Eels - Hombre Lobo

Reviewed by Robert

2 out of 3 Faces (Ratings)

Release Date: June 2, 2009

Label: Vagrant Records

Mark Everett is just a ridiculously good song writer, but there is a reason Eels has a cult like following and it isn’t because they suck. Their 8th and most recent album is a bit of a “concept” album if I dare call it that. It is 12 tracks about despised love. They range from touching, heart felt, sad and melodic to down right rock-tastic (I just made that name up). I really think Everett is just showing off with this album, flaunting the width and breadth of his song writing talent.

This is for sure going to be one of my pet favorites of 09, an admittedly weak year for indie music. Not only am I a sucker for concept albums (check out the Mountain Goats’ Tallahassee for another great concept album) but I am also a sucker for cripplingly sad love songs and this disk is both. Emusic says, “Hombre Lobo is a bipolar collection of unrequited love songs.” perfect description.

Lyrics like “my timing is off, she’s not ready for my love, but its all that I got... She knows that its real, but the situation doesn't fit” (from track 9 - My Timing Is Off) just reaches down and reminds me of past love and loss, near misses and close calls. Everyone has had them but for some reason I feel like he is singing just to me and my past. I know , I know, I’m a hopeless sap... But I bet one of these songs will do the exact same thing to all of you. But mixed in to the slow sad songs you have sad songs like Tremendous Dynamite that reach back and cock you right in ear hole.

So if you are a sap you will dig this album too, and you don’t even have to tell anyone about it.