LA rock band EELS have released another new single “Steam Engine” from their upcoming fourteenth studio album Extreme Witchcraft. You can listen to it here. The album will be released on January 28th 2022, via EELS’ record label E Works Records, and PIAS. The album can be pre-ordered here.
“Steam Engine” from the upcoming EELS EXTREME WITCHCRAFT album. Pre-save, pre-order and listen on your streamer of choice here: https://t.co/Cv3rfdLMBzhttps://t.co/f4NYkLydLg
— EELS (@THE_EELS) October 27, 2021
“Steam Engine” is the second single from the upcoming record, with the first being “Good Night On Earth”, released back in September. The track has been well-received by both fans and critics, with the New York Times saying; “a fuzz-toned guitar riff and a snappy beat carry ‘Good Night on Earth,’ a quintessential Eels song: hoarse, succinct, dry-eyed and well aware of life’s ironies” according to a recent press release.
The track has also received praised from publications such as Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum and Consequence of Sound, with Brooklyn Vegan saying that the song is; “a fuzzed-out, bluesy/punky/dancey number with E trying to put a positive spin on our shitshow world.”
“Steam Engine” is a tune that carries a little more swagger to it than the jagged riffage of “Good Night On Earth”, featuring a bluesy lead guitar line that accompanies singer E’s gritty vocals and the grooving bassline. As the song sways towards its fade-out conclusion, the lead guitar takes centre stage for a short but undoubtedly attitude-laced solo.
Extreme Witchcraft is a milestone record for the band, as it will mark their first collaboration with PJ Harvey producer and guitarist John Parish since the band’s 2001 album Souljacker. From the release of “Good Night On Earth”, Parish’s touch on the upcoming album was already quite evident, given that Souljacker shares many of the same bluesy, fuzzed-out qualities of these two new singles.
According to a press release, Singer E said of John Parish: “John Parish is one of the most even-tempered, polite people I’ve ever met. A true gentleman. Actually he’s probably THE most polite person I’ve ever met. But when he gets into the studio he becomes a mad scientist. If you make music with John Parish, you get stuff no one else does. He has a really unique toolbox and musical outlook. Perhaps his politeness is a coping mechanism to keep Mr. Hyde under control when he’s out of his laboratory.”
You can find the track list for Extreme Witchcraft down below.
1). Amateur Hour
2). Good Night On Earth
3). Strawberries And Popcorn
4). Steam Engine
5). Grandfather Clock Strikes Twelve
6). Stumbling Bee
7). The Magic
8). Better Living Through Desperation
9). So Anyway
10). What It Isn’t
11). Learning While I Lose
12). I Know You’re Right
EELS will also be setting out on a tour of Europe and America in Spring of 2022. Tickets can be bought here, and the UK dates are listed below.
11/03/2022- Telegraph Building- Belfast
12/03- Olympia Theatre- Dublin
14/03- Roundhouse- London
15/03- Albert Hall- Manchester
16/03- Barrowland- Glasgow
17/03- Rock City- Nottingham
18/03- O2 Guildhall- Southampton
