In a recent interview, Mark Everett (AKA, E) said that he had gotten a “feeling of the decks clearing”. And with the release of a conventional best-of (‘Meet The Eels’); this B-sides and rarities collection; and his cathartic autobiography, everything you could want to know or hear about E and his band is covered comprehensively. It’s a celebration of 10 years of Eels records, in what is actually their 12th year, naturally.

Best known for the upbeat ‘Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues’ (From 2000’s ‘Daisies Of The Galaxy’), E’s earlier work is raw and melancholic, exploring the darkness of mortality and the mind, but never bitter or resentful. His best-known (And possibly, best) work is often the lightest of heart. The son of a pioneering quantum physicist, E’s young adulthood was effected by tragic family deaths, which he documented honest and bare on debut LP, ‘Beautiful Freak’. That album’s ‘hit’, ‘Novocaine For The Soul’ features twice on this 50 song anthology. Once, live and stripped down, and again as a Fischerprice-in-the-future remix by Moog Cookbook. I’m no expert mind; there are as many songs I haven’t heard on ‘Meet The Eels’ as there are on ‘Useless Trinkets’.

So where to start? How about with the more familiar offerings, like the sunny, Dylan-esque rock of ‘My Beloved Monster’ from the ‘Shrek’ OST, or an alternate version of the bluesy ‘Souljacker Part 1’ from ‘Hot Fuzz.’ The rock-outs from ‘The Grinch’ soundtrack are also tremendous cartoonish fun (‘Christmas Is Going To The Dogs’; and ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas’ should have been on it). ‘Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues’ appears twice too, as a remix and lifted from ‘Live At Town Hall’; instrumental and backed by a string quartet.

The songs taken from BBC Sessions are of the highest quality, as you’d expect. Whether it’s just a hoarse sounding E on a piano for a tingly ‘Manchester Girls’; the acoustic carnival vibes of ‘Hospital Food’; or ‘Open The Door’s’ Americana hopefulness. ‘My Beloved Monster’ is turned into an organ-led hippy hymn. But they don’t even compare to the live cover of Prince’s ‘If I Was Your Girlfriend’. Noisy; feedback is thrown around at will, this is not the Purple One’s fuck-funk, but it is brilliant. Other live highlights include ‘I Like Birds’ (The Ramones gone grunge at 100mph) and the harrowing, Balkan blues of ‘I Put A Spell On You’.

Most of E’s B-sides are good enough to make it as other artist’s lead singles, or at least make interesting curios. Like the playful noise of ‘Waltz Of The Naked Clowns’, and ‘Susan’s Apartment’ - a Beck-gone-Beats spoken word narrative. And Ryan Adams wouldn’t sniff at ‘The Bright Side’, ‘Skywriting’ or ‘Mighty Fine Blues’.

And we’re not even halfway through. What’s left to discover is just as special.