EELS is certainly not a new comer to the music scene. E’s (the lead singer) been prolifically cranking out gravely voiced, angst driven tunes for over two decades and now EELS has a nice fat double album for us! The effort is extremely enjoyable and accessible: the rock tunes are catchy and slower songs stirring. Best of all, whether you’ve been a fan of EELS since the 90’s or if you’re just discovering them for the first time (admittedly, in the case of this reviewer), you’ll enjoy this bluesy, crunchy, effective album from a seasoned band.
The album begins with the track “Bombs Away,” a gritty little track that launches with some top shelf drumming and a scratchy electric guitar as E growls a decidedly fed up lyrical message. Like the majority of the album, “Bombs Away” is immediately contagious and will stay with you as you walk out of your car and into work. “Peach Blossom” offers an interesting change up, beginning with some stomping percussion and distorted guitar that breaks periodically for strange but effective interludes of guitar and keyboards. It’s a fun, upbeat song. Finally, “On the Ropes” shows off E’s knack for songwriting, providing the listener with a folksy, simple and lyrically eloquent tune.
The back half of the album warrants its own review (the double album is a total of 26 songs) and contains some pretty impressive live music. The entire effort is worth the download. Listen to a few tracks here–
