The eighth EELS studio album, END TIMES, is the sound of an artist growing older in uncertain times. An artist who has lost his great love while struggling with his faith in an increasingly hostile world teetering on self-destruction. Largely self-recorded on an old four track tape machine by EELS leader Mark Oliver Everett aka E in his Los Angeles basement, it's a "divorce album" with a modern twist: the artist equates his personal loss with the world he lives in losing its integrity. When Everett finds comfort "in a dying world," the END TIMES he speaks of isn't about "Mayan calendar conspiracy theory bullshit," he says, but, "the state of the desperate times we live in. The bottom line-ness of it all. The end of common decency. The loss of caring about doing a good job. These are tough times. Who can you trust? Walter Cronkite is just a ghost."
Nowadays you go for a walk
Better not stop and wave or say hello
Just as soon people will spit
Give you shit just for looking at them
And walking too slow - "Nowadays"
While the last EELS album, HOMBRE LOBO tackled the subject of desire, "the before, the spark that ignites everything," Everett says, END TIMES is about the other side: the after. And while HOMBRE LOBO was written from the point of view of a fictional character, END TIMES is pure real life.
Alone in his basement bunker, clinging to his antiquated tape recorder for comfort, Everett occasionally steps out into the world to take stock. After encountering a mentally disturbed homeless man ranting about the oncoming end of the world, he continues a walk through the Los Angeles night in the album's title track:
I walk around a puddle in the street
And head on home
Outside my window there's a cat in heat
Shut up, cat
And leave me alone
There ain't no heat on 'round here
I don't feel nothing now
Not even fear
Brutally unblinking, END TIMES may be the ELECRO-SHOCK BLUES of break-up albums. While the 1998 EELS album ELECTRO-SHOCK BLUES dealt with the untimely deaths of Everett's mother, father and sister, END TIMES takes a hard look at losing love. Rarely has the phrase "in the beginning" sounded more ominous and full of implication as it does in the album's opening track, "The Beginning":
Pulled her close up to me
To keep her warm
And everything was beautiful and free
In the beginning
Hello Eels, did u know that in Glasgow 150 years ago folk sometimes got eels in their local water-pipes because it was pumped up from the river Clyde but now it comes from up North the drinking water is sadly eels-free.The internet isn't thank goodness and we love your new songs here on the Clyde-side,roll on 2010 and please do come to these shores again-William and co.
hey guys, I fucking love your tunes *-* that look you give that guy is just awesooome!! keep on the great work, and Im looking forward to seeing you here in Brazil :) Cheers!
hey how are you? I am good just showing love and support to your page keep up the good work with your music hope you have a good week take care talk to you later :)
Hey There! How Are You? I Love Ya Song Hella Cool ;) Keep It Up All Good Work Take Care Always ... And God Bless Peace Have A Wonderful Weekend And I Hope Your Holiday ... Full Of Joy And Happiness Mwh
I'm loving the simplicity of the videos so far. 'In My Younger Days' has this great coupling of imagery and sound... enough to make me cry. So beautiful yet no silly choreography, no exhuberant amount of money spent making them.
This is why you're a genius, E. This has the potential to be your best album, and following from the one you've just released - that is a huge statement.
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