The Boney 500: Album #144

[T_Bone0806]

Today's entry is a bit less mainstream than the last few, and it's certainly not for everyone, but it is
a challenging, and I believe ultimately rewarding, listen.

144. BLINKING LIGHTS AND OTHER REVELATIONS-EELS (2005)

It's not often I'll buy an album without ever hearing it (unless it's an artist that
has consistently released music I've liked) based solely on a critic's review, but the
review I read on this was so positive, and the way it was described made it sound so
intriguing, I decided to give it a shot. The creator behind the music, Mark
Oliver Everett, is the son of the physicist who advanced the many-worlds theory of quantum
physics. He endured some pretty tough things along the way, including the suicide of his sister.
Much of his music has reflected the tragic events he has endured in his life, yet it is also
infused with a dark humor. This double album largely examines one man's life. Everett himself said
it is a "love letter to life itself, in all its beautiful, terrible glory". Stylistically it
covers a lot of ground. There's the sweet and simple theme that opens the work, the terrifying
"The Trouble With Dreams", the haunting, Pink Floyd-like "In The Yard Behind The Church", the
world weary but very pretty "Railroad Man", the surf song from outer space "Old S**t New S**t" and
the optimistic "Losing Streak" (which was heard in the movie "Shrek The Third"). The final song,
"Things The Grandchildren Should Know", sums the whole thing up with a most excellent if somewhat ambiguous
final line: "And I had some regrets, but if i had to do it all again-Well, it's something i'd like to do".
Taking a chance on this album was a great decision, and it made me a fan of the charmingly croaky-voiced
Everett and company.