Eels

Though it’s certainly not the rule, every once in a while, good things do actually last. With its quirky 1996 debut single and video, “Novocaine for the Soul,” Eels had all the hallmarks of a one-hit wonder. Twelve years later, though, Mark Everett and company have earned a devoted following and boast a vibrant creative energy that shows no signs of slowing. This year even saw the release of a 24-track best-of collection and an absurdly thorough fifty-track, two-CD set of b-sides and rarities. These 74 tracks showcase the bipolar moods, bittersweet pop melodies and vivid lyrical imagery that make Everett — known to fans and friends simply as E — a truly gifted songwriter. The collections also serve as an impossible-to-ignore reminder that Eels — after more than a decade of creative and musical risks and relevance — is far more than a novelty act.