Eels: With Strings Live At Town Hall

Herald rating: * * *

This engaging live album springs from the tour that Californian sad-sack singer-songwriter Mark "E" Everett brought here late last year, the songs from his albums stripped back to string-powered arrangements embellished by minimal guitar and other instruments.

Some songs of the 22 set take on a new quiet intensity away from their original studio versions and overall, it shows that in E's world "unplugged" and "unhinged" go hand in hand.

Also available on DVD.

(Universal)