Mercury - American Music Club (1993)

Ideated from: a favorite album that starts with “M”

Mark Eitzel is the singer-songwriter who drove American Music Club, but they were a very talented band all around that never got noticed as much as they deserved.

This is, I think, their major label debut, and as such it’s more polished than their earlier records. This one was produced by well-groomed-grown-up-rock producer Mitchell Froom (Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman). The energy is the same, though: calm but defeatist lyrics with a very melancholy edge, that threaten to burst at any moment.

Tracks I Liked

Challenger - a rockin little tune about getting drunk on a plane.

What Godzilla Said To God When His Name Wasn’t Found In The Book Of Life - mostly just wanted to type out the title, but it’s a great low-key emo shuffle

Johnny Mathis’ Feet - such a brilliant lyric and so well delivered.