Eels
Tomorrow Morning
(Shock)
Loosely speaking, Mark Oliver Everett has three basic modes for his longtime band Eels: downbeat studies of personal loss, growling anthems of garage-y catharsis, and uplifting glimpses of optimism. The latter often get lost in the shuffle as people focus on the tragic deaths of Everett’s parents, sister, and cousin, but anyone who heard 2000’s
Daisies Of The Galaxy knows that he’s all too capable of escapist whimsy, heartening pop-folk, and locating the worthwhile amongst so much bleakness. (See: ‘A Daisy Through Concrete’) In recent years, Everett has busied himself with projects ranging from a documentary about his physicist father to a pair of career retrospectives to the autobiography
Things The Grandchildren Should Know. Those concluded, he jumped back into music with a vigour, knocking out three self-produced albums released in the space of 15 months.
Tomorrow Morning is the final chapter in this intentional trilogy, following the hungry
Hombre Lobo and pensive
End Times. On it, Everett is backed by his usual colourfully named rhythm section of Koool G Murder and Knuckles, as well as occasional back-up singers and orchestral embellishment. It’s an album of optimism and redemption, of coming out the other side of darkness with renewed fondness for life. Everett doesn’t couch any of this, following up the telling instrumental opener ‘In Gratitude For This Magnificent Day’ with a sweet pair of songs – ‘I’m A Hummingbird’ and ‘The Morning’ – all about finding perspective. The conclusion: life is short, so enjoy the time you have. It’s a popular notion, of course, but Everett’s world-weary rasp and direct lyrics have a way of sweeping the dust from such time-honoured topics.
That said, between the spare palette and straightforward approach, there’s something detached about
Tomorrow Morning. The songs sound like demos, with Everett’s voice often alone against programmed beats and spacey keyboards. And while there’s beauty and profundity in the lyrics, it’s all so light and breezy that it doesn’t really connect. From the heartfelt ‘Spectacular Girl’ and ‘The Man’ to the quietly orchestral ‘What I Have To Offer’ and ‘Oh So Lovely’, there’s a whisper-close intimacy that should work but somehow doesn’t. It’s by no means bad; just a touch ephemeral. Most of the songs are short and threadbare, and even the six-minute centrepiece ‘This Is Where It Gets Good’ threatens to float away like dandelion fluff. The closing ‘Mystery Of Life’ hits upon full-band robustness to end on an upbeat note, but it lacks conviction and weight.
That’s not to say the man should stick to writing downers, or there’s nothing of value here. ‘Baby Loves Me’ is another low-key garage lark, ‘Looking Up’ is a worthy attempt at gospel epiphany, and ‘I Like The Way This Is Going’ is the kind of romantic ditty at which Everett excels. Yet the sum feels so casual and tossed off. For an album that sets out to make a case for optimism,
Tomorrow Morning is all too fleeting.
Doug Wallen
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Eels - 'Spectacular Girl'