The many incarnations and iterations of Eels have produced a galaxy of work, all spiralling around the central star – or should that be black hole – that is Mr E himself. Currently in a more settled phase, ‘Extreme Witchcraft’ finds Eels re-uniting with English producer John Parrish, and in doing so tapping back into their raw roots.
‘Amateur Hour’ is a snappy opening gambit, matching garage punk precocity to bubblegum pop – like Jon Spencer fronting the Archies, in essence. A foot-stomping introduction, ‘Amateur Hour’ leads into an album that leans on Eels mixture of snappy 60s influences and post-punk innovations.
‘Good Night On Earth’ for example has a fuzzed out bassline pinched from an electro record, while ‘Steam Engine’ is a distorted piece of moonlit R&B that seems to shake the bones of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. ‘Stumbling Bee’ re-asserts those soul leanings, with ‘Better Living Through Desperation’ matching E’s jet-black word play to a Bob Diddley shuffle.
Yet it’s not all garage punk physicality. ‘Learning While I Lose’ is a Paul Simon esque nursery rhyme, simple yet contagious; ‘Grandfather Clock Strikes Twelve’ meanwhile is a playful salute to Daisy Age hip-hop with its wah wah licks, neat keys, and snappy E delivery.
A work of impish maturity, ‘Extreme Witchcraft’ is Eels at their most playful, with the band’s carefree wizardry still delivering thrills, even after all these years. While not ranking with their absolute best work, in terms of breakneck guitar-led songwriting it more than delivers.
7/10
Words: Robin Murray
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