American Music Club: Classic or Dud?

recall hearing that when merge re-released the archers of loaf records they had to use new artwork because alias had 'lost' the originals

the fact that alias still claim, I think, to own everclear is also bizarre. granted who knows what the original contract says; we have someone trying to track it down now and see. but owning the licensing for a recorded work in perpetuity seems....a little weird. and if they own it, you'd think they'd stick it up where people can fucking hear it, or do some reissues so people can buy it, considering, you know, it's the greatest american indie rock record of all time

amen

I enjoy the demos for Everclear and Mercury. And the 2004 live album is great as well. Amazing band

are these actual releases? where did you hear them?

Couldn't Merge do something with Everclear like the Archers releases? Although that album was a one off...

are these actual releases? where did you hear them?

― Al Moon Faced Poon (Moodles), Saturday, 29 October 2016 18:42

I bought them from the AMC website. I don't know if they're still available. The demo CDs came in slim cases, which suggests they aren't a proper release. The live album is called "A Toast To You".

https://www.discogs.com/American-Music-Club-The-Everclear-Rehearsals-Late-1990/release/3206820

the everclear rehearsals are a revelation, especially if you find the production on it a bit overboard.

the rehearsal cds were self-releases by the band/mark, limited edition. I don't even have both of them myself (legitimately); you can probably find them online somewhere like I did. These are also things we'll hopefully get on bandcamp in the coming year(s)

this all sounds very intriguing

New album from Mark Eitzel now available for pre-order. My snippy comments about vinyl editions notwithstanding, I'm very happy to see this coming to light.

it's a great album. disappointed that the vinyl edition cuts one of the best tracks though.

I asked him if he might tour Canada at all and this was his response https://twitter.com/MarkEitzel/status/812193555099762688

I domt have twitter so im assuming he said Maple Dawn?

The '1984-1995' compilation is really great, I prefer some of the demos on itto the final versions.

ok "An Answer" is totally bloody gorgeous

nice to see Eitzel get a warm Pfork review. I guess it would have killed 'em to put him above the fold since there's a new Cloud Nothings record (zzzz)

nice review, weird that it doesn't mention the Butler involvement tho

that and the need to shoehorn in Nick Cave references

anyway the album is out now and it's v good. some of the more "epic" flourishes will take some getting used to, but all in all I'm surprised how good a foil BB is. (certainly more colorful results than when he was working with REM alum etc. in the 90s). "Mr. Humphries" is an obvious standout. not sure if this matches Don't be a Stranger for impact just yet.

xxp re. the Butler connection, absolutely. This is sounding far more Fever Dream than Skeleton Tree

this album rocks

great piece by carl about it http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2017/01/on_hey_mr_ferryman_mark_eitzel_proves_he_is_leonard_cohen_s_heir.html

lol at Butler's quote

good piece, and I'm glad the primer he put together is so generous

yeah, it was nice. I hope Eitzel and AMC attract more interest.

I went to the biggest indie record store in TO on release day and they didn't even get a copy in :/

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), Thursday, June 24, 2010 7:15 PM (six years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lmao @ me six years ago b/w periodic reminder that the golden age is a masterpiece

definitely among the very best 2000s albums you can routinely find in clearance bins (again, :/)

I do v much like the new record (and suspect more listens will be kind to it) but I wish Don't be a Stranger had gotten more ears, I think it's his strongest collection back to front since Everclear.

Found the United Kingdom / California twofer CD at the weekend for 50p, good to be reunited with them again

i like the diversity of opinions on the entire catalog. for my money, California through Mercury are masterpieces, 60 Watt too. I really wish Golden Age didn't have the AMC name on it as it's just not an AMC album (merge insisted; Mark and Vudi wanted a different name), good as it is.

saw mark the other night in SF and will again tomorrow at a private show. I hope people make it out to his upcoming shows.

Looking forward to the Jersey City show, myself

Hope I'll see him. I haven't heard any Eitzel since Klamath.

I wish Don't be a Stranger had gotten more ears, I think it's his strongest collection back to front since Everclear.

don't be a stranger is incredible, "why are you with me" is one of his funniest songs

I'm missing about 10 Eitzel/AMC albums, I should just buy them all soon and have an Eitzelicious time. Probably won't be able to find them all at a good price.

an Eitzelicious time

idiom, meaning "a depressive episode in close proximity to a body of water"

honestly as much as I love him I do find the 90s solo albums really patchy, he only gets consistently great again starting with The Invisible Man.

There's a few things I'm not sure about how high a priority or how available they are.

AMC - Atwater Afternoon
AMC's singles, EPs and compilations

Lover's Leap USA
Words and Music
Brannan Street
Glory
The Konk Sessions

Those are all demo recordings iirc? You might be able to order some directly from the Eitzel site but I can't vouch for them myself

I think Brannan Street was a proper album and a lot of fans were saying it was better than Klamath.

it's a proper album of leftovers iirc

I...obviously need to hear that one, then cause Klamath has some amazing high points

honestly as much as I love him I do find the 90s solo albums really patchy, he only gets consistently great again starting with The Invisible Man.

hmm, I love "If You Have to Ask" and "then It Really Happens" but I've always found that one a bit monotonous. happy to give 'er another try though

Not one of my favourite albums but "Helium" is brilliant

I find it amazing that as recently as 2008, Pitchfork could refer to AMC by their acronym in an Eitzel review blurb and there was a reasonable expectation that readers would know what that referred to.

brannon st is not a proper album. it's kind of a demos companion to klamath. it is not better than klamath.

AMC - Atwater Afternoon: demos to go along with golden age. never listen to this.

AMC's singles, EPs and compilations: if you want mp3s of all of this let me know

Lover's Leap USA: mark's second 'solo self release' (after Mean Mark Eitzel gets Fat which was a cassette in the 80's), this has a few extraordinary things on it and as a venture at home recording and weird electronics stuff, it worth finding. you can't find an original though you should be able to find mp3s easily.

Words and Music: this is just him and Peter Buck talking

Glory: kind of a demos follow up to Don't Be a STranger, has a song or two that are on the new album, worth giving a listen to

The Konk Sessions: these are tracks recorded with the band that backs him in the UK. good.

'if you have to ask' and 'live or die' are the best songs on West, partly because Buck didn't cowrite them

Mark's solo 'real' release catalog, ranked IMO:

1) 60 Watt Silver Lining. An incredible album, and an amazing follow up to AMC's San Francisco.

2) Caught in a Trap... backed by James McNew and Steve Shelley, Mark's "matador lo fi indie rock album", has some of his most gut wrenchingly depressing songs

3) Hey Mr Ferryman. I love this

4) Don't be a stranger. I also love this

5) invisible man. I love all the songs on this, I wish Mark had had a real producer for it.

6) Candy Ass. A failed experiment that none the less has two brilliant songs on it

7) Music for courage and confidence. I forgot about this. He played a lot of these live for a while and they were a good time.

8) Ugly American: This is a really interesting take on AMC songs. Probably deserves to be higher, I just don't listen to it much

oh I forgot about West. I guess I'd put that after invisible man.

The best thing to search out is "superhit international' which is an album he recorded (quickly) as a demo for a label and was rejected everywhere, but is nonetheless better than everything but the top 4 on this list.