Extreme Witchcraft, the first major collaboration between E (Mark Everett) and JP since 2001’s Souljacker, was released on January 28th 2022. Eels were due to start a world tour to support the album in March but this has become yet another covid casualty and the dates have been postponed until 2023. There are great videos to accompany two of the E/Parish co-writes here :
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“Extreme Witchcraft works magic.” 
4 stars
- MOJO
 
“Succinct, dry-eyed and well aware of life’s ironies” 
- New York Times
 
“Better living through desperation never sounded like so much fun.” 
4 & 1/2 stars
- American Songwriter
 
“An appealingly smart album of modern rock’n’roll” 
4 stars
- The Times
 
“One of the most rollicking, down-and-dirty blues records he’s ever made”
- SPIN
 
“Honest to god rock n’ roll” 
4 stars
- DIY Magazine 
 
“A standout in the Eels catalogue”    
4 stars 
- All Music
 
“A record fueled by audible joy”
- Rolling Stone UK
 
“Eels at their most playful… it more than delivers”
- Clash
 
“Damn good songwriting, plain and simple” 
- Northern Transmissions   
 
“Wit, tunes and third-degree self awareness”
- Uncut
 
“The catharsis of Mark Oliver Everett yelling ‘Make it what it isn’t!’ in response to the miserable status quo of 2022 is something to savor”
- AV Club
 
“Full of wit and joy… an inspirational collection of songs”
- Gigwise
 
“Riff-laden, funky and most definitely to be played loud”” 
4.5 stars
- The Sun
 
“Another impressive collection”
- Hot Press
 
“The nosiest and most experimental Eels album for some time” 
4 stars
- Record Collector
 
4 stars
- Louder Than War
 
“Flights of musical imagination and offbeat observations”
4 stars 
- The Scotsman
 
“Hooky and hypnotic” 
4 stars 
- The Sydney Morning Herald
 
“Crackles with dark magic” 
4 stars 
- Irish Examiner
 
“Energy, bravado and a convoy of pounding riffs”
- Far Out
 
“It’s great” 
4 stars 
- Louder
 
“Nobody does beautifully bleak yet horrifically hopeful like the Eels”
4 stars
- The Irish News
 
“Courageously upbeat… EXTREME WITCHCRAFT proves Everett is willing to let it all hang out sonically, delivering enjoyable results”
- Glide
 
“Another indie rock classic”
4 stars
- Powered By Rock
 
4 stars
- The Fire Note
 
“Rubbish”
- Archie Everett (Age 6)
 

EELS leader Mark Oliver Everett, aka E, co-produced the record with PJ Harvey producer and guitarist John Parish, marking the first time the two have recorded together since 2001’s Souljacker album.

This is what E told us about working together again:
“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.”

Following the new album in January, EELS are all set for a spring 2022 tour of Europe and America, starting March 11 in Belfast. If you don’t have your ticket yet for the SPRING 2022 LOCKDOWN HURRICANE TOUR, you can find yours HERE.