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Rating: After the first listen of Shootenanny, one gets the impression that the times of Electro-shock blues (1998) are now far distant in the thoughts of Mark Oliver Everett (you can call him E).
The torments, pains, and family misfortunes that characterized the harsh, cutting lyrics and sounds of that album seem absent in this new CD. We had already sensed this while listening to the group's last two works (Daisies Of The Galaxy from 2000 and Souljacker from 2001).
But unlike those, listening to Shootenanny leaves a strange sense of serenity. Knowing Mr. E, I thought of a ruse, and partly it is so. Indeed, by focusing more closely on the music-lyrics combination, the anger and pain of E can be seen emerging in different passages through the evocation of memories and images of Freudian memory.
For example, the opening track of the album "All In A Day's Work," a nice dirty blues in which E's muffled voice seems to be perfectly at ease, is quite a program: When I was born / The doctor said / There's something wrong / Inside that baby head.
Later in the heartbreaking Agony: Friends tellin' me / That maybe I need / Some psychiatric help.
Apart from these moments, however, the album progressively evolves towards more serene and relaxed atmospheres (Fashion Awards, for example) and closes with a ballad that leaves open glimpses of trust towards life (Somebody Loves You).
From a musical perspective, Shootenanny deviates from the group's latest productions, while maintaining a style that mixes pop, rock, and folk. The arrangements are much more essential, dry, and electronics are present to a lesser extent (see the very delicate Love Of The Loveless).
Overall, the CD isn't bad, but compared to other Eels' works, something seems missing, namely that spark of genius, that hint of poetry that can make a record unforgettable, and Shootenanny is not.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Saturday Morning (02:55)
Saturday Morning
And who's gonna play with me?
Six in the morning, baby
I got a long, long day ahead of me
The parents are sleeping soundly
The neighbors are dead as wood
I'm getting up and coming over
We gotta rock the neighborhood
Nothing's ever gonna happen 'round here
If we don't make it happen
Sleep away the day if you want to
But I got something that I gotta do
It's Saturday Morning
And this ain't the place for me
I'm giving you warning, baby
We got a whole big, fat, world to see
Nothing's ever gonna happen 'round here
If we don't make it happen
Sleep away the day if you want to
But I got something that I gotta do
It's Saturday Morning
And who's gonna play with me?
Six in the morning, baby
I got a long, long day ahead of me
Saturday morning
Saturday morning
04 Love of the Loveless (03:32)
Don’t got a lot of time
Don’t give a damn
Don’t tell me what to do
I am the man
If there’s a god up there
Something above
God, shine your light down here
Shine on the love
Love of the loveless
Love of the loveless
Don’t have too many friends
Never felt at home
Always been my own man
Pretty much alone
I know how to get through
And when push comes to shove
I got something that you need
I got the love
Love of the loveless
love of the loveless
love of the loveless
the love of the loveless
All around you people walking
Empty hearts and voices talking
Looking for and finding
Nothing
Don’t got a lot of time
Don’t really care
Not selling anything
Buyer beware
If there’s a god up there
Something above
God, shine your light down here
Shine on the love
Love of the loveless
love of the loveless
loveof the loveless
love of the loveless
Don’t got a lot of time
Don’t give a damn
Don’t tell me what to do
I am the man
Love of the loveless
love of the loveless
love of the loveless
the love of the loveless
love of the loveless
05 Dirty Girl (02:41)
I like a girl with a dirty mouth
Someone that I can believe
We had a window, not open too long
But that time is good and gone
And if I ever see her again
Just walking by with some new guy
I know that we will need to pretend
And hope our eyes keep telling lies
Sit on the back porch and wonder �bout her
What is she doing right now?
Making somebody a happier man
Dying her hair back to brown
Once in a while your life gets so good
Worth all the trouble of the past
That was the case but I think I always knew
Good things don't ever last
And if I ever see her again
Just walking by with some new guy
I know that we will need to pretend
And hope our eyes keep telling lies
I like a girl with a dirty mouth
Know that I can trust her
We had our time but it didn't last too long
And that time is good and gone
That time is good and gone
06 Agony (03:07)
Not gonna be alright
No, I'm not gonna be alright
nothin' is alright now
not gonna see the sun come up
when i'm goin' down
'cause everyday i'm here
all i feel is sheer
agony
Friends tellin' me
that maybe i need
some pychiatric help
yeah, they're always so quick to tell you
just how to get over it
I look into the mirror
and all i see is age fear
and agony
If i could just remember what it was like
when i was younger
oh, the joy and happiness
replaced with hunger
and all i've got to show
for the seeds that didn't grow
is agony
09 Lone Wolf (02:47)
I am a lone wolf
I always was and will be
I feel fine, I am resigned to this
I am a lone wolf
I am a lone wolf
Got my cares
Wrapped up all nice and neat
In my suitcase
I'll take it down the street
To a place with plenty of space for me
I am a lone wolf
I am a lone wolf
It blows my mind
That people wanna try to get inside my tired head
I am a lone wolf
I am a lone wolf
I am a lone wolf
Nobody needs to get too close to me
You'll only see this truth
I am a lone wolf
10 Wrong About Bobby (02:46)
I was wrong about Bobby
I admit he's not the dumbest angry, young nitwit
No he can cut it with the best
And you'd better get out of his way
His girlfriend keeps him living in
A world where fear will always win
And if you see him out tonight
Well, you'd better get out of his way
You gotta give it up for the new modern man
He's gonna have a ball
Give it all that he can
Someday he's gonna show us all, I bet
Out in the sun while we're all soaking wet
If it's a dry life that you want
Then you'd better get out of his way
You gotta give it up for the new modern man
He's gonna have a ball
Give it all that he can
I was wrong about Bobby, don't you know
He's had it tough and he had to make a go
But if he doesn't stop fucking with me
Well, he'd better get out of my way
Yeah, he'd better get out of my way
He'd better get out of my way
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