jack's soul & rock corner

E
Mark Everett from Eels


A Man Called E (1992)
320

Prior to fronting the '90s experimental indie rock band the Eels, a man called E (born Mark Everett) was making heavenly pop music on his own. This debut solo release contains typical quirky melodies and mind-boggling lyrics, but E hits upon lush harmonies similar to the likes of Elton John, the Beach Boys, and Paul McCartney. He is a perfectionist, playing every instrument and orchestrating all the material found on A Man Called E.
He's a love-sick puppy, a hopeless romantic, and a daydreamer. Such drama is captured in album highlights "Hello Cruel World," "Are You and Me Gonna Happen?," and "E's Tune." His lyrical poetry is his therapy, a common talent found in later Eels material. But you have to appreciate E's effort. He's thoughtful and almost touching. He's real. Now that's pretty refreshing.
1. Hello Cruel World
2. Fitting In With The Misfits
3. Are You And Me Gonna Happen
4. Looking Out The Window With A Blue Hat On
5. Nowheresville
6. Symphony For Toy Piano In G Minor
7. Mockingbird Franklin
8. I've Been Kicked Around
9. Pray
10. E's Tune
11. You'll Be The Sacrecrow



Broken Toy Shop (1993)
256

Mystery artist E's second full-length CD slipped out without much fanfare. His later releases with the Eels attracted some Modern Rock radio attention, but this one just fell through the cracks. Which is a shame, because it picks up nicely where his debut ("A Man Called (E)") left off. Very smooth pop music with a great producer's touch. Production is co-handled by E and Michael Koppleman this time. Last LP's producer, Parthenon Huxley, can still be found on most of the tracks. E himself is about 2/3 of a one-man band, filling out each track with a bass player or drummer. The nice thing, though, is that it doesn't sound like a one-man band, it sounds like a band. I tend to think of Todd Rundgren when I listen to E's discs. Not so much because I think they sound like Rundgren's, but because there is a similar sense of sophistication to the arrangements and playing. E manages to infuse a lot of his songs with a sense of meloncholy that is rare in pop music. Another solid outing.
1. Shine It All On
2. Standing At The Gate
3. The Only Thing I Care About
4. Manchester Girl
5. L.A. River
6. A Most Unpleasant Man
7. Mass Listen Listen
8. Tomorrow I'll Be Nine
9. The Day I Wrote You Off
10. Someone To Break The Spell
11. She Loves A Puppet
12. My Old Raincoat
13. Permanent Broken Heart
14. Eight Lives Left

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