American Music Club - Everclear CDThe difficult fifth album. Recorded for another label and well overbudget, Everclear both suffers and excels for its production shortcomings. A thick wash of reverb has been thrown over the proceedings and songs are either hopelessly buried in the ambient sludge ("The Confidential Agent") or enhanced to supersonic glory ("Sick of Food"). Singer Mark Eitzel's lyrics are increasingly more despondent, but he's spot-on beautiful loser territory for the most part. "Why Won't You Stay," "Ex-Girlfriend," and "Dead Part of You" are all haunting elegies to a past that no longer exists but where their weight cannot be discounted.When I first heard this 8 years ago, I was a bit surprised, having expected "rock" music while this sounded like intelligent country folk to me. Lovely melodies and poetic, poignant lyrics make me return to this album on a regular basis. My fave tracks are Crabwalk, Sick of Food, The Dead Part of You, Royal Cafe and the heart-breaking Slipping Through Jesus' Hands. If alcohol inspired these great songs, then alcoholism should be encouraged. The cover of the ocelot? leopard? in the stream is one of the best in my entire CD collection. Great songs, classy production, a true masterpiece.I own hundreds of CDs, but this is by far the best one. It's definitely the most emotional, sad, bittersweet, and depressingly beautiful album of all time, (the Cure's "Disintegration" close at it's heels.) Mark Eitzel is one of the greatest, most under-appreciated living songwriters. His music and lyrics are like none other. The "noise" on "Everclear" which another reviewer complains about is actually drawn out pedal steel and lap steel guitar notes that are of the utmost importance, as they often resolve or completely change Eitzel's gorgeous chords. The use of this technique makes "Miracle on 8th Street", "The Confidential Agent", "Sick of Food", "Why Won't You Stay", and "The Dead Part of You" my personal favorites. My only complaint is that "Crabwalk" doesn't fit in with the rest of the songs at all. This entire CD is produced perfectly, drenched in layers of reverb and delay (very appropriately.) There are so many great things I have to say about this album, but words don't really do it justice. I can't explain how beautiful it is. I finally found this on CD--I have lived with a hissy cassette for the past ten years (I even burned it onto disc!) A hint on listening to this for the first time--Listen to it first thing in the morning on headphones. pay attention. Be prepared for alot of emotion. Drink your coffee or step outside. Pay attention.I played this last night (on CD) and was totally still fooking FLOORED by every single minute that passed. I thought time would hae passed and it would not hit me as hard. "The Dead Part of You" "Sick of Food" "WHY WONT YOU STAY"????If you are even reading this--get it now. It will only do you good. This cd changed my musical horizons and brought me to a place where I could understand just what it's like to live life with your heart on your sleeve. Sometimes it's the pain of the past that drives you to drink.."Jesus' Hands"&"Ex-Girlfriend",(or just some serious introspection.) At times you are so in the moment that you are almost like a force of nature or juggernaut,"Rise." Then there's the occasional need to just hang out with the boys and have a few rounds. "Royal Cafe" It ought to be a primer for adulthood and all of the experiences that you will someday call life. Mark Eitzel is amazing performing live, and if you listen you'll hear sage advice via succinct descriptive lyrics and and incredibly emotive voice. The band really started to click on this disc and the new engineer added a wonderful feel to this recording. (He became a full time member of the band after this disc.) Yes, this is an incredibly atmosperic cd that oozes with emotion, exuberant at times, and then melancholic at others it is bottom line a seminal recording that should be in every serious music fans collection. Although Vudi,Bruce, and the boys had their differences with Mark I wish they wouldn't have split the band up. (Mark please consider just recording with them if you can't stand to tour with them anymore.) I personally love the confidential agent, Royal Cafe, Jesus Hands, Rise,... You can find this in the shop at http://www.ironmanrecords.co.ukor for a direct url try http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Iron-Man-shop
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