Eels - Earth To Dora (She Belongs With The Gentle Souls) (LP)

Mark Oliver Everett has always had a knack for turning bruises into lullabies, and Earth to Dora might be his most consoling transmission in years. Released in 2020 on E Works with PIAS handling distribution, it arrived in a season when we were all reaching for something steady. The trick here is how soft it feels without going slack. E keeps the tempos unhurried, the guitars warm, the drum touches light, and lets the songs do their quiet work.

“Are We Alright Again” is the most obvious entry point, a breezy, jangly daydream with a chorus that sounds like a pep talk you give yourself in the kitchen. The song became a minor pop-culture moment too, thanks to a charming video starring Jon Hamm, who lip‑syncs and shuffles around his living room like a man determined to will good vibes into existence. It fits the record’s mood, a gently comic resilience that never tips into shtick. E is funny here, but the jokes feel like self-defense rather than punchlines.

The title track is the heart of the album. “Earth to Dora” plays like a tender letter to a friend, checking in, offering steadiness, promising light without pretending it can make the dark disappear. E has said the idea came from a real back-and-forth with someone close, and you can hear the intimacy in the way he sings it, barely above a hush. That care spills across the record. “Of Unsent Letters” drifts along on piano and brushed drums, a sigh of a melody with that Eels trick where a tiny production detail makes everything bloom at the last minute. “I Got Hurt” and “OK” sit next to each other like siblings, one licking its wounds, the other clearing space for a bit of hope.

He still slips in a barbed aside when he needs to. “Are You Fucking Your Ex” announces itself with a blunt title that lands somewhere between a wince and a grin, the sound of someone trying to get a straight answer from their own heart. “Dark and Dramatic” leans toward noir, all shadows and late-night glow, but the touch remains light. Even the peppier moments keep a soft center. E knows restraint is its own kind of punch.

Longtime collaborators Koool G Murder and The Chet help color in the arrangements, and you can hear the trust in how little they overplay. Much of Earth to Dora was crafted at E’s Los Feliz setup before the world shut down, and it has that lived‑in studio feel, the kind of close, analog warmth that really breathes when you put it on wax. If you collect Eels albums on vinyl, this one sits comfortably beside Electro‑Shock Blues and The Deconstruction, not because it chases old glories, but because it shares that handmade glow and emotional clarity E has been refining for decades.

That makes Earth to Dora vinyl an easy staff‑pick recommendation. It is a record that rewards a full side spin, then another. The sequencing is thoughtful, flowing from lighter to heavier shades and back again in a way that feels like an actual conversation. Drop the needle, let “Anything for Boo” and “Are We Alright Again” set the table, then sink into the softer middle stretch where the lyrics get frank and the instrumentation gives them space. If you buy Eels records online, flag this one for an evening when you want company that does not demand too much.

The broader story around the album adds to its quiet power. These songs were written before the pandemic, yet they landed like postcards from someone who already knew what we were about to go through and packed the right provisions. Critics keyed into that tone at the time, describing the album as a balm rather than a breakthrough, which feels about right. Eels have albums that reinvent the wheel and albums that make the ride smoother. This is the latter, and that is not a slight.

As for the crate-digger crowd, you will find Earth to Dora turning up in new arrivals bins and getting a knowing nod from the person behind the counter. If you are in a Melbourne record store, ask where they keep their Eels vinyl and you will likely hear a quick “good choice.” If you are hunting for vinyl records Australia-wide, this one is worth the postage. It is the sound of a songwriter checking in, keeping the candle lit, and finding small ways to be kind. Not a grand statement, just a steady hand on the shoulder, and right now that feels like exactly what the format is for.