Someone want to explain to me how a prolific singer-songwriter who had ONE song in his discography I've unconditionally enjoyed over the last decade plus (and I've heard every single release courtesy of an ex and the radio station) could release a DOUBLE CD that I'm really digging?

The new Eels album is lovely. Has he finally written songs I'd rather hear him sing than Destiny's Child (I realized when listening to Souljacker that post-Waits grizzle shit would sound better if sung by a spirited female trio)? Am I just more comfortable with his rasp? Why doesn't he sound self-impressed and simple-minded now? Has he grown a better sense of humor and lost some pretension following his label drop or am I just cooler with the self-impressed and simple-minded? What has changed? What? What? Do I need to go back and explore or is this really such an evolutionary step forward? When did I become such a folkie?

The song of his I loved before was "Last Stop: This Town," btw. Now there's another 30 I'm cool with. Wtffff.