, 4 star stuff. I will try and revisit this one though.
Tuttu bändi aikojen takaa. Beatiful Freak ei itselleni koskaan ollut se läheisin tai tärkein Eels-levy, jota ihmettelenkin suuresti nyt jälkikäteen. Tämä levy nimittäin on juuri sitä rauhallista Eelsiä jota olen aina arvostanut. Mark Oliver Everettin kitarointi on soundiltaan jumalaista. Levyltä ei löydy suuria huteja. Hittejä sen sijaan enemmänkin. 4,5 joka nousee ylöspäin.
2, I like but not as much as other stuff
Better second time around- feels like an album that gets better the more you listen. Pleasantly surprised. 7/10
Not bad. Is it his best? Cover art: 4/5
Remember the two big hits of this album - never really got into Eels at the time but they were never a band I would turn off if their song came on the radio. Novocaine for the Soul still plays in my head on occasion, although I had forgotten about Susan's House until I listened to this. The album is pretty solid but doesn't feel like anything that would make it on to my regular playlist... don't think it would have at the time it was released either, had I bought it way back then. I definitely appreciate the craftsmanship in the lyrics more now than I would have then... Funny how some things just connect with you and others don't.
Better than I though, given the terrifying album art. Also hey! That one song from the Shrek soundtrack, a surprise to be sure-but a welcome one
3.3 - Unremarkable besides “Novocaine for the Soul.”
Pretty good, some nice sounding songs on this, especially liked Novocaine For The Soul and Susan’s House.
Alright. Nostalgic. Nothing really special.
First time really listening to Eels. I feel like maybe I would of enjoyed it more if I have a past connection to it. I didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it.
Great to listen to while working on taxes! X)
A quiet-ish listen while working earned them a full-volume listen while on the trainer, but for whatever reason it just didn't land. Feels like a "you had to be there" sort of album. *shrug*
I never owned this one but always wanted it. I realized listening to it that I must have accessed it at some point because every song was familiar. Beautiful production (such clarity) and it’s definitely unique and fresh.
My initial thought about this album is that it is more pop rock than I expected. I of course love the first song, but I find the rest of the album hit and miss. It will be interesting to hear other Eels albums against this one.
One of those things (like more famously, Semi-Charmed Life) where the whole color of the room changes depending whether you're paying attention to the lyrics. I listened once about halfway through before I realized this and decided to try it again once I had time to focus a little more on it. I appreciated it a lot more then, it's deceptively dark. Though I can't imagine when I'd want to return to it. One song is enough, and Novocaine for the Soul plays that role just fine!
Eh. 5/10
Beautiful Freak is just okay, radio paint-by-numbers soft indie rock. Vocals are compelling, rest is meh, 2/5.
Don't actually have a huge amount to write about that one. Opening track is good, but goes a bit beige after that. Not unpleasant to listen to, but in no way memorable. Could have waited until after my death. 2/5.
Listened to on 3/31/22 1.5/2 Favorite song: your lucky day in hell Absolutely not - I’m worried for all of their mental wellbeings
Just flat out odd and depressing.
Novocaine for the Soul is like Lou Reed meets Beck or Cake. This is some quirky, dark stuff. Initially, the songs are listenable and toe-tappers, but if you listen to the lyrics, these are dark, sometimes devastating songs. That irony is unsettling but also imaginative and intriguing. Also, unlike a lot of albums, this one builds as it goes. Some of the better tracks are in the middle/towards the end!