Oh What a Beautiful Morning With The Eels
Written: Sep 01 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Everything...
Cons: Nothing...except you haven't heard Everett yet.
The Bottom Line: E provides me with another reason to love his music. Oh What a Beautiful Morning is in a word BEAUTIFUL!
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| lambchops's Full Review: Oh What A Beautiful Morning - Eels Movies |
Whether or not so-called music aficionados realize it now, Mark Oliver Everett is a genius. He is strange, he is eclectic, and he is an outstanding live performer. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, maybe his odd pseudonym will—The Eels. Indeed, The Eels is not a band. The Eels is a man who was once made to be a band but later admitted to himself and the world that he is indeed an individual in every sense of the word.
Everett (also known as “E”) doesn’t limit himself to what’s hip or what people expect. In fact, his music is decidedly un-hip. Fans never know what to expect; E is sometimes dark and pained (like on Electro-Shock Blues) and sometimes light and wistful (Daisies of the Galaxy). Sometimes he is just outright weird and this weird streak is what adds texture and timeless appeal to his compositions. The Eels albums are never bad and usually outstanding, but I think it is the live performances that best highlight the real significance of the music.
Fortunately, E has taken it upon himself to independently release and distribute two separate collections of live performances. The highly recommended discs are both a bit hard to come by, but if you go to a show they often available. There is little live material out there for any band that proves even close to as rewarding as Electro-Shock Blues Show (2002) and Oh What a Beautiful Morning (2000). I’m partial to Electro-Shock Blues Show if only because I’m really keen on E’s songs from that tour’s era (1998/1999), but Oh What a Beautiful Morning is equally rewarding for other reasons. These are necessary limited-edition treasures for the committed E fan.
Oh What a Beautiful Morning whets the appetite to what a real show from The Eels is like. The seventeen songs here were culled from the Daisies of the Galaxy tour and encompass material from that album in addition to the Beautiful Freak (1998) disc and tracks from international singles. In addition, E covers a few standards. Joining Everett on tour this time around were Butch Norton (E’s constant companion and drummer) and peculiar solo singer-songwriter, stand-in bassist, and honorary Eel Lisa Germano. Recorded mainly in Los Angeles and Glasgow (Scotland) as a band, solo, and opening for Fiona Apple the selections are range from the highly original to covers of musical standards.
Needless to say, Oh What a Beautiful Morning is ear-friendly fare for the fervent fan.
As on Daisies of the Galaxy, this live CD combines child-like glee giddiness with bizarre imagery and bouncy pop melody. Though at the same time these songs may seem completely irreverent they are also thoughtful and intelligent. E is by no means a fluffy hack—it’s just that these songs were a purposeful departure from the dark days of Electro-Shock Blues with topics like suicide and cancer replaced instead with flyswatters and field mice.
The album kicks off with a gorgeously uplifting rendition of the oft-covered Feeling Good (most famously performed by Nina Simone). The song represents so much about this time in E’s musical life. The dark veil of death and despair had lifted and it was indeed a new dawn and a new day as the song so eloquently expresses. It opens the album off wonderfully and sets the tone for the many songs that follow beginning with the instrumental opus Overture which blends versions of past Eels songs Flower, Novocaine for the Soul and Rags to Rags together into one oddly satisfying movement.
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning acts like an introduction to Everett, the reluctant frontman. He performs it with a refreshing verve. This was the way the Rodgers & Hammerstein standard is supposed to sound. Full of life and love and energy. These three songs are all neat-o gems, but the album really takes off around song five. It’s a Motherfucker is a touching, sweeping piece that showcases E’s emotional range and ability to weave together beautiful lyrics and tender piano melody. Fucker continues in much the same vein but with a wry slant that permeates so much of E’s music.
With Ant Farm comes the start of my favorite portion of Oh What a Beautiful Morning. E speaks of hate and love and pain and joy all at the same time. Even though he is one weird fellow, most listeners should be able to identify with something he has to say. Climbing to the Moon is another tender, gorgeous song featuring backing vocals from Germano. Clever, catchy, but also evocative this is the kind of song that Everett excels at writing and performing. Though Grace Kelly Blues is definitely an album standout. The upbeat pace, lovely acoustic guitar and memorable lyrics mesh perfectly. I loved this song on Daisies of the Galaxy and even more now on this CD. It speaks to the fact that dreams aren’t always what they are cracked up to be and that loneliness happens regardless of your lot in life.
The kid in the mall works at hot dog on a stick
His hat is a funny shape his heart is a brick
Taking your order he will look away
He doesn't have a thing to say
The album continues toward attaining live compilation perfection with a modest rendition of the lovely Daisies of the Galaxy. Flyswatter begins with a fake phone call from Ms. Apple but then breaks into the familiar chunk-chunking toy piano and heavy horn/percussion melody that helps to make the song something very different and special. It never fails that Flyswatter sticks in my mind. You’d be hard pressed to find a more immediately gratifying song from The Eels or anybody else for that matter.
Vice President Fruitley is a groovy and strange little track. It’s hard not to like something so obviously free of constraints. Strange, yes, but considering it was written spontaneously by E, Germano, and Butch during a sound check it just once again goes to show the genius of the makers. Hot and Cold is a hilarious “spoken work” piece performed by none other than the disgruntled Butch. Obviously very unhappy with the state of the water supply overseas, he complains profusely about the TWO faucets instead of ONE he is so used to. In his words he wants “one spicket, hot and cold, making warm…WARM...” This is another grand reason why to have this album.
If one song speaks to the hopeful tone of this tour, Daisies of the Galaxy, and this era in E history in general it would be Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues. A sparkling, infectious, wonderful, and wholly appealing song it leaves me singing the line “Goddamn right, it’s a beautiful day…uh huh.” Everett wraps up this lovely disc with a pair of outstanding songs. Susan’s House and Something Is Sacred are equally entertaining songs. The former is one of my favorite offerings from Beautiful Freak; a swaggering, touching, jazz-laden piece. The latter is a standout from Daisies of the Galaxy.
Since Oh What a Beautiful Morning isn’t easily gotten, I don’t think there is much sense in telling folks to buy other albums first is of any use. You will because you will have to. This is a wonderful live compilation definitely worth owning for fans of The Eels. If you didn’t already know based on what I’ve said the music is well worth exploring if you like alt-indie-experimental-pop-rock. It’s hard to describe but impossible to ignore once you’ve sunk your claws in. Believe it or not The Eels sound as good as this album in concert. E possesses a great creative energy and swagger that translates perfectly to stage. I guess you could say I love Oh What a Beautiful Morning.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Feeling Good
02. Overture
03. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning
04. Abortion in the Sky
05. It’s a Motherfucker
06. Fucker
07. Ant Farm
08. Climbing to the Moon
09. Grace Kelly Blues
10. Daisies of the Galaxy
11. Flyswatter
12. Vice President Fruitley
13. Hot and Cold
14. Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues
15. Not Ready Yet
16. Susan’s House
17. Something Is Sacred
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Related Reviews:
A Man Called E (1992)
Broken Toy Shop (1993)
Beautiful Freak (1996)
Electro-Shock Blues (1998)
Daisies of the Galaxy (2000)
Souljacker (2001)
Shootenanny! (2003)
Mark Oliver Everett - Levity Original Score (2003)
MC Honky - I Am the Messiah (2003)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lambchops
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Member: Shelly T.
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
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Bye-bye CL hat. Hopefully I'll write some new reviews some time soon!
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