Although alt-rock group Eels released their debut album in 1996, singer, songwriter, and Eels leader E (Mark Everett) had already been releasing music as a solo artist. His debut album, A MAN CALLED E, was released in 1992. With songs like “Hello Cruel World” and “Looking Out The Window With A Blue Hat On”, the album was whole-heartedly embraced by lovers of Indie Pop and Power Pop. While not as successful as expected, E was able to head back into the studio to record his second album, BROKEN TOY SHOP, which was released in 1993. Again, another album of great Pop songs, the album found an audience, although it wasn’t enough for his then-label and E was cut free so that he could follow his own musical path elsewhere. And that is when his creativity began to blossom, and Eels was born…

Released in 1996, E and his band Eels released their first album, BEAUTIFUL FREAK, and it became one of the most talked about albums of the year. Not only embraced by the Indie Pop and Rock kids, the album was a commercial success and spawned the now-classic single “Novocaine For The Soul”. The album was a hit in the UK as well, earning the band the Best International Breakthrough Act award at the 1998 BRIT Awards. The album was followed by the deeply personal ELECTRO-SHOCK BLUES (1998), DAISIES OF THE GALAXY (2000), SOULJACKER (2001), SHOOTENANNY! (2003), BLINKING LIGHTS AND OTHER REVELATIONS (2005), HOMBRE LOBO (2009), END TIMES (2010), WONDERFUL, GLORIOUS (2013), THE CAUTIONARY TALES OF MARK OLIVER EVERETT (2014), and EARTH TO DORA (2020). And this doesn’t include numerous live releases, compilations, and soundtrack appearances including the enormously popular “I Need Some Sleep” from the SHREK 2 soundtrack. For two decades, E has established himself as an artist without borders, constantly evolving and challenging himself and his listeners with each and every release. And EXTREME WITCHCRAFT is no different…

Released in January 2022 (almost exactly 30 years after the release of A MAN CALLED E), EXTREME WITCHCRAFT is an album that still feels familiar and comfortable at the core but also brings in some new twists and tricks. E manages to create a soundscape that sounds both roughly conceived yet intricately stitched together. There’s a successful balance of Rock stomp and Pop bliss that swirls around your cranium as hooks hit you left, right, and center. Like life, there’s a sunny side but there are also those dark storm clouds that roll across the horizon, bringing a sense of dread into the mix, which quickly dissipates when the next bright hook comes along. The album’s emotional depth can be heard on the album’s first three singles including “Good Night On Earth”, “The Magic”, “Steam Engine”, and “Amateur Hour”. However, those song tell only part of the story. EXTREME WITCHCRAFT should be heard as a whole, and you will definitely fall under it’s spell…