Beautiful Freak

Beautiful Freak is the first album using the full band name Eels, in an attempt to get the records in the same general location in the stores as frontman Mark Oliver Everett's previous works under the name "E".{{cite book |last=Everett |first=Mark Oliver |author-link=Mark Oliver Everett |year=2008 |title=Things the Grandchildren Should Know |publisher=Little, Brown & Company|location=New York City|page=110 |isbn=978-0-316-02787-8}}

Beautiful Freak was produced by E, Jon Brion, Mark Goldenberg and Michael Simpson. The majority of the album was recorded from 1993 to 1995, with first single "Novocaine for the Soul" (which contains a sample of "Let the Four Winds Blow" by Fats Domino) having been recorded and mixed as early as 1993.

"Susan's House" contains a sample of "Love Finds Its Own Way" by Gladys Knight & the Pips; "Guest List" contains a sample of "I Like It" by The Emotions; and "Flower" contains sample of "I'm Glad You're Mine" by Al Green.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Everett had suggested having a little girl with big eyes on the cover. The girl that came in to have her picture taken incidentally looked "like a miniature Susan" to Everett, referring to his ex-girlfriend and the subject of the song "Susan's House".

Beautiful Freak was released on August 13, 1996, by record label DreamWorks, the first album released on the label. The album peaked at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart.{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/2608/EELS/ |title=Eels – Official Charts Company |website=Official Charts |accessdate=March 24, 2015}}

Four singles were released to promote the album: "Novocaine for the Soul" in February 1996, "Susan's House" in May, "Your Lucky Day in Hell" in September, and the title track the following year.

The April 1997 German release of the album included a bonus live EP from a BBC recording session.

{{music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/beautiful-freak-mw0000186246 |title=Beautiful Freak – Eels |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=June 4, 2013 |last=Chrispell |first=James}}

| rev2 = The Boston Phoenix

| rev2score = {{rating|3|4}}{{cite news |title=Eels: Beautiful Freak (DreamWorks) |work=The Boston Phoenix |date=September 12–19, 1996 |last=Steele |first=Amy}}

| rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Eels |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev4score = B{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1996/10/11/beautiful-freak/ |title=Beautiful Freak |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=October 11, 1996 |accessdate=June 4, 2013 |last=Smith |first=Ethan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118225612/https://ew.com/article/1996/10/11/beautiful-freak/ |archive-date=November 18, 2016 |url-status=dead}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite news |title=The Eels: Beautiful Freak (DreamWorks) |work=The Guardian |date=February 14, 1997 |last=Sweeney |first=Kathy}}

| rev6 = Los Angeles Times

| rev6score = {{rating|3.5|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-08-ca-6856-story.html |title=Eels, 'Beautiful Freak,' DreamWorks |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 8, 1996 |access-date=January 16, 2015 |last=Hilburn |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Hilburn}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = 5/10{{cite journal |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000719reviews.html |title=Eels – Beautiful Freak |journal=NME |date=February 22, 1997 |accessdate=September 10, 2016 |last=Mulvey |first=John |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001002062859/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000719reviews.html |archive-date=October 2, 2000 |url-status=dead}}

| rev8 = Q

| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Eels: Beautiful Freak |journal=Q |issue=123 |date=December 1996 |page=147}}

| rev9 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev9score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Eels |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/273 273]}}

| rev10 = Select

| rev10score = 5/5{{cite journal |title=Eels: Beautiful Freak |journal=Select |issue=81 |date=March 1997 |last=Lawrence |first=Eddy}}

}}

In a contemporary review of Beautiful Freak, Q praised the album as "a complete musical vision, a genre-spanning soundscape that reels you in with its myriad hooks". Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Eels' maverick vision reminds you of all the great Los Angeles bands, from the Flying Burrito Brothers to X, that have chronicled the outsider, underdog attitude in the shadows of a record industry that never embraces them commercially." Ethan Smith of Entertainment Weekly stated that "the Eels' postgrunge pop melodies and quirky, intelligent production make for catchy modern rock that's miles ahead of the competition", but felt that E's "attempts at warts-and-all portrayals of urban life come off as a disingenuous, arty pose" and that "a little less pretension would get these guys a lot further." Chicago Tribune critic Mark Caro was less favorable, writing that E's lyrics paint him as "either naive and self-absorbed or patronizing and calculating".{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/01/03/eelsbeautiful-freak-dreamworks-star-staralternative-rock-has/ |title=Eels: Beautiful Freak (Dreamworks) |work=Chicago Tribune |date=January 3, 1997 |access-date=January 16, 2015 |last=Caro |first=Mark}} The Village Voice{{'}}s Robert Christgau assigned the album a "dud" rating,{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv297-97.php |title=Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |date=March 11, 1997 |accessdate=January 16, 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}} indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought."{{cite web |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg90/grades-90s.php |title=Key to Icons |publisher=RobertChristgau.com |accessdate=January 5, 2016 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

In his retrospective review, James Chrispell of AllMusic wrote: "Concise pop tunes form the backbone of the album, yet tinges of despair and downright meanness surface just when you've been lulled into thinking this is another pop group". Trouser Press wrote that "E's material works best when he finds the rare balance between his misanthropy and his capacity for warmth."{{cite web |url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=eels |title=TrouserPress.com :: Eels |last=Zwirn |first=Michael |website=TrouserPress.com |accessdate=July 7, 2016}}

It was voted number 666 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).{{cite book|title=All Time Top 1000 Albums|editor-first=Colin|editor-last=Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|location=New York City|date=2000|edition=3rd|isbn=0-7535-0493-6|page=217}} The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book|first1=Robert |last1=Dimery|first2=Michael |last2=Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}

All tracks written by E, except as noted

1. "Novocaine for the Soul" (E and Mark Goldenberg) – 3:08
2. "Susan's House" (E, Jim Jacobsen, and Jim Weatherly) – 3:43
3. "Rags to Rags" (E) – 3:53
4. "Beautiful Freak" (E) – 3:34
5. "Not Ready Yet" (Jon Brion and E) – 4:46
6. "My Beloved Monster" (E) – 2:13
7. "Flower" (E and Jacobsen) – 3:38
8. "Guest List" (E) – 3:13
9. "Mental" (E) – 4:01
10. "Spunky" (E) – 3:11
11. "Your Lucky Day in Hell" (E and Goldenberg) – 4:28
12. "Manchild" (E and Jill Sobule) – 4:05

German edition bonus disc

The April 14, 1997 German release of the album included a bonus live EP from a BBC recording session

1. "Novocaine for the Soul" (E and Goldenberg) – 3:22
2. "Manchester Girl" (E) – 3:21
3. "My Beloved Mad Monster Party" (E) – 2:34
4. "Flower" (E and Jacbosen) – 3:17

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Eels

• Butch – drums, backing vocals, production, engineering
• E – vocals, guitar, Wurlitzer electric piano, production, engineering
• Tommy Walter – bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Jon Brion – guitar, trombone, Chamberlin
• Mark Goldenberg – guitar, keyboards, production, engineering
• Jim Jacobsen – keyboards, loops, engineering

{{Col-break}}

Technical

• Michael Simpson – production, mixing
• Jon Brion – production, engineering
• Amir Derakh – engineering
• Matt Thorne – engineering
• Billy Kinsley – mixing
• Rob Seifert – mixing
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering
• Ann Giordano – photography
• Francesca Restrepo – art direction, sleeve design

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{{certification Table Top|caption=Sales certifications for Beautiful Freak}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Belgium|artist=Eels|title=Beautiful Freak|award=Gold|certyear=2004|relyear=1996}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Beautiful Freak|type=album|artist=Eels|relyear=1996|region=France|award=Gold|certyear=1997}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Eels|title=Beautiful Freak|award=Platinum|certyear=2013|relyear=1996|id=750-608-2}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Eels|title=Beautiful Freak|nocert=true|salesamount=189,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kw4EAAAAMBAJ&q=like+swimming+morphine+soundscan&pg=PA81|publisher=Billboard |title= In the hunt for hits|first=Chuck|last=Taylor|date=6 February 1999|accessdate=5 June 2018}}|relyear=1996}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|salesamount=700,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nwgEAAAAMBAJ&q=eels+billboard&pg=PA23|publisher=Billboard|title= Tely|date=4 September 1999|accessdate=5 June 2018}}|nocert=true}}

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|111487}}

{{Eels}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 debut albums

Category:Albums produced by Jon Brion

Category:DreamWorks Records albums

Category:Eels (band) albums

Category:Albums produced by Mark Oliver Everett

Category:Albums produced by Mark Goldenberg

Category:Albums produced by Michael Simpson (producer)