A Man Called E

Last updated
A Man Called E
A-man-called-e.jpg
Studio album by
E
ReleasedFebruary 2, 1992 (1992-02-02)
RecordedMay–June 1991
StudioKnobworld, Roman Foods, The Bakery (southern California)
Length32:07
Label Polydor
Producer
E chronology
A Man Called E
(1992)		 Broken Toy Shop
(1993)
Singles from A Man Called E
  1. "Hello Cruel World"
    Released: 1992
  2. "Nowheresville"
    Released: March 1992

A Man Called E is Mark Oliver Everett's 1992 major-label debut album, and the first on which he used the pseudonym "E". (As Mark Everett, he had previously self-released the limited edition LP Bad Dude in Love in 1985.)

Contents

"Hello Cruel World" was released as a one-track single in 1992. "Nowheresville"/"Strawberry Blonde" was released in March of that year.

Background

In 1987, Everett moved from his family home in Virginia and resettled in California. There, in 1991, he signed a contract with Polydor Records and released A Man Called E under the name E a year later. The single "Hello Cruel World" was a minor success. Touring to support the album, E opened for Tori Amos. [1]

Everett became known as "E" because there were several people in his life at the time who had the same first name. While it may have caused some confusion in record stores and radio stations, the single-letter name gave the press a playful handle. This playfulness was evident in a review of the album by the eminent writer Daniel Levitin which began: "Excellent eponymous effort, energizingly eclectic. Early enthusiasm effectively ensures E's eminence." [2]

Everett released one further solo album, 1993's Broken Toy Shop , before forming the band Eels in 1995.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]

Michael Zwirn, in Trouser Press , wrote that "the production is uncluttered, [E's] singing is unforced and the tunes are eminently hummable, with a sense of cockeyed humor and periodic wistful optimism that is noteworthy in the later context of the Eels' pronounced bitterness." [4]

Track listing

All songs written by E, except where noted

  1. "Hello Cruel World" (E, Parthenon Huxley) – 3:50
  2. "Fitting In with the Misfits" – 3:09
  3. "Are You & Me Gonna Happen" – 3:00
  4. "Looking Out the Window with a Blue Hat On" – 2:17
  5. "Nowheresville" (E, Huxley) – 3:21
  6. "Symphony for Toy Piano in G Minor" – 0:34
  7. "Mockingbird Franklin" – 3:03
  8. "I've Been Kicked Around" – 3:24
  9. "Pray" – 2:46
  10. "E's Tune" – 2:53
  11. "You'll Be the Scarecrow" – 3:21

Personnel

Additional musicians

Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eels (band)</span> American indie rock band

Eels is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1991 by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Oliver Everett, known by the stage name E. Band members have changed over the years, both in the studio and on stage, making Everett the only official member for most of the band's work. Eels' music is often filled with themes of family, death, and unrequited love. Since 1996, Eels has released fifteen studio albums, seven of which entered the Billboard 200.

<i>Frizzle Fry</i> 1990 studio album by Primus

Frizzle Fry is the debut studio album by American rock band Primus. It was released on February 7, 1990, by Caroline Records. Produced by the band and Matt Winegar, the album was recorded at Different Fur Studios in San Francisco in December 1989. In 2015, Primus frontman Les Claypool ranked Frizzle Fry as his favorite Primus album.

<i>To the Teeth</i> 1999 studio album by Ani DiFranco

To the Teeth is singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco's 10th studio album, released in November 1999.

<i>Souljacker</i> 2001 studio album by Eels

Souljacker is the fourth studio album by American rock band Eels, first released on September 19, 2001, in Japan and later on March 12, 2002, in the United States. The album reached No.12 on the UK Album Charts

<i>Electro-Shock Blues</i> 1998 studio album by Eels

Electro-Shock Blues is the second studio album by American rock band Eels. It was released in the United Kingdom on September 21, 1998, and October 20 in the United States by record label DreamWorks.

<i>Broken Toy Shop</i> 1993 studio album by E

Broken Toy Shop is the second album by American singer-songwriter E, released in December 1993 by Polydor Records. It was his last record as a solo artist before forming the band Eels.

<i>Electro-Shock Blues Show</i> 2002 live album by Eels

Electro-Shock Blues Show is a live album by Eels released on tour in 2002.

<i>If I Left the Zoo</i>

If I Left the Zoo is the third full-length studio album of the band Jars of Clay. It was released November 9, 1999, by Essential Records.

<i>Eels with Strings: Live at Town Hall</i> Live album

Eels with Strings: Live at Town Hall is a live album by Eels, released on CD and DVD on February 20, 2006 in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States. The recording is from New York City's Town Hall, June 30, 2005. It is the first live Eels album with a general release, and the first Eels DVD.

