I've heard it said about somebody else but it seems to work so well in this case: Eels frontman E. is one eloquently sad motherfucker. Were I ever to actually meet him I would be torn between shaking his hand and giving him a big hug -- he’s had a rough go of things.

During the recording of the band’s tragically overlooked second album Electro-Shock Blues, E. lost both his mother and his sister. Needless to say he wasn’t in the mood to tour or do loads of press, so the album went all but unnoticed. Two years later, E. has unveiled his latest pop opus -- and while he's not necessarily any happier, at least his music serves to show that he has survived and is moving forward. Daisies of the Galaxy effortlessly alternates between playfully whimsical pop and jarringly melancholic moments of reflection and remembrance, frequently on an song-by-song basis.

Two cases in point: The brilliantly fairy tale-esque "Flyswatter," with its child-like xylophone intro, twisted noise blurts and clanging bells segues directly into the mournfully melodic "It’s a Motherfucker", a gorgeous piano-led lament in which E. reminisces about those he has loved and lost. It’s a gently swaying, tear stained salute to those he misses most. Elsewhere we find the dark and elegiac sweep of the instrumental "Estate Sale" drifting aimlessly into the brightly colored organ stabs, bouncy rhythm and twisted horns of "Tiger in my Tank". Further highlights include the subtle rhythm, tinkling piano and soft croon of "Jeannie’s Diary" and the countrified picking, terrifically twisted lyrics ("don’t take any wooden nickels when you sell your soul") and subdued vocal delivery of "Wooden Nickels." When you get right down to it you would be hard-pressed to find one song on Daisies of the Galaxy that’s not a highlight. The album slowly reveals itself to be the most genuinely affecting record the Eels have ever recorded, and a disc that will become lodged in your stereo for weeks to come.

And do not worry about E. -- he will be just fine. For when he proclaims "Goddamn right it’s a Beautiful Day" in the chorus of hidden track -- and coincidental first single -- "Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues", you'll get the feeling that he will be around to craft his eloquently sad pop music for a few more years.