Quirky Eels offer up summer fun, for the most part

Molly E. Pollard, Features Writer
Published On: 06/22/2009

There’s something about summer that tends to change the atmosphere of a place. Maybe it’s the increased heat and humidity or the temporary freedom from academia. The reason is hard to define, things are different, and that concept is not lost by Mark Oliver Everett and his band, Eels, in their most recent record.

In fact, the Eels’ catchy latest release starts off this time of year on a good note. The album, released June 2, titled “Hombre Lobo,” is the 7th release from the band and takes a different direction from previous releases.

If the group’s other albums could be described as sparse, fun, or melodic, “Hombre Lobo” is a mixture of these with a pinch—or at least a small handful—of raucous energy. Everett’s voice is coarse and sometimes difficult to listen to, but it also gives a sort of candidness to the tracks.

On the first track, “Prize Fighter,” Everett’s vocals are backed with guitars, drums, and maracas. The album is neither stripped nor overly produced. It rests comfortably on the center of the spectrum, and Everett and his band mates revel in their ability to stay there.

Eels seemed to have found the happy medium where they can have fun on songs like “Tremendous Dynamite” without over-thinking it. Everett’s choice to limit instrumentation and production forces the listener to hang on to his every word.

Despite the lack of production, Eels find a way to keep listeners interested. Though the songs all seem to have the same feel, several of them do manage to mix it up. Halfway through “Fresh Blood,” feedback noise is interspersed with the lyrics to give the song more of a punch.

Most of the songs are good, if not great, but there are some not-so-good ones, as in the redudant“The Longing.”
The next song breaks the monotony so that the faults in “The Longing” can almost be forgiven. “What’s a Fella Gotta Do” puts the album back on track.

The album closes with “Ordinary Man,” a simple tune that is short and straightforward, using only one guitar and vocals.

“Hombre Lobo” can’t be deemed an amazing album. It is, at its best, a fun listen with tunes that provide a good soundtrack to the summer.

Email: mpollard@uab.edu