Souljacker
Encyclopedia
Souljacker is a studio album from Eels
released on September 19, 2001 in Japan, September 24, 2001 in the United Kingdom, and March 12, 2002 in the United States. The American release was delayed due to the lack of "radio-friendly singles" record companies wanted.
Unlike some of Everett
's other albums, most notably Electro-Shock Blues
, Souljacker is mostly based on stories of outsiders rather than on Everett's own life. Characters were inspired from various sources, including circus freaks ("Dog Faced Boy") and a recording engineer with an abusive past ("Bus Stop Boxer"). German director Wim Wenders
called "Woman Driving, Man Sleeping" his favorite Eels song and he used it in the segment he directed for Ten Minutes Older
. Wenders directed the video for "Souljacker part I", which reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart
. The second track on the album, "That's Not Really Funny", was used as the theme tune to all three series of the BBC
's animated comedy, Monkey Dust
.
The strings used in the song "Fresh Feeling" were sampled from another Eels song, "Selective Memory" from Daisies of the Galaxy
.
"Fresh Feeling" was featured in season 1, episode 8 of the NBC show Chuck
.
; additional writers in brackets.
Rotten World Blues
Production
Eels (band)
Eels is an American indie rock band formed by singer/songwriter Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E...
released on September 19, 2001 in Japan, September 24, 2001 in the United Kingdom, and March 12, 2002 in the United States. The American release was delayed due to the lack of "radio-friendly singles" record companies wanted.
Unlike some of Everett
Mark Oliver Everett
Mark Oliver Everett is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and sometime drummer of the independent rock band Eels...
's other albums, most notably Electro-Shock Blues
Electro-Shock Blues
Electro-Shock Blues is the second studio album by the band Eels, released on September 21, 1998 in the United Kingdom and October 20, 1998 in the United States.-Background and inspiration:...
, Souljacker is mostly based on stories of outsiders rather than on Everett's own life. Characters were inspired from various sources, including circus freaks ("Dog Faced Boy") and a recording engineer with an abusive past ("Bus Stop Boxer"). German director Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
called "Woman Driving, Man Sleeping" his favorite Eels song and he used it in the segment he directed for Ten Minutes Older
Ten Minutes Older
Ten Minutes Older is a 2002 film project consisting of two compilation feature films titled The Trumpet and The Cello. The project was conceived by the producer Nicolas McClintock as a reflection on the theme of time at the turn of the Millennium. Fifteen celebrated film-makers were invited to...
. Wenders directed the video for "Souljacker part I", which reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The second track on the album, "That's Not Really Funny", was used as the theme tune to all three series of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's animated comedy, Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust is a British satirical cartoon, notorious for its dark humour and handling of taboo topics such as murder, suicide and paedophilia. There were three series broadcast on BBC Three between 2003 and 2005...
.
The strings used in the song "Fresh Feeling" were sampled from another Eels song, "Selective Memory" from Daisies of the Galaxy
Daisies of the Galaxy
Daisies of the Galaxy is an album by Eels. It was released on February 28, 2000 in the United Kingdom and March 14, 2000 in the United States. "Mr...
.
"Fresh Feeling" was featured in season 1, episode 8 of the NBC show Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
.
Track listing
All songs written by EMark Oliver Everett
Mark Oliver Everett is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and sometime drummer of the independent rock band Eels...
; additional writers in brackets.
- "Dog Faced Boy" (John ParishJohn ParishJohn Parish is a British musician and producer best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey,. His sister is the actress Sarah Parish.-Partial discography:Solo*Rosie *How Animals Move...
) – 3:17 - "That's Not Really Funny" (Parish) – 3:19
- "Fresh Feeling" (Koool G Murder) – 3:37
- "Woman Driving, Man Sleeping" (Parish) – 3:30
- "Souljacker part I" (Butch and Adam SiegelAdam SiegelAdam Siegel is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and graphic designer from Venice, California, United States...
) – 3:15 - "Friendly Ghost" – 3:22
- "Teenage Witch" (Parish) – 4:44
- "Bus Stop Boxer" (Parish) – 3:42
- "Jungle Telegraph" – 3:39
- "World of Shit" (Parish) – 3:29
- "Souljacker part II" – 1:58
- "What Is This Note?" (Parish) – 2:28
Bonus discs
22 Miles of Hard Road- Released in the United Kingdom
- "I Write the B-Sides" – 3:55
- "Hidden Track" – 4:25
- "Jehovah's Witness" – 3:39
- "Mr. E's Beautiful Remix" (Butch 'n' Joey Remix) – 3:53
Rotten World Blues
- Released in the United States
- "I Write the B-Sides" – 3:55
- "Hidden Track" – 4:25
- "Jehovah's Witness" – 3:39
- "Rotten World Blues" – 2:44
Personnel
Eels- Butch – DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - EMark Oliver EverettMark Oliver Everett is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and sometime drummer of the independent rock band Eels...
– VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, baritone guitarBaritone guitarThe baritone guitar is a variation on the standard guitar, with a longer scale length that allows it to be tuned to a lower range. It first appeared in the classical music realm...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, clavinetClavinetA Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
, MellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, and WurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with... - Joe Gore – Guitar
- Koool G Murder – SynthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar, clavinet - John ParishJohn ParishJohn Parish is a British musician and producer best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey,. His sister is the actress Sarah Parish.-Partial discography:Solo*Rosie *How Animals Move...
– Guitar, percussion, drums, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, and stylophone - Adam SiegelAdam SiegelAdam Siegel is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and graphic designer from Venice, California, United States...
– Bass guitar
Production
- Ryan Boesch – ProgrammingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, engineering, and mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Greg Collins – Tape transfer
- DJ Killingspree – Liner notesLiner notesLiner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
- E – ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, art direction, and mixing - Wally GagelWally GagelWalton Steven “Wally” Gagel is an American record producer, songwriter, engineer and musician. He came into prominence in 1996 for his work on the Billboard Top 40 hit Natural One by the band Folk Implosion....
– Programming, engineering, and mixing - Brian GardnerBrian GardnerBrian Gardner, also known as Brian "Big Bass" Gardner is a mastering engineer. He has worked on countless recordings since the mid-1960s, including classic rock, funk, disco, alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop punk, and dance pop. He is perhaps best known for his work on hip hop albums and in...
– MasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - Chris Justice – Engineering
- Koool G Murder – Engineering
- Jim Lang – stingString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s - John ParishJohn ParishJohn Parish is a British musician and producer best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey,. His sister is the actress Sarah Parish.-Partial discography:Solo*Rosie *How Animals Move...
– Programming, production, engineering, and mixing - Dan Pinder – Technical assistance
- Francesca Restrepo – Art direction
- Rocky SchenckRocky SchenckRocky Schenck is an American music video director and photographer. He has worked with such artists as Adele, Nick Cave, Joni Mitchell, The Cramps, Alice in Chains, Redd Kross, Godsmack, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Rod Stewart, and Van Halen, among others...
– Photography