43) Eels Beautiful Freak

January 1995 my son was born, hard to justify buying CDs when nappies and milk feed needs paying for.

There's no Internet or mobiles so apart from the odd quick look in record shops and buying essential releases I cannot make a risky purchase. TOTP's is still on, and Eels are on with a song called Novocaine for the Soul. Now this is interesting, really good.

A quick look in Tesco in Q magazine , four out of five stars so this is my purchase for the month even though Pearl Jam No Code is out, and I have bought all their previous ones.

Novocaine opens with a plinky keyboard and "life is hard, then you die." He can talk, I lost my father as a child and here I am struggling with my son, and I must choose what CDs to buy due to lack of cash, then I read his father's also dead, and he found him. Okay he wins, fair enough. What happened to him subsequently with his sister and his mother shows I really should count my blessings. Oh, and by the way it’s a wonderful catchy single.

The first six songs are great, second single Susan's House will be known but give Rags to Rags and My Beloved Monster a go, epic songs with great choruses.

Not Ready Yet is minimal with his unique voice grating over the tune but it works perfectly.

Mental has a great thrashy chorus that is an easy sell for me, and Your Lucky Day in Hell is a beautiful ballad wise beyond his years.

A start of a near thirty-year love affair for me with this band

8/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Your Lucky Day in Hell