For a man who has worn his heart on his sleeve on over 10 albums, it’s amazing that Mark Oliver Everett can still bare so much of his soul – especially when fans might not have thought there was possibly anything left to give.
A stark contrast to the last Eels offering, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett boasts soft vocals and acoustic guitar backed by orchestral strings, woodwinds, brass, and melodic percussion to create an epic atmosphere of love, loss, and the feelings that ensue.
The single ‘Agatha Chang’ sums up the album rather well as a melancholic piece of honesty. Lines like, “I couldn’t bear to break up my old gang but I should’ve stayed with Agatha Chang” clearly expresses his regret for past decisions, but are delivered in such a way that you’re glad he made the choices he did; after all, the result was this album.
Beautifully arranged pieces, such as ‘Where I’m At’ and ‘Where I’m Going’, combine to create two parts of a complete idea, helping to form an almost requiem Mass feel to top and tail the album. Everything in between serves as a sermon of reflection.
Does it lean towards the pining regrets of a seasoned man? At times, yes, but whoever said that this album was going to be anything else? Confessional and accusatory, light and dark, The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett can be a rainy day soundtrack, or a best friend after a bad break up.
Listen to ‘Agatha Chang’ from The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett here:
