Mark Eitzel 'The Invisible Man'
Mark Eitzel
The Invisible Man
For those that know Mark Eitzel as a solo artist or as frontman of his previous band American Music Club will already know he comes with various musical personas. This 2001 album sees Mark embarking on a pseudo electronic pop affair, virtually in distinct contrast to his prior (1998) release which was essentially split into two sections; accoustic (trks 1-4, 9-11) & then rock tinged (trks 5-9). Despite the variety of instrumentation here (including trumpets, bass clarinet, trombone), much is based on loops & keyboards generally set against Eitzel's usual accoustic guitar strumming.The commonly encountered quirkiness that has marked Eitzel's long career spanning some 10+ solo albums going back to 1991 & AMC albums going back to 1986 are quite evident. Generally, I've found Eitzel to be lyrically strong often poignant & potent. Once again Eitzel proves this to be the case, but whether this makes up for his musical stylings I am unsure. I'd like to note that AMC released a comeback album two yrs ago, which arrived to critical acclaim, but I am yet to hear it. This disc is the import version & comes with 2 bonus tracks that were not found on the local American release.
I find Eitzel to be a bit of a quandary. At times I can really get into him, others he really doesn't do it for me at all. I can't quite define what it is about him that gives me this mixed feelings, but I think unless you fully embrace him & his music, he may be prone to causing this kind of ambivalence.
File under singer/songwriter (rock). MoogPower Rating = 3
http://url2share.com/3r0j5
***Julio has kindly shared with us the only release by Second Layer (1981). They are a band that I do not know, but are associated with The Sound (Adrian Borland). Please see comments for more info provided by Julio. He says that those into Joy Division or early Clock DVA will get into this one. Thank you Julio!!!
http://rapidshare.de/files/26275140/second_layer.rar.html
posted by MoogPower @ Tuesday, July 18, 2006
10 comments
10 Comments:
Track List:
1 The Boy With The Hammer In The Paper Bag
2 Can You See?
3 Christian Science Reading Room
4 Sleep
5 To The Sea
6 Shine
7 Steve I Always Knew
8 Bitterness
9 Anything
10 Without You
11 Tell It To The lonely Fairy In The Forest
12 Without You
13 The Global Sweep Of Human History
14 Seeing Eye To Eye
15 Proclaim Your Joy
Without You
I owe more than I could ever pay I know much less than I ever say I throw all my chances away
without you I sink more than I fly I drink more than I cry I blink far away in the sky without you I
summer in the bloodshot eyes of the just I winter where the light catches the dust I lose myself
in disbelief and distrust without you my sentence is smoking in a maze of smoked glass mirror
my sentence is laughing the faces of my accusers my sentence is freedom of no passport
and no papers my sentence is a heart for sale and no takers my sentence is a cup of vinegar
and no takers my sentence is the quicksand instead of the hidden dangers without you...
Eitzel and Jason Molina can be bloodbrothers at times. Both can be an acquired taste because of their "downer" views of the world. Eitzel has a bit of an older school of thought when it comes to his music though.
Another case of the ambivalence you mentioned in these days it's the new Scott Walker album, as happened with the previous one, Tilt, an album you really like or hate. They push you to the point where you have to believe the performer for real or take it as a joke. It depends on how low or how high you're feeling at the time, not the music in itself.
And for the last AMC release, Love Songs For Patriots deserve all the good reviews it had. Not only a fine comeback, but one of their finest records.
cheers from spain
G'day Vaughn,
Yes I hear what you're saying. As for me I have no problems with this more melancholic or maybe introspective kind of music. I suppose if I was to scane through all my records & cds I'd find that a fair proportion is made up of these kind of artists; even going back to my love of blues!
I think there's much to be said about his 'older' view of music, whilst I can't compare him to Jason Molina just yet(still finding time I'm sorry to grab it) I think you've just 'nailed' him - that maybe why he causes me problems; not his views, more the musical stylings.
Hey Lif...thanks for your thoughts - very wise indeed. I can see what you're saying about Scott Walker. I posted Tilt a little while back, but really like it - so powerful. Also I like the new album. However, I've liked Scott Walker since his days in Walker Brothers, although selected songs (not everything). He's really a brilliant songwriter, but I think his last two solo albums are very bleak & clearly not for everybody. I can understand that.
I like what you're saying about believing in an artist & not taking them as a joke. I may have that problem with Mark Eitzel, although I don't really believe so, but I still might.
For me Nick Cave springs to mind in that area. I've always liked him, but I have a few mates who no longer like him b/c of what he writes about these days; often drawing on Christian theology, sometimes almost gothic & they just think he's a joke & cannot take him seriously or in the right spirit as it turns them off.
As for Love Songs For Patriots I'll take you up on your advice & get it next time I'm cd shopping. It's quite funny...I seem to always grab it catching my attention in the 'A' section, but by the time I'm fininshed browsing with a few other cd's in hand it goes back where it came from. I'll change that habit.
Ciao.
well, talking about the very lowdown music, i offer you kids a link i uploaded to world of rubber, the only album by second layer. second layer was a eletronic project of adrian borland, better known as vocalist/guitarrist for cult post punk band the sound. highly recommended for fans of joy division and early clock dva.
http://rapidshare.de/files/26275140/second_layer.rar.html
if you want to use this, feel free for it, moog. this record only exist on vinyl, i ripped from a old girlfriend long ago. is a great work of art and dont deserve it's actual "obscure rarity" status. well, as most of all borland's ouvre.
great weekend,
julio
Aaah very generous of you Julio. I can't say I've heard of Second Layer, but you've certainly got me interested & am getting this one now. Looking forward to this....
Thank you & have a fun weekend yourself.
Ciao!
Enjoyed a lot! »
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