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[sir-jonny-p]

I remember you, you had a crazy link to Death Cab For Keiron (sister's ex, right?) who isn't around much at the moment.

good to hear you're enjoying the album 

[Jens]

Okay. Got it today and after listening a couple more times I have concluded.

The album could have been a lot better. With more songs in the genre of "Fresh Blood" and "Tremendous Dynamite" it could have been a gigantic suprise once again, with something totally new, and nobody would be complainting. Thing is, because we got to listen to those songs before the album was there, a lot of us were expecting that, and didn't get what we expected.
But, however, it's still a pretty damn good album, and more people than just the fans will like these songs. As one of my other posts said, it's an evil plan to gain fans.

ps: What's a Fella Gotta Do = Cancer For The Cure.

[GreatMistake]

ps: What's a Fella Gotta Do = Cancer For The Cure.

except that Cancer For The Cure is a zillion times better

[tehdai]

ps: What's a Fella Gotta Do = Cancer For The Cure.

Cancer For The Cure as played by Grinderman. Yes.

[baltique]

Hi ! It's to good to post on the board again. I hope everyone is going well

Finally the new eels album is out ! And I might say I like a lot.

After the all BLAOR process (wich, to me, included the book & the two compilations), Hombre Lobo is the album I expected… and even a little more.

We have enough been told that E have been working on BLAOR for years and, after realising it and speding 4 years trying not to make music it seemed quite logical that the next album would be something recorded very quickly.

Because of that, it reminds Shootenany on several levels, but there's something different here: you can feel that E is hungry of music. As a result, Hombre Lobo has that spontaneous thing that often lacks on studio album. And though this album sounds very familliar, I never heared EELS'songs as naked as they are in Hombre Lobo.

I mean I've been an EELS'fan since Beautifull Freak. And after all these years, I cannot consider studio recordings as the definitive versions anymore. Several songs on EELS'albums were perfect to me on cd until I see a live version that makes me think "Oh my God ! How did E manage to bring this song higher ?"

Nothing in Hombre Lobo seems perfect, finished or polished. All the songs seems to be in an embryonic state, much more than in Shootenany and I really appreciate that. In a certain way, we can say that this album contains the quintessence of the EELS' style.

That why I like Hombre Lobo. I like it the way it was recorded because, for the first time, i have the feeling to see new borned songs, and I can’t wait to see them grow in all the forthcoming tours.

So, of course, this album is a little awkward, maybe some songs diserved to be worked a little more. But I must say that sometimes, defaults are more enjoyable than qualities.

It's not perfect and that what makes Hombre Lobo definitively special and attaching.

[Cal50]

I feel like some people are being a tiny bit too harsh on this album. Of course if you don't like it you don't like it and there are legit criticisms to make, but there are some seriously great quality songs on here including one of the very very best songs he's ever written (the longing). It's the album I expected after BLAOR: fun and spontaneous. I hope he branches out more for the next album, but I really like the electro touches on Fresh Blood and I think he could make a killer electro-fused rock album. I know he probably won't, but hey.

[Vance2]

I'll keep it simple. It's not my favorite Eels album, nor is it my least favorite Eels album. There are a few songs on there which stand out as some of E's best work, and there are some that rank pretty high on the "ho-hum" list. Still, it's more than I've done so F it - I'll continue to listen to it and will continue to like it.

[Jens]

I really like the electro touches on Fresh Blood and I think he could make a killer electro-fused rock album. I know he probably won't, but hey.

I think that's what a lot of people here would have wanted him to do now. No names being called. And I agree it probably would have made more (and better) of an eels album.

[Berni]

12 Songs of good old Eels: "Hombre Lobo"

While for a long period of time E has spent his life looking back and dealing with all the different issues in his life (with the interception of "Shootenanny!") most people undoubtly suspected that E would present a record with a new angle and style. I have to admit, I was also hoping for a big step forwards regarding E's music. So now we've got "Hombre Lobo". Initial thoughts: It's definitely no real change of direction. But: That does not mean the album is in any way inferior to the rest of the Eels catalog.

