Electro‐Shock Blues

Electro-Shock Blues, released in 1998 by Eels, is a somber and intimate sophomore album that blends singer-songwriter confessionalism with alternative rock and indie pop textures. Mark Everett's songs address themes of illness, loss and mortality with plainspoken lyrics, mixing sparse acoustic pieces, chamberlike string arrangements, electronic touches and upbeat rock moments that create a contrast between heavy subject matter and melodic accessibility. The record is notable within the band's catalog for its emotional directness and for deepening the melancholic, darkly witty aesthetic that characterizes Eels' work.