Earth to Dora
A crude drawing of a clown smiling and wearing a top hat
Studio album by
Eels
ReleasedOctober 30, 2020 (2020-10-30)
RecordedJanuary–August 2020
StudioThe Compound and OneHitsVille, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, United States
GenreIndie rock
Length42:48
LabelE Works/PIAS
ProducerE
Eels chronology
The Deconstruction
(2018)		 Earth to Dora
(2020)		 Extreme Witchcraft
(2022)

Earth to Dora is the thirteenth studio album by American indie rock band Eels, released on E Works/PIAS Recordings on October 30, 2020.[1] It has received favorable reviews from critics.

Recording and release

“These songs came about just before the pandemic hit and changed everything... I’m hoping they can be, maybe kind of soothing or something. To hear songs dealing with things we are dreaming about getting back to.”

—E on recording Earth to Dora[1]

Eels' previous album The Deconstruction was followed by an extensive tour in 2018 and the band members were eager to record and release a new album to perform live again, with plans to start in January 2021 that were disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic; releasing the album without the ability to promote it was done to add some comfort to their fans who are on lockdown.[2] Songwriting began with a text message thread to the band's lighting director Dora (namesake of the album) and continued collaboratively with other members of Eels.[3] The songs on Earth to Dora were written before the pandemic and associated lockdown started.[4] The album was preceded by the single "Baby Let's Make It Real"/"Who You Say You Are", announced on September 1, 2020.[5] When Earth to Dora was announced on September 16, Eels made "Are We Alright Again" available as a single.[1] A music video for that song followed on November 11.[6]

The album cover is from a thrift store painting that hung in E's bathroom for a decade.[4]

Critical reception

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Earth to Dora received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 from thirteen critic scores.[7] Album of the Year sums up critical consensus as a 71 out of 100, with 10 reviews[8] and AnyDecentMusic? scores this a 6.9 out of 10 based on 13 reviews.[9] Daniel Dylan Wray of Uncut gave the album a six out of 10, writing that there are moments of real beauty but the songs are too similar to one another and that "might be comfort via familiarity for some" but "lacking evolution for others".[10] In Mojo, James McNair gave Earth to Dora four out of five stars, noting the balance of emotions in the lyrics.[11] Rupert Hawksley of The Independent writes that while Eels have "been churning out the same inconsequential, loafing rock for years", due to the state of anxiety around COVID-19, "Eels’ dozy melodies and sweet, sun-baked lyrics sound reassuring, rather than bland" and are "exactly what we need"; his review gives Earth to Dora three out of five stars.[12]

In The Times, Will Hodgkinson gave this release four out of five stars for the "bittersweet charm" of E's songwriting along with the emotional impact of his vocals.[13] Emma Swann of DIY ranked Earth to Dora as two out of five stars, writing that E has nothing to say in his lyrics and having "basic" songs.[14] David Cheal of Financial Times calls the album "moving and richly textured" for its emotional honesty, with a range from weariness to joy; his review is four out of five stars.[15] For American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz gave Earth to Dora four out of five stars for being "another emotionally edgy chapter to [E's] artistic and spiritual journey that existing fans will appreciate".[16] The editorial staff of AllMusic Guide gave this release 3.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Mark Deming praising the range of emotions in the lyrics and summing up the work as "well-written and imaginatively produced pop for grown-ups".[17] In Under the Radar, Matt the Raven gave Earth to Dora four out of 10 stars, concluding, "It’s doubtful Earth to Dora will win EELS any new fans and will most likely leave existing fans disappointed. But if you work at it, you may find some redeeming qualities since a sub-par EELS is still better than most."[18]

Track listing

  1. "Anything for Boo" (E and Koool G Murder) – 3:24
  2. "Are We Alright Again" (E and Murder) – 3:44
  3. "Who You Say You Are" (E and P-Boo) – 2:55
  4. "Earth to Dora" (The Chet and E) – 3:43
  5. "Dark and Dramatic" (The Chet and E) – 3:40
  6. "Are You Fucking Your Ex" (E and P-Boo) – 3:41
  7. "The Gentle Souls" (The Chet, E, and Murder) – 4:01
  8. "Of Unsent Letters" (The Chet and E) – 3:08
  9. "I Got Hurt" (E) – 4:17
  10. "OK" (E and P-Boo) – 3:33
  11. "Baby Let's Make It Real" (E and Murder) – 3:56
  12. "Waking Up" (E) – 2:46

Personnel

Eels

  • The Chet – guitar, recording
  • E – guitar, vocals, production
  • Knuckles – drums
  • Koool G Murder – bass guitar, recording, mixing
  • P-Boo – guitar, recording

The band is accompanied by the Earth to Dora Orchestra & Choir, made up of unnamed musicians.

Technical personnel

  • Mary Angela – paintings
  • Phil Beaudreau – design
  • Ryan Boesch – recording and mixing on "The Gentle Souls", "Of Unsent Letters", and "I Got Hurt"
  • Dan Hersch – mastering

Charts

Chart performance for Earth to Dora
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[19] 18
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 4
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21] 34
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 23
French Albums (SNEP)[23] 73
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24] 18
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] 14
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[26] 87
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 18
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 37

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schatz, Lake (September 16, 2020). "Eels Announce New Album Earth to Dora, Share 'Are We Alright Again'". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  2. ↑ Beaumont, Mark (September 16, 2020). "Eels on New Album Earth to Dora: 'Dark Phases Happen, But They Will Get Better". NME. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. ↑ Uitti, Jacob (October 30, 2020). "Mark Everett Shares What Went into Making EELS Latest, Earth to Dora". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Barton, Laura (28 October 2020). "Eels: 'Both My Songs of the Year Are by People in Their 70s!'". The Independent. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  5. ↑ Helman, Peter (September 1, 2020). "Eels – "Who You Say You Are"". Stereogum. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  6. ↑ Miller, Shannon (November 11, 2020). "Watch Jon Hamm Get Robbed Senseless in EELS' Video for 'Are We Alright Again'". Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Earth to Dora by Eels". Metacritic. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Eels – Earth to Dora". Album of the Year. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Earth to Dora by Eels". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  10. ↑ Wray, Daniel Dylan (December 2020). "New Albums". Uncut. London, England, United Kingdom. p. 31. ISSN 1368-0722.
  11. ↑ McNair, James (December 2020). "Mojo Filter". Mojo. London, England, United Kingdom. p. 80. ISSN 1351-0193.
  12. ↑ Hawksley, Rupert (October 30, 2020). "Album Reviews: Bring Me the Horizon, Elvis Costello and Eels". The Independent. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  13. ↑ Hodgkinson, Will (October 30, 2020). "Eels: Earth to Dora Review—Beyond the Torments". The Times. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  14. ↑ Swann, Emma (October 30, 2020). "Eels – Earth to Dora". DIY. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  15. ↑ Cheal, David (October 30, 2020). "Eels: Earth to Dora—Moving and Richly Textured". Financial Times. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  16. ↑ Horowitz, Hal (October 31, 2020). "EELS Still Needs Novocaine for His Soul, Baring His Insecurities on the Gripping Earth to Dora". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  17. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Earth to Dora – Eels". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  18. ↑ Matt the Raven (November 9, 2020). "EELS: Earth to Dora (E Works/PIAS)". Under the Radar. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Eels – Earth to Dora" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eels – Earth to Dora" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eels – Earth to Dora" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eels – Earth to Dora" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Top Albums (Week 45, 2020)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Eels – Earth to Dora" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 45: del 30.10.2020 al 05.11.2020" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Eels – Earth to Dora". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
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