Eels - End Times

Eels' most recent release, End Times, is a solid album, hot on the heels of summer 2009's Hombre Lobo. Mark Oliver Everett, AKA "E," creates an image of a man who finds himself in a world where he belongs less than ever and the lament he feels as he can identify with almost nothing around him. It is indeed a bleak picture, and the tone of the instrumentation reflects it accurately. It may be easy to find yourself lulled from time to time (at least after the second track), though never bored. 

For those who are familiar with Eels, you'll notice a lot of what you're familiar with: one or two songs that are musically upbeat and maybe lyrically upbeat, and an album that otherwise expresses a deep sadness about life, people, and loss. The big picture of End Times is that the world and the people in it change while the artist stands still. He loses love, hope, and eventually perspective on everything around him.

As a whole, End Times doesn't have the variety or high points that Eels' albums past have had. Nevertheless, it is an album worth giving at least one listen. You can hear the title track as well as Paradise Blues and A Line in the Dirt right here on KJACK, your new music access.