Blinking Lights And Other Revelations
by Eels
  • Record Label: Vagrant
  • Release Date: Apr 26, 2005
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 121 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 106 out of 121
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 121
  3. Negative: 6 out of 121

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  1. DAVE
    Apr 27, 2005
    10
    This album is absolutely amazing. I would give anything to see the live show with an orchestra.
  2. JamieS
    May 1, 2005
    10
    just so much better than all the other completely average rubbish that gets released. and from first listen it might even be the best eels album, which is a pretty extreme thing to say. just GREAT. and no real filler. certainly better than the 2 bright albums put together Jamie
  3. PeterG
    May 20, 2005
    9
    Great songs & instrumentals even if the best of them borrow heavily from Van Morrison, Paul Westerberg and, yes, Outkast. I've also heard that Soybomb tune somewhere before but can't place it.
  4. DavisW
    May 4, 2005
    9
    E captures the best elements of his past albums and gives us 2 discs of it. Simply beautiful.
  5. DaveJ
    May 5, 2005
    10
    A beautiful album.....this really is a stunner
  6. RobertC
    May 9, 2005
    10
    The kind of album that reminds you what music can be. Far from the anodyne nonsense that fills most radios, we fine E: a man with plenty to tell us and its worth listening to every lyric and note. Surprisingly joyful at times, this album is a tour de force.
  7. LarsG
    Jan 10, 2006
    9
    Beautiful melancolical songs.
  8. buzz
    Jun 9, 2006
    10
    i've always like beautiful freak the best, but this one may surpass that on my personal scale...
  9. William
    Jul 16, 2007
    5
    Although I tried, I wasn't able to enjoy this album as much as the other Eels albums I own (Beautiful Freak, Electroshock Blue, Daisies of the Galaxy). I feel that this album is bloated and disjointed; and a bit self-indulgent at times.
  10. Jonathan
    Dec 20, 2005
    4
    I've been a fan since "Electroshock Blues," but I feel pretty ashamed of it after listening to this album. This seems like a best of album in which all of the songs have been rewritten so that they are far more boring than the originals. If this actually is E's magnus opus, I'm afraid that they are finally revealing themselves as a less than mediocre band.
  11. PaulPaul
    Apr 26, 2005
    10
    The best one.
  12. eelpie
    Apr 26, 2005
    10
    Spanning the spectrum of emotions from suicidal to merely downbeat, via some cracking beatbox pop tunes, the depth of this album is awesome. E is in fine, fine voice throughout. Transcends the sum of its many, many wonderous parts.
  13. MathijsB
    Apr 27, 2005
    10
    The Best Eels-album!
  14. BuckC
    Apr 28, 2005
    10
    Album of the year.
  15. BrandonS
    Apr 28, 2005
    7
    It's great to see that Eels are finally getting the critical acclaim they deserve, and I'm glad that E is showing no signs of letting up. This is an excellent album, but suffers only from the fact that it doesn't quite feel new. Stepping back to the electro-shock blues (still his masterpiece) and daisies of the galaxy sound, I don't have that feeling of forward motion It's great to see that Eels are finally getting the critical acclaim they deserve, and I'm glad that E is showing no signs of letting up. This is an excellent album, but suffers only from the fact that it doesn't quite feel new. Stepping back to the electro-shock blues (still his masterpiece) and daisies of the galaxy sound, I don't have that feeling of forward motion that I got from each of the previous albums as they came out. I adore this band, but for the songs to focus again and again on the same two subjects (death and coming to terms) might result in some stagnation. So, a great double album, but not really a step forward.… Expand
  16. LaurensH
    Apr 30, 2005
    10
    Great Album!
  17. chrisb
    Apr 30, 2005
    10
    Simply astonishing.
