― Simone, Friday, 9 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
― Andy, Friday, 9 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
Unfortunately everything else - Dud. Particularly 'San Fran' and 'Mercury' - horribly produced, and the songs had gone by then.
― Dr.C, Saturday, 10 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
― Simone, Saturday, 10 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
― Jonathan, Saturday, 10 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
― Patrick, Saturday, 10 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
― fernando, Monday, 12 March 2001 01:00 (12 years ago) Permalink
They're not totally classic for me, "Everclear" and the "Live At Slim's" promo are damn good and pretty much all I need.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 24 June 2010 23:50 (2 years ago) Permalink
this is a band I didn't like at all when everybody was going nuts for them and then 2-3 years ago their album The Golden Age basically punched me right in the damn face and it was like, oh, eureka, I get it, this is incredible.
― get your bucket of free wings (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Friday, 25 June 2010 00:27 (2 years ago) Permalink
I remember successfully trolling cosloy via letter to conflict in '88, comparing AMC to the indigo girls. I didn't get 'em either until after it was all said and done, when I stumbled across a used copy of mercury. I guess if you don't like lyrics AMC's gonna be a hard plough to pull, but eitzel's one of those guys who at his best transcends the singer-songwriter stink.
don't really understand all the hate for mercury. the production feels like a warm woozy cocoon of whiskey, but even if you don't dig the production, three of eitzel's best songs are "apology for an accident", "I've been a mess", and "johnny mathis' feet".
― (e_3) (Edward III), Friday, 25 June 2010 01:58 (2 years ago) Permalink
^ I like the part where he shows johnny his old collection of punk rock posters
― (e_3) (Edward III), Friday, 25 June 2010 02:03 (2 years ago) Permalink
J0hn's take on The Golden Age is the only wholly positive one I've read, but it caused me to revisit the record earlier this year. It is perhaps cliche or at least expected to arrange the word "devastating" near an American Music Club album. The Golden Age is a different sort though--imagine Love Songs for Patriots without its political eruptions, giving way entirely to songs like "Myopic Books" and "Another Morning." Even this is wrong--those songs were captured light in an otherwise dark and wrecked ship. There is no light in The Golden Age, just a dull, ornate grey. In that way it reminds me most of the slow, contemplative songs on Everclear but less drunk, more acknowledging depression as the necessary color of life.
― Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Friday, 25 June 2010 02:15 (2 years ago) Permalink
if that all sounds dumb as hell then my excuse is i just woke up. just trying to make sense of why The Golden Age kind of scares the hell out of me.
― Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Friday, 25 June 2010 02:32 (2 years ago) Permalink
no you actually made me want to hear it
― (e_3) (Edward III), Friday, 25 June 2010 02:32 (2 years ago) Permalink
To restate the obvious: Mercury is awful. Holy shit, I can't make it through a single song.
― john. a resident of chicago., Saturday, 6 August 2011 18:58 (1 year ago) Permalink
it's messy but has a few great tracks - I've Been A Mess is wonderful
― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 6 August 2011 19:21 (1 year ago) Permalink
o_O
This reminds me of the Jeff Buckley c/d thread.
― john. a resident of chicago., Saturday, 6 August 2011 19:27 (1 year ago) Permalink
To state the obvious: Mercury is great. No question.
― President Keyes, Saturday, 6 August 2011 22:13 (1 year ago) Permalink
There's some crap on Mercury
Apology, Mess, Mathis, Gratitude are all A grade
Too much noodling, half formed songs elsewhere.
Everclear is tight, nowhere near as much filler
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 6 August 2011 23:54 (1 year ago) Permalink
Oh and Hammer is great too
Keep Me Around is just a throwaway single, they never integrated the rockier and the more reflective stuff that well.
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 6 August 2011 23:57 (1 year ago) Permalink
If I snap my fingers what will I get?If I snap my fingers what will I get?If I snap my fingers what will I get?That's right, anything I wantAnything I want
― Moreno, Wednesday, 12 October 2011 03:28 (1 year ago) Permalink
http://markeitzel.blogspot.com/2011/10/to-people-who-ask-me-if-amc-are-touring.html
in case anyone was wondering. I wouldn't put bets on seeing AMC again, but then, that's what I thought ten years ago.
― akm, Wednesday, 12 October 2011 05:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
^That's a great lyric. Note to self: listen to more Eitzel
― spellcheck is really advanced these days (cajunsunday), Wednesday, 12 October 2011 11:20 (1 year ago) Permalink
Mercury is a complete classic. Not as much as Everclear but means almost as much to me, for various other reasons.
― akm, Wednesday, 12 October 2011 16:38 (1 year ago) Permalink
now listening to an AMC album through for the first time (Mercury). I like it a lot. Reminds me a bit of Red House Painters although a bit more hard edged.
― spellcheck is really advanced these days (cajunsunday), Wednesday, 12 October 2011 17:45 (1 year ago) Permalink
Mercury is great. Means a lot to me too -- still remember buying it when it came out.
― Duke, Wednesday, 12 October 2011 19:47 (1 year ago) Permalink
Mercury is certainly an extremely 90's sounding record, with too much Froom calliope circus noise and chamberlain and tympani and oompah and crap but the songs on it are, from top to bottom, great, and I like Froom's work on this album, in fact, I think it's his best production work. But there is an alternate, Kevin Killan version of the album around if you prefer that. The big change was making If I Had a Hammer 3/4 rather than 4/4.
