Gig review: Eels, Glasgow

Mark Oliver Everett, aka Eels mainman E, has a rare talent for framing dark lyrical subject matter in the most joyous, vibrant pop settings, which is all the more remarkable given the tragic raw material he works with, not least the death of his parents, suicide of his sister and his own struggles with depression.

Eels front man Mark Oliver Everett. Picture: Greg Mcvean

Eels - Glasgow ABC

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Somehow from these grim elements he has produced a succession of life-affirming albums, including his latest, Wonderful, Glorious. Not knowing whether he has chosen the title in earnest or in black jest is all part of the intrigue.

He was accompanied by a four-piece band who kicked up a garagey racket from the off. All were rather disturbingly kitted out in identical tracksuits, shades and facial fuzz, like some weird cult. Leader E, identifiable by his sweatband and lead singer riser, demanded meaty playing from his acolytes and would dispense hugs if pleased.

There was a lot of love in the room as they launched into a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s groovy boogie Oh Well, which was matched for hoary bluesiness by Eels’ own Tremendous Dynamite. E himself admitted “that’s an awful lot of rock” and varied the diet with a couple of his tender pop numbers “for the ladies”, which were somehow not diminished in plaintive appeal for being delivered by a man who looked like he might derive sadistic pleasure from making the audience hit the deck and give him one hundred press-ups.

But no, E was in fun PE teacher mode as he led the group through the low-slung Fresh Feeling, spry beat track The Sound Of Fear, the rockabilly riot of Souljacker and the most amusing and original set of band introductions – not to mention eagerness to flout curfew restrictions with successive encores – that I have encountered in a long time.