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Articles:Pop Culture Press - February 19, 2008: Difference between revisions
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The [[American Music Club]] has never had the reputation as a shiny, happy band. The melancholic leanings of songwriter [[Mark Eitzel]] have more in common with the gritty, booze-fueled writings of realist poet/author Charles Bukowski than pop tunesmiths. Since the band’s inception in the early 1980s, Eitzel has infused the group’s music with the type of broken-hearted poetics that gets the attention of writers but not the public (except when the poet in question happens to die young, which Eitzel didn’t). His dark, moody vocals and the sustained drones of longtime lead guitarist [[Vudi]] (Mark Pankler) combine to spin a dreamlike soundscape that’s more or less stayed intact through the group’s nine albums. It’s kind of like The Blue Nile with more blues – and more nihilism. | The [[American Music Club]] has never had the reputation as a shiny, happy band. The melancholic leanings of songwriter [[Mark Eitzel]] have more in common with the gritty, booze-fueled writings of realist poet/author Charles Bukowski than pop tunesmiths. Since the band’s inception in the early 1980s, Eitzel has infused the group’s music with the type of broken-hearted poetics that gets the attention of writers but not the public (except when the poet in question happens to die young, which Eitzel didn’t). His dark, moody vocals and the sustained drones of longtime lead guitarist [[Vudi]] (Mark Pankler) combine to spin a dreamlike soundscape that’s more or less stayed intact through the group’s nine albums. It’s kind of like The Blue Nile with more blues – and more nihilism. | ||
All of the above is probably the reason the group has generally flown under the radar in the country after which it’s named. The band’s formula has evolved a bit, though, on The [[American Music Club]]’s newest release, ''[[The Golden Age]]'', a largely acoustic effort. Although by no means a happy-go-lucky CD, ''[[The Golden Age]]'' shows a new, warm side to Eitzel’s writing, and even flashes of humor. There are deliberately impish lyrics (like the line “all I can give you is one of my stupid songs” from “[[Who You Are]]”) and tongue-in-cheek arrangements (such as the German oompah-band feel of “[[I Know | All of the above is probably the reason the group has generally flown under the radar in the country after which it’s named. The band’s formula has evolved a bit, though, on The [[American Music Club]]’s newest release, ''[[The Golden Age]]'', a largely acoustic effort. Although by no means a happy-go-lucky CD, ''[[The Golden Age]]'' shows a new, warm side to Eitzel’s writing, and even flashes of humor. There are deliberately impish lyrics (like the line “all I can give you is one of my stupid songs” from “[[Who You Are]]”) and tongue-in-cheek arrangements (such as the German oompah-band feel of “[[I Know That's Not Really You]]”). Eitzel says it’s all part of a new mindset he’s found since refounding the band in 2004. | ||
“For me the whole struggle I’ve had in the last few years is people thinking I’m like this master of dark, dark music and the sun never rises on my world,” he says by telephone from his car. “And that’s simply not true. That’s one thing that always drives me crazy. I am a dark person and I like serious stuff, but that ain’t totally me.” | “For me the whole struggle I’ve had in the last few years is people thinking I’m like this master of dark, dark music and the sun never rises on my world,” he says by telephone from his car. “And that’s simply not true. That’s one thing that always drives me crazy. I am a dark person and I like serious stuff, but that ain’t totally me.” | ||