Being Dead’s ‘EELS’ is full of creativity and catchiness

Being Dead have a reputation for their strong connection to the obscure and the absurd. This is a crucial element of their unique identity as a band and provides a distinctness to their lyricism; EELS celebrates this proudly. Ethereal vocals and instrument choices masterfully paired with a high-paced backing beat create the gently formidable sound of Being Dead’s second album. 

Being Dead consist of Falcon Bitch and Shmoofy (also known as Gumball) who both hail from Texas. Despite releasing their first single in 2018, they have only released two albums, When Horses Would Run in July 2023 and EELS in September 2024. Despite continuing their first album’s precedent of high-paced rhythms paired with eclectic lyricism, EELS demonstrates a far more rapid progression of expertise and self-confidence than this short timing would suggest. 

As the first single to be released from EELS, ‘Van Goes’ set expectations high for the album

The band’s second album is an adventure through whimsy alongside deeply personal human experiences, such as the themes of young love and infant connection explored in ‘Goodnight’. Each song on the album cooperates brilliantly to complete the listeners’ whimsical tour of Being Dead’s inner psyches, traversing the lengths of dreamscapes to tangible human connection. The album ought to be listened to in its entirety to achieve the optimum listening experience, however, many tracks then become apparent as ‘filler’ tracks. Although this declines their listenability as singles, they ensure the album sounds complete and rounded off. For example, instrumental or very-stripped-back tracks, such as the final song ‘Lilypad Lane’, make an appropriate close to the dynamic and fast-paced album. 

The feminine vocals combined with the consistently high-paced drum backing make many songs on EELS, such as ‘Blanket of my Bone’, reminiscent of bands such as Alvvays, yet Being Dead remains entirely unique. Similarly, the band’s eclecticism and musical composition, primarily the pacy drumming and dynamic rhythmic guitar riffs, provide echoes of bands like The Bug Club.  

As the first single to be released from EELS, ‘Van Goes’ set expectations high for the album. The heavy and messy guitar opening to this song, the second track of EELS, instantly demands listeners’ intrigue, and what follows far from disappoints. ‘Van Goes’ is a criticism of the pressures of the capitalist economy, forcing people to work excessively long hours and leading to a disconnect between the wider world and the self. The contrasting female and male vocals and mix of spoken vs. sung words represent the duality between the inner mind and outer perception. Whilst the outer (sung) voice is more composed and subservient, the spoken voice is bitter, angry, and representative of true emotions felt by them. The title of the track is a reference to the artist Van Gogh but reflects the fast-paced life in the modern world which suppresses creativity through a lack of free time away from employment. Although this is a theme that many artists have explored throughout their respective discographies, ‘Being Dead’ does it in a unique way that slips into startling contrast to their other, comparably light-hearted and whimsical songs, truly elucidating the plights of modern artists and songwriters. 

Many songs on EELS seem to blur together, as they share a very similar style and sound

‘Firefighters’ stands out proudly in the album, encompassing Being Dead’s creative lyricism and storytelling prowess. The track charts the thrill and danger of fighting a fire, carried through with fast-tempo lyricism backed by equally rapid guitar riffs and drumming, contrasted refreshingly with the bridge that forms the penultimate section to the track. In this, Being Dead present an introspective exploration into the “if I could turn back time” dilemma, which is a rare insight into such a human emotion within a somewhat fantastical track about firefighting. This track has a grunge-y feel, owing to the powerful guitar backing, but it is lifted through with gentle feminine vocals.  

Many songs on EELS seem to blur together, as they share a very similar style and sound. This does not necessarily act as a detriment to the album as a whole, but rather enables the flow between the relatively long list of sixteen songs. However, it reflects the band’s infancy and results in several tracks feeling quite repetitive, limiting their listenability. Slower songs, such as ‘Dragon II’ fade into the background of the album. What it brings in unique storytelling, it lacks in charisma and energy. 

Creativity and catchiness run throughout EELS, accompanying listeners on the energetic and whimsical tour of the band’s hopes, fears and general absurdity. This album is masterfully compiled, with every track speaking to the wider vision presented by the band. Some tracks only provide cohesion for the greater album – a necessary yet often exhausting sacrifice, especially given the album’s 16-length tracklist. Although Being Dead present tireless uniqueness and innovation to their contemporaries, many tracks are disappointingly same-y, which makes few tracks feel standout on the album whilst most others fade into the background of both the album and memory. 

Being Dead’s main strength comes from their unapologetic self-expression, which EELS celebrates as a whistle-stop tour through their whimsical perceptions of our modern world, resulting in an uncompromised ‘Being Dead’ tracklist. Regardless of whether it is about dragons and princesses, navigating life as a creative, or even the joys of dancing, Being Dead’s masterful storytelling ensures listeners’ enjoyment and self-identification. Listening to this album begs the question repeated in ‘Ballerina’: “Who wants to dance?”.

Recommended Listening: ‘Big Bovine’, ‘Van Goes’

★★★★