Once upon a time, somebody must have stolen Mark Everett's lunch money. Spat in his food. Kicked his dog. Pushed his grandmother down the stairs. Ah, but "E" holds no grudges. The Eels frontman just continues to churn out mournful torrents of sad, savvy songwriting bliss. Ever since numbing the masses with 1996's "Novocain for the Soul," E and his mates have mixed wit and woe to concoct feel-good ditties such as "My Descent Into Madness," "Going to Your Funeral" and "Agony." The band's latest, Shootenanny!, is more happy-go-lucky than usual, but somehow even the Eels' most melancholy melodies can turn that frown upside down.
