Casey's Corner #1: Eels - Hombre Lobo

So this is my first time doing this, I assume I'm supposed to rant incessantly about something that people either tend to agree or tend to be interested/fascinated by.

Well.. here I am. And I have chosen to rant incessantly about music. I have chosen to pick an album a week to review. These albums will be completely random and will not just be new things, but probably things from 1962 and on. I will rate the album out of 5 stars (1 star being the worst and 5 stars being the best) and discuss why I feel the way I feel.

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The first album I will discuss is "Hombre Lobo" by Eels. 5/5 stars

E, (Mark Oliver Everett) is the writer of the majority of Eels work and in my opinion he has clearly outdone himself with this album. Hombre Lobo reflects a lot of the hopelessness from the 1996 masterpiece "Beautiful Freak," while also bringing out a lighter side to the darkness. The album focuses on a central character (Dog Faced Boy, a character from "Souljacker" who has grown up to be a werewolf) who experiences longing and frustration, typically over women.

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Tracks:

1. Prizefighter
2. The Look You Give That Guy
3. Lilac Breeze
4. In My Dreams
5. Tremendous Dynamite
6. The Longing
7. Fresh Blood*
8. What's A Fella Gotta Do
9. My Timing Is Off
10. All the Beautiful Things
11. Beginner's Luck
12. Ordinary Man

*single_______________________________________________

Analysis:

"Prizefighter" starts the album with a bang.. it almost seems as if you're going to get shot in a saloon while listening to the song. The southern rock ballad sets the tone for the album, while also sort of presenting the outer skin of Dog Faced Boy. This is the rusty orange sound of Dog's arrogance and ego. He comes off as a nice guy, but he knows that he's a nice guy and he's expecting you to respect him for that. He's also trying to get into your pants (if you're a lady). E takes it down a notch with "The Look You Gave That Guy." Dog Faced is beginning to express his true feelings; the one pointed out in this song is jealousy. It's pretty easy to follow, he wants the girl to look at him the way she "looks at that guy."

"Lilac Breeze" is clearly a metaphor for sex. It brings in a neat funk-rock beat that propels the song the whole way (and allows people to catch you dancing on your way to class) until it goes into the Jethro Tullesque "In My Dreams." This song is completely how an artistic romantic man thinks. I can almost see the artist Basil Hallward from The Picture of Dorian Gray listening to this song as he paints a nude. The guitar line (which is what gives the song an Ian Anderson feel) floats around to make the listener feel as if they're on their own personal cloud 9 as Dog Faced describes a perfect day with his imaginary girl.

"Tremendous Dynamite" seems to be the anthem for the album. E screams, "I am an Hombre Lobo!" and then describes an alternate dreamgirl from the one previously mentioned in "In My Dreams." It seems as if he's describing a girl he met at a bar. He clearly does not want to take home this one; this is clearly a more shallow depiction of Dog Faced Boy. The "Land of a Thousand Dances" feel carries the song rhythmically and is a great contrast for my personal favorite, "The Longing." No matter how much I listen to "The Longing," I can't get enough. This masterpiece is straight emotion. He talks about how longing can be bother pain and joy. Everyone who has ever been in love, been dumped, or just been interested in another person has felt this song. Dog Faced can't seem to think about anything else except for this person. One of the beauties is that, like "Reservior Dogs", you don't ever get a clear picture of who or what Dog Faced is interested in. You know that it's a female, but he never describes her in detail. But the love is there. "..her tears, her sorrows, her doubts, I love them all.."

"Fresh Blood" is the single from the album; as well as, my other favorite. It's pretty clear why this is the single. It combines the rap beats from "Beatiful Freak" with the odd downbeat and classic rock sounds of the rest of Hombre Lobo into a neat and easy to market package. The werewolf aspect also gives the listener reason to howl. "What's A Fella Gotta Do" has a similar feel to "Fresh Blood" with a slightly rockier sound similar to Jet. E blares the chorus. There is definitely a sense of anger and frustration as he yells his chorus, "What's a fella gotta to do!? To spend a little time with you!?" Dog Faced wants a clear answer, and he wants it now.

"My Timing Is Off" and "All the Beautiful Things" go hand in hand. Both talk about being rejected and just wanting to give up. Dog Faced Boy wonders why he can't seem to get with his love. Bitterness seems to be the themse of both of these songs. The irony and hilariosity is that both of them are so upbeat in perfect Eels fashion.

"Beginners Luck" and "Ordinary Man" take a different route. It sounds as if Dog Faced Boy has gotten his girl (or a girl)!!! He speaks about the beginning of this relationship and how they have a long way to go. This song is very positive as he says (a la the title) that they have "beginner's luck." The song sounds very skaish with a side of Beatles. "Ordinary Man" has an almost country feel with the electronica backdrop of Indie. It's a clear denouement for the album as Dog Faced Boy has both self esteem and his girl. This song sounds as though it is being sung from the bed where they have just made love (again, Beatles).

This album is Eel's masterpiece and I hoped you enjoyed my review of it.

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Casey