Daisies Of The Galaxy

On 1998's Electro Shock Blues, Eels frontman E drew on the suicide of his sister and imminent death of his mother to produce a bleak masterpiece worthy of being filed alongside Lou Reed's Berlin and Magic & Loss. It was a remarkable, undeniably difficult yet resolutely human album which also posed the question as to where the group could possibly head to next. Daisies Of The Galaxy wisely charts altogether lighter landscapes.

That said, it's hardly a party record - but there's an almost jaunty feel to the music throughout, even if the opening 'Grace Kelly Blues' does begin with what sounds like a New Orleans funeral band.

Aided by Peter Buck and Grant Lee Phillips, there's a reassuring warmth to the sound here as if, after the catharsis of the previous album, it's time to get on with living life.

'Packing Blankets' nails this theme early on, E stressing that it's time to "Put out that smoke and breathe some air/Get a new name and cut your hair" while the memory of his mother is affectionately invoked in 'I Like Birds', a reference to her practice of feeding our feathered friends in her backyard.

The dry wit of 'It's A Motherfucker' (set to a string arrangement which wouldn't have sounded out of place on Randy Newman's Little Criminals) and 'Tiger In My Tank' (I bought some rock star ashes/From the back of Rolling Stone/I guess he wouldn't mind it/They couldn't sell his soul') are a sure sign that Eels are back on track.

The album's standout track, though, is the uplifting 'Mr E's Beautiful Blues'. Bafflingly relegated to the status of a 'hidden track' within 'Selective Memory', this cruises along on yet another variation of the 'Hang On Sloopy' riff and closes the album with E repeating the punchline "Goddam right, it's a beautiful day". A lovely way to end a frequently lovely record.