Everett rules
I wish for him commercial success, yet I don't because I hope he continues to hold to his principles to make the music that speaks to him rather than what speaks to the masses and the record companies. Mark Everett is an amazing artist who writes lyrics that actually mean something and accompanies them with creative, inspiring music played on everything from the saw to the Wurlitzer organ to the bass guitar. This is an outstanding collection of music.
A Superb 10 Year Compilation ...
. . from a man called E!
Companioned with Useless Trinkets: B Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2007 (2CD+DVD), this just might be all you would ever need from the Eels first 10 years. All 36 songs are terrific and while I may miss a few favorites, most of them are here and the Eels albums are well represented.
Anyone new to the Eels, this is a good primer.
True fans of the Eels probably have more or all these tracks from the albums, making this not so neccessary. Just get the Rarities album in that case. But for completists, this is a must as it has 12 good quality videos on the companion DVD. So yeah, you might as well just pick this up no matter who you are. ;']
While I have your ear, let me recommend Eels with Strings - Live at Town Hall. It is the best concert video I have seen in a long time and a great companion piece to this Best Of CD.
So what are you waiting for, go pick this up! It truly is Novocaine For The Soul.
Why buy this collection?
Eels fans may quibble about the best choices for a collection like this, but I like what was chosen here. If you are new to the Eels, this is a fine introduction.
If you are a fan of the Eels, you probably have their albums, and thus you have most of the audio tracks here. There are still two reasons why you might want to get it.
1. (lesser reason) It has two audio tracks that were previously unpublished. But of course the companion "Useless Trinkets" collection has 50 B-sides, soundtracks, rarities and unreleased tracks, plus a DVD with six live performances, so that's the one to get for previously unpublished content, if you could only choose one.
2. (bigger reason) The companion DVD in Meet the Eels features 12 music videos (one is a live performance). Some of these videos were previously released on CD singles, but they seem to be higher quality here. It isn't HD or even modern DVD quality (some of these are >10 years old), but they are much better quality than the tiny versions they put on the CD singles.
In particular, the video for "Last Stop: This Town" is a most imaginative and appealing music video; you'll have to see it to believe it. Watch in amazement as a carrot. . . well, that would be spoiling it.
About my rating: I would give it 4 1/2 stars if it were an option. Anthologies are rarely as good as the complete original albums, but this one offers more in the form of the videos.
No way you can get the greatest eels on one disc, but it's a good start...
This is a decent collection of the band/man's best work, although I'd recommend playing the disc on shuffle. Eels are one of my favorite bands, and as with most greatest hits deals, fans can quibble about why this song was left off or this song included. The songs are sequenced in order of their release so you start with the oldest material and work to the newest. Shuffle allows you to get a better mix of the band's work. After you start with "Meet The Eels" hit the rest of the catalog. . . it's worth it:).
A MASTER COLLECTION FROM A MASTER MUSICIAN
This man is the soul of the band. Mark Oliver Everett , 'E' , the front man of EELS. His voice , his energy , his passion and his emotions represent every beautiful track in this collection.
It's not about shakin legs or smiling sweet. It's all about relating to all the rubbish that goes on around you and within your personal life. EELS can bring you down and pull you right up to the top with their music.
This album is a collection of most of my favorite EELS songs, and if you are a first time listener, then this collection is the best way to introduce you to the band.
It's not about winning grammys or making appearences at award shows , its about playing straight from the heart. That's what E does. I recently lost my dad and his single 'It's a mother #$%#$%' makes me cry a tear everytime i play it on my cd system.
Pick it up people, EELS are a fine example of great musicians that hit the right cord in each of their songs.
Enjoy. . oh btw. . pick up the 'Useless Trinklet's' CD too, it's got plenty of great b-sides and unreleased tracks. .
You can see a complete list of all Eels discography, or go back to the Eels tabs
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