<i>New Sensations</i> 1984 studio album by Lou Reed

New Sensations is the thirteenth solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in April 1984 by RCA Records. John Jansen and Reed produced the album. New Sensations peaked at No. 56 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and at No. 92 on the UK Albums Chart. This marked the first time that Reed charted within the US Top 100 since his eighth solo studio album Street Hassle (1978), and the first time that Reed had charted in the UK since his sixth solo studio album Coney Island Baby (1976). Three singles were released from the album: "I Love You, Suzanne", "My Red Joystick" and "High in the City", with "I Love You, Suzanne" being the only single to chart, peaking at No. 78 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video for "I Love You, Suzanne" did, however, receive light rotation on MTV.

<i>Expo</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Marbles

Expo is the second album from the Robert Schneider solo project Marbles and is the follow-up to the 1997 release Pyramid Landing . Whereas Pyramid Landing was a showcase of experimental pop songs, Expo focuses more sharply on electronic pop music, similar to that of Gary Numan, one of Schneider's influences on the Expo. Other influences include Electric Light Orchestra, Brian Eno, Phoenix and The Cars. The liner notes for the album state a dedication to "Marci and Max". The album was released in 2005.

<i>Youre Gonna Get It!</i> 1978 studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

You're Gonna Get It! is the second studio album by the American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on May 2, 1978, by Shelter Records. Originally, the album was to be titled Terminal Romance. Its design and art direction was handled by Josh Kosh. The album peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart in its release year, a higher position than its predecessor, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976).

<i>Native Son</i> (album) 1991 studio album by the Judybats

Native Son is the first studio album by the American band the Judybats, released in 1991 by Sire Records. The title track peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The band supported the album by touring with John Wesley Harding.

<i>The Circle & the Square</i> 1986 studio album by Red Box

The Circle & the Square is the debut album by British pop group Red Box, released in 1986. The album contains the group's two UK top ten hit singles, "Lean on Me", which reached number three, and "For America", which reached number 10. Three other singles are included on the album: the band's debut "Chenko (Tenka-Io)", which originally failed to chart in 1984 but reached number 77 when re-issued in 1987, "Saskatchewan", which also failed to chart in 1984, and "Heart of the Sun" which reached number 71 in 1987.

<i>Alabama Live</i> 1988 album by the American band, Alabama

Alabama Live is the first live album by the American band Alabama. Released in 1988, it became a Number One album on Top Country Albums chart, marking their inaugural live compilation. The album features live renditions of various singles from the band's career, along with album tracks "Red River", "Fireworks" and "Gonna Have a Party". Additionally, the album includes is a cover of the Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't You See", track never before featured on any of Alabama's studio albums.

<i>Undressing Underwater</i> 2003 studio album by Rusty Anderson

Undressing Underwater is the debut solo album by Rusty Anderson, originally released on Anderson's own Oxide Records in late 2003, and re-released on September 13, 2005 through Surfdog Records.

<i>Beautiful Freak</i> 1996 studio album by Eels

Beautiful Freak is the debut album by American rock band Eels. It was released on 13 August 1996 and is the second album released by record label DreamWorks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parthenon Huxley</span> American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer

Richard Willett Miller, professionally known as Parthenon Huxley is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer who is known for his solo albums and for his involvement in ELO Part II and The Orchestra, both of which are latter-day offshoots of the 1970s–80s symphonic rock band Electric Light Orchestra. He has also made cameo appearances in several films including Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and The Flintstones.

<i>Songs from the Novel Greatest Hits</i> 2017 studio album by Kathryn Williams

Songs from the Novel 'Greatest Hits' is the 14th studio album by British singer-songwriter, Kathryn Williams and a collaboration with the novelist Laura Barnett based on her second novel Greatest Hits.

<i>The Complete DreamWorks Albums</i> 2015 box set by Eels

The Complete DreamWorks Albums is a 2015 box set of seven albums from American indie rock band Eels, released in the 1990s and 2000s: Beautiful Freak (1996), Electro-Shock Blues (1998), Daisies of the Galaxy (2000), Souljacker (2001), Electro-Shock Blues Show, and Shootenanny! (2003). The collection has received positive reviews by critics.

References

  1. ↑ Everett, Mark (2008). Things the grandchildren should know (1st ed.). New York: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN   978-0-312-38513-2. OCLC   213451480.
  2. ↑ Levitin, D.J. (March 16, 1992). "E: A Man Called (E)". Recording Engineer/Producer. 23 (2). Overland Park, Kansas: Intertec.
  3. ↑ A Man Called E at AllMusic
  4. ↑ Zwirn, Michael. "Eels". Trouser Press . Retrieved July 7, 2016.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.