The excitement started two days ago. Two days ago, the simplest of phrases appeared on the news section of the Eels' official homepage. In fact, while it was the first time the news page on the web site had been updated in a year (to the day), it was so simple and perfectly mundane that even those who scour that particular web site daily might have missed it; the new message was simply “Hi.” Not long after, something else happened; the information which had been present on the front page of the Eels' official homepage for the last couple of years was wiped away. In its place, on a blaze orange field, were the words:
Is This Thing On?
That phrase is, of course, very mundane. It's one of those phrases that everyone hears during soundchecks when people are checking mic levels but, in this case, it could very easily cause an uproar; it was new information (presumably) from Mark Oliver Everett! Something had to be up.
It was then that the rumor mill began to turn in earnest, and what has been discovered is that the Eels have announced a release date for a new album; their tenth, and it will be called Wonderful Glorious. It will be coming out on February 5, 2013 on Vagrant Records. The album will be offered in two formats: the regular thirteen-track album and an expanded, 26-track deluxe version with additional studio tracks, B-sides, live performances and four songs recorded live at KEXP (including a cover version of the classic Sixties hit "Summer In the City"). "New Alphabet" is said to be the lead track which will be serviced to radio in December 2012 while "Peach Blossom" will find exposure via music sites and blogs in early November upon the album's official announcement. Wait a minute, we're a music site and blog! Maybe we'll have it!
As more news is made available, we at Ground Control guarantee that we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, here is the album's artwork and track list:
Wonderful Glorious track list:
01. Bombs Away
02. Kinda Fuzzy
03. Accident Prone
04. Peach Blossom
05. On The Ropes
06. The Turnaround
07. New Alphabet
08. Stick Together
09. True Original
10. Open My Present
11. You're My Friend
12, I Am Building A Shrine
13. Wonderful, Glorious
These tracks have been mentioned for the Deluxe Edition:
14. Hold On To Your Hat
15. Your Mama Warned You
16. I'm Your Brave Little Soldier
17. There's Something Strange
18. Happy Hour (We're Gonna Rock)
19. That's Not Really Funny (Live 2011)
20. In My Dreams (Live 2010
21. Prizefighter (Live 2010)
22. Looking Up (Live 2011)
23. What I Have To Offer (Live at KEXP)
24. I Like The Wy This Is Going (Live at KEXP)
25. Spectacular Girl (Live at KEXP)
26. Summer In The City (Live at KEXP)
Further Reading:
Ground Control Magazine – Eels – [Discography Review Part One]
Ground Control Magazine – Eels – [Discography Review Part Two]
Artist:
www.eelstheband.com/
www.myspace.com/eels
www.facebook.com/THEEELS
