While I don’t think anyone would ever characterize Mark Oliver Everett’s music as optimistic, his latest effort, Earth To Dora, is probably the closest he has come in decades. Recording under his longtime moniker Eels, this LP features plenty of drum loops and electronic flourishes but is much less sterile than his 2018 album The Deconstruction.
The record begins with the almost dreamy singalong “Anything For Boo” before segueing into “Are We Alright Again.” Though the album was written just before the pandemic locked down the world and was recorded in his home studio, the record has some surprisingly relatable themes, especially on this track, which sounds like Everett (aka E) is checking in on the world (“Are we alright again? Are we around the bend?”). Everett described the song as a quarantine daydream he desperately needed to have.
“These songs came about just before the pandemic hit and changed everything. I’m hoping they can be, maybe kind of soothing or something. To hear songs dealing with things we are dreaming about getting back to. Or maybe people are dealing with some of the topics right now as well.”
Lest you think the album is coated in positivity, he still mixes in paranoia (“Are You Fucking Your Ex”) and shades of regret (“I Got Hurt”). The album is balanced between quieter moments like “Of Unsent Letters” and “Dark And Dramatic” and others that stick to a more upbeat indie pop template, like “The Gentle Souls”. While undeniably an Eels record, at times some of the songs seem a bit akin and have a tendency to run nearly seamlessly into the next track, sounding too similar. Thankfully, those moments are rare.
Though 2018’s The Deconstruction was described by more than a few music critics as a “headphone record” (feel free to roll your eyes), Earth To Dora is very much a turn up the volume, open the windows and let everyone enjoy it type of record.
Photo credit: Gus Black
