Eels are the kind of band that you’ve probably forgotten about or heard without realising who they are. Their infectious tunes have graced many a catchy soundtrack, from the upbeat Shrek, to the ominous and sexy American Beauty. The band owes its elusiveness to constantly changing line-ups, instruments and genres. Indeed every album and concert has been a unique musical project for fourteen years strong. Most musicians can only dream of such creative liberty.
Eels’ only constant is the singing and songwriting of Mark Oliver Everett (pictured), better known as E, whose unlikely life is the subject of the band’s lyrics. E was born in the Virginia countryside to the metaphysics genius Hugh Everett, the prodigal mind behind the parallel universe theory that spawned 20th century Sci-Fi culture. In spite of this scientific pedigree, young E was bit fiercely by the music bug and moved to L.A where he began to write and perform. The tragic deaths of his father, mother and sister inspired some of Eels’ most poignant songs in the mid-Nineties but now the singer lives happily, touring with his dog Bobby Jr.
The band released their new album Tomorrow Morning in August, and the upbeat single ‘Looking up’ can be downloaded for free from the band’s website, (www.eelstheband.com). Shedding the raw qualities of their more recent albums, Tomorrow Morning takes the Eels’ sound down a more eclectic route, using electronic keyboards and percussion and occasionally an entire orchestra. While you can’t be sure of what or who E will bring to Barcelona, you can be confident that the complex musical layers of the album, paired with a new found optimism, are going to make for an amazing, if unpredictable, show.