When treating the album on its own, without considering its place in the history and progression of the band, only feelings of joy and passion regarding it run through me. For me it's just another proof of E's ability to cleverly put together a collection of fun rock-songs^* and sweet, simple tunes^** - with the insertion of some to-the-core instant classics^***. E has not changed regarding melodies, sounds and lyrics, that's true. Did he attempt to do so? We don't know. If he did, well then the album is a failure in this regard - nevertheless it's an assemblage of great songs. In many ways, the record and its significance reminds me of "Shootenanny!". Fun, simple (in the best intended meaning), rock, not-rock, thoughtful, sweet. I want to conclude with a quote from a German review of the record [translated]: "After "Shootenanny!" Eels have once again accomplished an album, of which one cannot observe the endeavours of its making anymore. It contains songs where you ask yourself why 50 years of rock history have not generated them by now and lyrics which tell aspects of love and its antidote in such a natural manner, so that the decision between banality and wisdom is getting irrelevant."


* Prizefighter, Tremendous Dynamite, Fresh Blood

** In My Dreams, My Timing is Off

*** That Look You Give That Guy, All the Beautiful Things


8/10

[MickyS]

My review.

[sadie]

hmm i really haven't been that inspired to listen to the album since i got it. that's a shame. i was hoping this album would get me back in to eels. i still class them as one of my favourite bands but i rarely listen to them anymore. hopefully i'll feel more like listening to it soon.

[sw0mgt]

This time E made an album for me, because I totally dig it. 

It's one of my favorite Eels albums. 

Starting off with "Prizefighter" -- I really love this song.  I like the small hooks before the melodies where E sings "I'm a don't do it wrong do it right-er".  He's getting playful with his lyrical writing, and it sounds really different, fresh and new coming from E. 

"That Look you Give That Guy" is a perfect 02 track.  It's really mellow but E's vocals come off very dark and lethargic.  It has another character in the vocal production that I find this track interesting and fun to listen to.

"Lilac Breeze" - Totally dig the image and song name, but I don't like how annoyingly catchy it is.  It sounds like E's live stuff from 03 which I never liked.

"In My Dreams" - This is a total gem.  I get the feeling that E is revisiting all of the lost moments in life and understands that they still exist in his dreams.  It reminds me of all the Eels songs that were never written or released.  This is a very great song.  It takes me back through the 15 years of Eels listening.

"Tremendous Dynamite" - I love this song because it's so damn far-fetched and taken to the extreme.  What the hell could be better than E screaming awesome lines like "She's dynnnnnnamite".  I dig this song/

"The Longing" - This song made me laugh at E's personality.  This song is the most desperate thing I've ever heard from him (even counting ESB and whatever).  This recording is so intimate, strange and disturbing, that all I can do is commend E for putting such rich feelings into his music at his age.  Who else writes significant emotional music at age 49?  At this point the album is taking on such a desperate love feel that I start to identity with it.  It feels like E went through some very difficult times recently.

"Fresh Blood" - Awesome track.  The siren/guitar solo bridges put chills down my back.

"What's a Fella to Do" - Some great lines - "I'm so bored I welcome a disaster".  This is like melodic punk rock Eels or something.  It's great.

"My Timing is Off" - Old school Eels track that I dig... a knotch above most Souljacker stuff. 

"All the Beautiful Things" - A little too old-school and boring for me. 

"Beginner's Luck" - Really a creative track and I like how it fits at the end of the album

"Ordinary Man" - No complaints... I like it.

[GreatMistake]

It's one of my favorite Eels albums. 

Each to its own, how anyone can say this completely bewilders me. Just compare a song like "Lilac Breeze" with eels classics like "Cancer For The Cure", "Rags To Rags" or "The Sound Of Fear" (all number three's huh)

[Cal50]

Rags To Rags is kind of a boring song though, mate. maybe it's me, but I always skip it.

[Cal50]

anyway, to get this out of the way:

Untouchable masterpieces:

1.BLAOR
2.ESB

Great albums:

3.Souljacker tied with Hombre Lobo
4.Daisies Of The Galaxy
5.Beautiful Freak

Average album:

6.Shootenanny