The Eels’ new album “Wonderful, Glorious” is anything but.
Released Feb. 5, “Wonderful, Glorious” is the band’s first album in four years. The majority of the album is uninteresting and lackluster, even compared to the band’s typically quiet and laid back style.
The album opens promisingly with “Bombs Away,” a percussion-heavy, high-energy song where lead singer Mark Everett declares he’s “had enough of being complacent.” Everett’s declaration is believable until later in the album when the songs lose their spark.
“Kinda Fuzzy” follows with the same high energy and an electro-rock sound. The strong guitar riffs disguise Everett’s aging voice, which is complemented by the song’s raw sound.
Everett then groans his way through “Accident Prone,” a slow, strumming guitar ballad. The sluggish, melancholy lyrics and music are too similar to other songs on the album like “On the Ropes,” “The Turnaround,” “True Original” and “I Am Building a Shrine.” The likenesses blend the songs together, leaving much of the album forgettable.
Two other tracks stood out on the album: “Peach Blossom” and “New Alphabet.” “Peach Blossom” consists of many contrasting sounds, like the sharp, distorted riffs, the cleanly picked melody and the strange but interesting bridge. Together, these elements create the most enjoyable song on the album.
Released as a single in 2012, “New Alphabet” has both a catchy chorus and a dark sound. Unlike other songs on the album, it’s memorable because of the impressive lyrics and deep, bluesy riffs.
Songs like “You’re My Friend” and “Open My Present” have simple and dull lyrics, like “You’re my friend/and you’ve done a lot of really nice things for me” or “I want to open my present/look at it wrapped up in little pink bows.” After hearing these lyrics, it’s difficult to take the songs seriously.
Ultimately, the strong songs on the album aren’t able to make up for the majority. The Eels aren’t getting any younger, and their age shows up in their singing and energy. Even their former lyrical talent can’t salvage “Wonderful, Glorious” from its tired vocals and dull lyrics.