― akm, Wednesday, 12 October 2011 20:04 (1 year ago) Permalink
I astonished by all the hate for Mercury. It might be my fave and it is certainly one of the most important albums in my life.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 15 May 2012 20:53 (1 year ago) Permalink
incidentally I saw mark last week or the week before in SF, he played with Marc Cappelle and a pickup band that included a bassist and the drummer from Loquat, and it was wonderful. Mark and Marc together are really great. It's not AMC but he's worked with Cappelle longer than anyone in his career at this point and they ahve their shit down. Mark is finishing an album right now (Vudi is on it and a bunch of other people are as well but it's not coming out as an AMC record) and I expect it will be very good.
― akm, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 04:02 (1 year ago) Permalink
Mark is finishing an album right now (Vudi is on it and a bunch of other people are as well but it's not coming out as an AMC record) and I expect it will be very good.
I'm sure it will be as well but unfortunately I would only buy it if it came out as an AMC record
― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Wednesday, 16 May 2012 10:02 (1 year ago) Permalink
God, that song. Easily one of the best things Mark and the band ever did. I'm resigned to buying everything that he ever puts out, just because, but I'd love it if AMC could have another one-last-hurrah, with Kaphan back because their sound was never lovelier than with him. Can't imagine it will ever happen though.
Mark and Marc together are really great
co-sign. I saw their man and piano show in the UK a few years back and it was wonderful.
― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Wednesday, 16 May 2012 10:19 (1 year ago) Permalink
I think Mercury may be my favorite AMC album, I'm surprised it is so hated.
― Moodles, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 15:28 (1 year ago) Permalink
one more rep for 'California'
great album. sad, lonely, and drunken, but great.
― nicky lo-fi, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 17:56 (1 year ago) Permalink
Tim Mooney (AMC's drummer on Mercury, San Francisco, and Love Songs for Patriots, as well as being drummer for Toiling Midgets and others) passed away last night. he was 54.
― akm, Thursday, 14 June 2012 23:41 (1 year ago) Permalink
sad news! he was an amazing drummer, also in The Sleepers.
― nerve_pylon, Thursday, 14 June 2012 23:52 (1 year ago) Permalink
Oh no! I enjoy his drumming in Toiling Midgets.
― Evan, Friday, 15 June 2012 01:04 (1 year ago) Permalink
What?!? That sucks, so sad. He was a great drummer. I was bummed when he didn't appear on The Golden Age after producing and playing on Love Songs For Patriots. Was hoping he'd get back with them some day, but I guess that won't be happening.
RIP
― Moodles, Friday, 15 June 2012 06:03 (1 year ago) Permalink
I've just discovered this. Really gutted.
― Duke, Tuesday, 26 June 2012 21:24 (11 months ago) Permalink
Damn. RIP.
― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 22:26 (11 months ago) Permalink
Mark and Vudi are selling the original paintings by Jean Lowe for the Everclear and San Francisco covers, with all proceeds to Tim Mooney's family. Wonderful paintings, and a beautiful gesture by them - if had sufficient funds to spare I'd love to own either of those pieces (but esp. San Fran).
Everclear on ebay now, San Francisco to follow
― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Thursday, 23 August 2012 18:56 (9 months ago) Permalink
wow, wish I could buy the everclear one
― Moodles, Thursday, 23 August 2012 19:13 (9 months ago) Permalink
Have had the pleasure of listening to Mark's new album, "Don't be a Stranger". It's very nice. Maybe too nice for some people; it's a mature work, that recalls 60 Watt Silver Lining more than anything else he's done. It's missing some of the fire and intensity of Love Songs for sure, and probably has more incommon with the Golden Age, so if you liked that album (I loved it; it wasn't really meant to come out as an AMC album either) you will probably like this. He is doing a short promotional tour of the UK now with a bigger tour (backed with a band) to follow this fall.
― akm, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 03:28 (9 months ago) Permalink
Just picked up 'Don't Be a Stranger' this weekend, really enjoying it. '60 Watt Silver Lining' a good reference point, was listening to it earlier in the week and the new one has a similar mood to it.
FWIW 'Mercury' and 'San Fransisco' were the first full albums I owned by AMC and they didn't put me off. Easily available at the time! It was actually hearing "Another Morning" on an Uncut CD that first piqued my interest, but I'd known of them well before then.
― michaellambert, Sunday, 28 October 2012 21:08 (7 months ago) Permalink
Gotta get this new one, I never got Brannan Street, that one had a smaller print
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 17 November 2012 16:30 (7 months ago) Permalink
One of my favorite songs of the year:
― Simon H., Saturday, 17 November 2012 20:56 (7 months ago) Permalink
His voice is fucking amazing. I saw him live two years ago in a bar in Berlin, on his two-man with Marc Capelle, and it was one of the most memorable gigs I've attended because it suddenly occurred to me (embarrassingly, after 20 years of fandom) that he is such a great singer.
― Duke, Saturday, 17 November 2012 21:33 (7 months ago) Permalink
*two-man tour*
― Duke, Saturday, 17 November 2012 21:34 (7 months ago) Permalink
yes, the piano + mark thing totally reveals his voice as being UNBELIEVABLE.
― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 17 November 2012 22:19 (7 months ago) Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN6SpTqYeL8
― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 17 November 2012 22:25 (7 months ago) Permalink
― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 17 November 2012 22:38 (7 months ago) Permalink
yes
― Duke, Saturday, 17 November 2012 22:42 (7 months ago) Permalink
yes yes yes fuck
― Jamie_ATP, Sunday, 18 November 2012 00:00 (7 months ago) Permalink
as sad as it is, mark eitzel is totally my perfect life soundtrack right now.