Eels
Souljacker [Bonus Disc, E.P Rotten World
Blues]
Alt.Rock/Power Pop/Indie
2001
192Kbps
Disc 1
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1.Dog Faced Boy
2.That's Not Really Funny
3.Fresh Feeling
4.Woman Driving Man Sleeping
5.Souljacker
6.Friendly Ghost
7.Teenage Witch
8.Bus Stop Boxer
9.Jungle Telegraph
10.World Of s**t
11.Souljacker
12.What Is This Note
Disc 2
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1.I Write The B Sides
2.Hidden Track
3.Jehova's Witness
4.Mr E's Beautiful Remix [Butch 'n' Joey
Remix]
Front, Back, CD 1 And CD 2 Covers Included.
This album contains a bonus disc of the EP,
"ROTTEN WORLD BLUES".
Souljacker is the fourth album from the Eels
front man, "E" Named after an American
serial killer who claimed to steal the souls of
his victims, and dedicated to Life's lost, this
fourth visit to E's deadpan world is slyer, more
awkward, beautiful and odd than anything he's done
since "Novocain For The Soul" established
him as the ultimate geek back in 1996. Depicting
all manner of tragic misfits from teenage witches
("Teenage Witch") to the desperately
lonely ("Friendly Ghost"), Souljacker
should be a depressing listen. But after the
fantastically ramshackle soundtrack of dirty
guitars, cosy strings and ambling break beats, E's
greatest gift is the ability to spike the saddest
tale with a twisted turn of phrase. Be it
"World Of s**t"'s backhanded compliment:
"In this world of s**t / baby you are it",
the desperate "Mum won't shave me / Jesus
can't save me" of "Dog Faced Boy" or
his retort to his girlfriend's mocking of his
manhood "You say a lot of funny things my
little bunny / and I almost always laugh / but
that's not really funny" the darkest tales are
his most amusing. A lo-fi masterpiece, with plenty
to laugh and cry about, Souljacker confirms E as
the undisputed king of geek-dom and a bona fide
musical genius.
The much anticipated follow-up to 2000's 'Daisies
Of The Galaxy', 'Souljacker' showcases a more
aggressive sound, replete with dirty guitars, cosy
strings and ambling breakbeats, whilst retaining
E's innate melodic touch and eccentric lyricism. A
lo-fi masterpiece, 'Souljacker' is another
beguiling, eccentric and totally memorable musical
journey that begs your indulgence. Includes the
single 'Souljacker Pt1'.
Rolling Stone (3/28/02, p.70) - 3.5 stars out of
5 - "...A hard-looking, no-holds-barred look
at the moral bankruptcy of society at
large....Over squalling guitars, fuzzy surf lines,
loping break beats and lush strings, E spins tales
of small-town misfits searching for meaning in a
media-driven world..."
Entertainment Weekly (3/22/02, p.110) -
"...Artfully skewed...the darkness is
strangely joyous..." - Rating: B+
Alternative Press (4/02, p.72) - 8 out of 10 -
"...Frontman E lightens his subject matter-but
not his touch....You get surly rock jams
glorifying social outcasts. You get lo-fi beats
underlaid with sublime orchestration....SOULJACKER
is fresh, funny and unpredictable..."
CMJ (3/11/02, p.4) - "...E shows his fondness
for mutating several styles at once...part caustic
blues, part cabaret song and a dash of
chaos....It'd be fitting as a centerpiece for a
David Lynch film just before normalcy gets
up-ended and things go down a surreal, strobe-lit
path to psychosis..."
Enjoy!