EELS - PART 1

Eleven years after "Novocaine for the Soul" became a staple of the MTV Buzz Bin, MARK OLIVER EVERETT's EELS are still plugging along, still insinuating dark-edged ire and irony into the popular culture. Indeed, Everett's compositions have found their way into everything from kids' films to horror flicks; sitcoms to crime procedurals. Perhaps it's his penchant for toy pianos, music-box FX, and play-that-funky-music-white-boy percussion that helps to sweeten his more acidic literary efforts. And there can be little doubt that he picked an ideal time to ply his trade as a deadpan troubador. One can easily imagine Jerry Seinfeld listening to Eels while eating his cereal. And both the British and American characters on "The Office" could use this music as inspirational backdrop for updating their resumes. Or their suicide notes.

January 15, 2008 will see the simultaneous release of MEET THE EELS (ESSENTIAL EELS 1996-2006) and USELESS TRINKETS -- the latter a two-CD, one-DVD compilation of b-sides, soundtrack offerings, and unreleased extras.

So, at this time of officially-sanctioned looking-back and taking-stock, it seems wholly appropriate to walk our way back over Eels' career (with the concluding "Part 2" to come on Monday).

EELS on MySPACE.

From the LP WITH STRINGS: LIVE AT TOWN HALL, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Pretty Ballerina"
[MP3] "Dirty Girl"

From the 2-LP BLINKING LIGHTS AND OTHER REVELATIONS, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "Old Shit/New Shit"
[MP3] "Losing Streak"
[MP3] "Railroad Man"
[MP3] "Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)"

From the LP SHOOTENANNY!, 2003 >>>
[MP3] "Saturday Morning"
[MP3] "Lone Wolf"

From the LP SOULJACKER, 2001 >>>
[MP3] "Souljacker, Pt. I"
[MP3] "That's Not Really Funny"