  18. GuyE
    May 10, 2005
    8
    There's one perfect album here - too much one dimensional filler on the second album, it could have been 25 minutes shorter. But the good bits - sublime! Nods to Eno, The Doors, Velvets (Beck goes without saying, oops!) and Tindersticks. The first album is so directed, flowing and captivating. Worth the entrance price on its own - and without the second album could have scored a 10. There's one perfect album here - too much one dimensional filler on the second album, it could have been 25 minutes shorter. But the good bits - sublime! Nods to Eno, The Doors, Velvets (Beck goes without saying, oops!) and Tindersticks. The first album is so directed, flowing and captivating. Worth the entrance price on its own - and without the second album could have scored a 10. Hmm, go on then, call it a 10 anyway.… Collapse
  19. DerekC
    May 2, 2005
    10
    One of the most beautiful albums of the last 20 years.
  20. KristofM
    May 29, 2005
    10
    Great album from a brilliant artist. Except for maybe Antony and the Johnsons and Arcade Fire, my album of the year so far!
  21. donq
    May 3, 2005
    3
    everett's not an important songwriter; he's from the post-grunge era and has been a one-hit wonder with "novacaine for the soul"... he's since trying to gain notoriety.
  22. ReneeH
    May 6, 2005
    10
    This is my favorite band of all time, producing their best work yet. Sublimtely beautiful and heart-rending.
  23. AriGunnarT
    May 6, 2005
    10
    utterly amazing... jaw droppingly brilliant
  24. Bat
    May 6, 2005
    10
    Is a strange, hypnotic and full of gems album. It's the first Eeels album that i truly love and one of the best album i heard this year. It's just unbelieable touchy: funny at times, shocking or plain sad.
  25. Gnarles
    Jun 13, 2005
    10
    I almost never give things a 10, but "Blinking Lights" is the kind of album that breaks rules like little twigs. Moving, witty, staggering, almost incomprehensibly ambitious, it's simply an astounding piece of work. Repeat listens are required, but it's worth the effort for the committed. Incredible, and a bracing remember of the power that pop music can hold.
  26. DarrenS
    Jun 13, 2005
    10
    An absolute masterpiece, a MUST BUY, everyone on the face of the planet should hear this. out of 33 tracks - all 33 are superb, surprising and often amusing.
  27. AndrewD
    Jun 14, 2005
    10
    Heartbreaking in the best meaning album! Can't stop listening to it.
  28. ThomasS
    Jun 4, 2005
    10
    Pop music doesn't get better then this. His third masterpiece after Daisies and Electro-shock. I also love the 'Eels with strings' tour.
  29. MarcD
    Jun 5, 2005
    8
    'Beautiful Freak' is a classic that still stand the test of time. This new release...not quite there. But, it certainly will bring a smile/tear to a fan of the Eels.
  30. AlanS
    Jun 7, 2005
    1
    Having read a long list of rave reviews from the likes of Alternative Press , Entertainment Weekly, Drowned In Sound, et al., I decided to get and listen to Eels apparent masterpiece. So is he the next Bob Dylan? Nope, he's not. The next Bruce Springsteen? Uh uh. Maybe he's the next Leonard Cohen? No, E's is not even as good as Cohen. His vocals kind of remind me of Leonard Having read a long list of rave reviews from the likes of Alternative Press , Entertainment Weekly, Drowned In Sound, et al., I decided to get and listen to Eels apparent masterpiece. So is he the next Bob Dylan? Nope, he's not. The next Bruce Springsteen? Uh uh. Maybe he's the next Leonard Cohen? No, E's is not even as good as Cohen. His vocals kind of remind me of Leonard Cohen; they both can't sing. But as for the music on "Blinking Lights...", BORING! I decided to give the album a 1 instead of a 0 because one of the songs is pretty good. If only i could remember which of the approximately 30 songs (90 plus minutes) is the song I liked...… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Best Album of 2005
40
#40 Most Discussed Album of 2005
70
#70 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Alternative Press
    100
    A devastatingly beautiful collection of songs, and in some circles, it could be the best album released this year. [May 2005, p.124]
  2. Q Magazine
    80
    A calmer work than its harrowing semi-classic prequel, Blinking Lights... is also less startling or focussed. [May 2005, p.109]
  3. Under The Radar
    90
    Some of the best-written songs of this new century. [#9]
See all critic reviews »