Eels

Eels albums have always been something of a downer. But they haven’t always sounded that way, thanks to songwriter E’s penchant for upbeat melodies. Though still angst-ridden on paper, Shootenanny! sounds a couple of shades lighter than its predecessors. That’s not too surprising considering that E has always managed to distance himself from his bleak worldview by making a crack or two. This is, after all, the guy who had the presence of mind to change the name of “It’s a Motherfucker” (a piano-based weeper that includes the most touching, heartfelt use of that particular expletive ever) to “It’s a Monster Trucker” for the edited version.