Additional personnel: Grant Lee Phillips (electric guitar, banjo, background vocals); Stuart Wylen (guitar, alto & bass flutes, Fender Rhodes); Parthenon Huxley (guitar); Lisa Germano (violin); Cynthia Merrill (cello); Jim Jacobsen (clarinet, keyboards, bass); Bill Liston (saxophone); Jon Brion (organ, Chamberlin); John Leftwich (acoustic bass); T-Bone Burnett (bass).

Producers: E., Jim Jacobsen, Mickey P., Michael Simpson, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Engineers include: Mickey P., E., Jim Jacobsen.

Lyricist: E.

Personnel: E (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Butch ? (vocals, drums); Stuart Wylen (guitar, alto flute, bass flute, Fender Rhodes piano); Parthenon Huxley (guitar); Grant Lee Phillips (electric guitar, banjo, background vocals); Cynthia Merrill (cello); Jim Jacobsen (clarinet, keyboards); Bill Liston (saxophone); Jon Brion (organ, chamberlin); John Leftwich (upright bass).

Audio Mixers: E; Michael Simpson; Greg Collins ; Jim Jacobsen; Jim Lang; Mickey P.

Unknown Contributor Role: Elton Jones.

Arranger: Jim Lang.

The Eels' second release, Electro-Shock Blues, is a much darker album than their underrated debut, 1996's Beautiful Freak, but just as rewarding. Singer/guitarist/songwriter E experienced many upheavals in his personal life between albums (the passing of several family members and close friends), and decided to work his way through life's tribulations via his music. The result is a spectacular epic work, easily on par with such classic albums cut from the same cloth -- Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, Lou Reed's Magic and Loss. For some of the most introspective and haunting tunes of recent times, look no further than the title track, "Last Stop: This Town," and "Elizabeth on the Bathroom Floor." And although the lyrics deal almost entirely with mortality, the music for "Hospital Food," "Cancer for the Cure," and "Going to Your Funeral, Pt. 1" is comparable to Beck's funky noise, while "Efils' God," "The Medication Is Wearing Off," and "My Descent Into Madness" are all ethereal, soothing compositions. One of the finest and fully realized records of 1998, a must-hear. ~ Greg Prato

ELECTRO-SHOCK BLUES is the ultimate example of artistic-statement-as-therapy-session. Written and recorded in the wake of the death of family and friends, the songs here are full of sorrow and bereavement, but redeemed by a self-conscious sense of black humor. The man formerly known as "E" is first and foremost a popster though, so no matter how downhearted things get (and with song titles like "Going to Your Funeral" and "The Medication is Wearing Off," this is no day at the beach) there are enough hooks to keep it all afloat. There's a sparseness to the arrangements that suits the stark nature of the subject matter, but the intimacy thus created allows ELECTRO-SHOCK BLUES to communicate that much more directly. Check your razor blades at the door.