Eels with Strings - Live at Town Hall

Capturing the pure essence of Mr. Mark Oliver Everett (aka E), this live album showcases the scruffy fella on tour with a string quartet. Featuring fan favorites from many albums, this cd has a nice selection of tunes for the new or old fan alike. The only downside being that practically every song has the same pace. If you’re already an Eels fan, however, this should be no problem for you. The comforting sound of E’s voice is hard to resist, not to mention his incredible ability to write gorgeous music This album is filled with those delicate and personal lyrics that Eels fans have come to cherish more and more over the years. “E” has a way of making his words relate to any ear they happen to fall upon. If you have never heard the Eels before, I’d start with one of his studio albums first (Beautiful Freak, Blinking Lights). If you are an Eels fan, there is no reason you shouldn’t already own this album. E has had one hell of a life, and it is heartening to see a man go through so much and still be willing to share his soul with his fans. If you are interested in experiencing the soothing sounds of the Eels, go to www.eelstheband.com. Scroll down to the 3/10 entry on the main page, and click the link. You can watch this concert almost in its entirety. My recommendations would be “I Like Birds”, “Bus Stop Boxer”, “Trouble With Dreams” and without doubt “Things the Grandchildren Should Know”. E has quickly gained respect in my book as a sincere musician. If you like composed music with relative lyrics that can have you crying one minute in pure appreciation of life then laughing the next about meaningless nonsense, then I strongly recommend the Eels.