Hombre Lobo (12 Songs of Desire), the aptly named latest
studio release from Eels, cuts its way out of painful heartache with
lean guitar riffs, punchy lyrics and unbridled howls of pure, angry
longing.
From self-defeating lust to unattainable Petrarchan crushes, the
songs each center on a single aspect of desire that often seems to
contradict the others. For instance, “That Look You Give That Guy”
perfectly exhibits that sense of helpless wanting and wishing you feel
when the one you love loves someone else. However, “Fresh Blood,” the
album’s first single, builds with desperation as E (aka frontman Mark
Everett) grows into a lone-wolf-like predator.
But the real treats on the album are expertly and lovingly crafted
songs like “Ordinary Man” and “My Timing Is Off,” which stand out for
their deceptive simplicity; they allow E to show another side to his
new werewolf persona.
Eels have always been a particularly introspective band since their
1996 debut album, Beautiful Freak, charmed the emotionally
bankrupt and hopelessly rebellious teenager in all of us. With a
rotating cast of talented musicians, each Eels album feels completely
different from those that came before it. But with E to bring
everything together, the albums are seamlessly connected, as one phase
of his life spills into the next. Hombre Lobo adheres to this
same principle: While, at times, the album and its sentiments may seem
familiar, E always manages to surprise the listener and bring a fresh
perspective that you feel you should have expected.
This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2009.
