2010 in Music - Eels – Tomorrow Morning – A-
I’ve always been a big Eels fan. While other people thought some of their later releases weren’t that good, I’ve honestly never had a problem with Mark Everett or the music he’s made with his band. The only down point in a solid catalog would be Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, not because that album isn’t amazing, but because if you listen to it, odds are you will sink into some sort of audio induced depression not easily surpassed. It’s that sad.
Regardless, 2010 had two Eels albums and I was more than happy to shell out the cash to listen in to what our dear E had in store for the faithful. Though both titles were actually quite solid, the third offering of what is supposed to be a trilogy was the one that caught my attention the most. (Hombre Lobo, End Times and Tomorrow Morning should be taken as one extended narrative and it does make sense when you hear them back to back). In Tomorrow Morning, Eels bring new tricks to the table and offer up one of their most memorable and instantly engaging albums. Sure I eventually found delight in Shootenanny and Souljacker and found great tunes from my listens of Hombre Lobo and End Times, but Tomorrow Morning offers electronic nuances that give a whole new spin to the Eels sound and works in pretty much every track on the album. “The Morning” is a track that sounds as if a beautiful piece of origami is being unfolded to show that within is a great message, “I’m a Humming Bird” sounds as if Everett is channeling his inner Peter Gabriel and “This is where it gets good” is probably one of the best songs Eels have put out since Electro Shock Blues, a track which invites you to invent your own shuffle to dance on a relaxed and happy Sunday morning. Add to this tracks like “What I Have to Offer” which sees Eels traversing through familiar ground, but in unfamiliar fashion, and Tomorrow Morning becomes one of my favorite albums from this band. Even on tracks that aren’t exactly strong points like the church worthy “Looking up”, non-stellar tracks are whimsical and catchy enough not only to forgive but to enjoy since the lyrics push you into the realm of being positive, which is the best aspect of this album. For the first time in a long while, there’s optimism floating in the tracks and the album as a whole is just the better for it, not to mention the band.
Highlight Tracks: The Morning, I’m a Humming Bird, What I have to Offer, This is where it gets good.
