Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Another Interview
This one is quite interesting. He goes into what happened with Danny and Tim and working with Vudi.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
An Interview
The US tour is getting nearer so we can probably expect to see a bit more press in the coming weeks. There is an interview with Mark here.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
American Music Club @ Sled Island
Yep, the American Music Club are playing the Sled Island music festival in Calgary. Thats in Canada in case you didn't know. It takes place on the 27th and 28th June if you are interested.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Bruce Kaphan On New No-Man Album
Ex Music Clubber and all round excellent pedal steel player Bruce Kaphan appears on the new album by a band called No-Man. No idea what they sound like but
"schoolyard ghosts is released by Kscope / Snapper music in mid-May, 2008, and will feature a 22 piece orchestra on the 13 minute track truenorth, as well as contributions from a number of guest collaborators (including Pat Mastelotto, Bruce Kaphan, Porcupine Tree's Gavin Harrison and Colin Edwin, and Tim Bowness Band members, Pete Morgan, Andrew Booker and Peter Chilvers)."So there.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
User Generated Content???
The tour is well underway and apart from the fact that Mark has started doing Firefly as a solo encore, there isn't much else for me to report. However, if any of you have reviews, photos, videos, audio recordings of the current tour tat you would care to share then let me know. Either leave a comment with details or e-mail me at "ThirdPrize AT Gmail DOT Com" and I will post them on the site.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Danny Pearson News
There seems to be a flurry of activity over at the web site of our favourite bass player. He has a new album coming out on Evangeline Records and is doing a few gigs in preparation for it. The next one is the 6th April at the Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco as part of a Evangeline Records showcase.
There is also a remastered version of Reds Recovery Room available for download. This features everything from the (now out of print) original as well as a couple of bonus tracks. I really liked this album so it is really worth $12 if you haven't got it already.
There is also a remastered version of Reds Recovery Room available for download. This features everything from the (now out of print) original as well as a couple of bonus tracks. I really liked this album so it is really worth $12 if you haven't got it already.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Nick Drake
There is an interesting interview with Mark Eitzel in Harp Magazine where he discusses the influence of Nick Drake on his work. A few interesting titbits including the fact he never got into Nick until after the band had started and that he was friends with Heath Ledger.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Atwater Afternoon CD Review
Well, a month after I got my copy I have finally got round to doing a review of it. Atwater Afternoon is a Ltd Ed release of a couple of sessions recorded by the new look American Music Club. I say a couple of sessions as the first half sounds like demos for the new album while the latter half sound like it was recorded "live" in the studio.
There are 13 tracks in all. Of these, 3 are old country standards, one is written and sung by Vudi and one is by new band member Steve Didelot. There is definitely a bit of a country vibe running through the whole thing. Steve's song is a classic bit of country all about a book called "The Insiders Guide to life". It gets passed down from generation who admit that they have "never read it son, but I really think you should". the other cover of note is "I'm your Puppet" which has Mark reaching for the falsetto he last used on "Move on Up". "Long Long Walk" is supposed to be an out take from the Golden Age. Based on the evidence of this, the new version of the AMC could have a good country album in them. The new boys know their licks and as Mark is feeling mellower these days we could have another Everclear or California.
The last 3 tracks sound a bit more live than the rest. There is lots of Cymbals there but you can't really make out much other detail.
It is also worth noting that the ones sold on the current tour make up the very limited CDR run of 300. I managed to get one of these complete with a hand drawn cover by Vudi. The ones on the Internet will be a run of 1500 proper CDs with proper printed covers.
There are 13 tracks in all. Of these, 3 are old country standards, one is written and sung by Vudi and one is by new band member Steve Didelot. There is definitely a bit of a country vibe running through the whole thing. Steve's song is a classic bit of country all about a book called "The Insiders Guide to life". It gets passed down from generation who admit that they have "never read it son, but I really think you should". the other cover of note is "I'm your Puppet" which has Mark reaching for the falsetto he last used on "Move on Up". "Long Long Walk" is supposed to be an out take from the Golden Age. Based on the evidence of this, the new version of the AMC could have a good country album in them. The new boys know their licks and as Mark is feeling mellower these days we could have another Everclear or California.
The last 3 tracks sound a bit more live than the rest. There is lots of Cymbals there but you can't really make out much other detail.
It is also worth noting that the ones sold on the current tour make up the very limited CDR run of 300. I managed to get one of these complete with a hand drawn cover by Vudi. The ones on the Internet will be a run of 1500 proper CDs with proper printed covers.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Yeee Gods!!!
It has come to my attention that a comedian named Neil Hamburger has released a CD of country covers, among them being the American Music Clubs "Hula Maiden". And I quote ...
"But his album-closing take on Eitzel’s “The Hula Maiden” played semi-straight is a real gem, bringing out both the over the top self-pitying indulgence of the song even as he refashions it as a lost country classic. It’s almost kind of brilliant."
"But his album-closing take on Eitzel’s “The Hula Maiden” played semi-straight is a real gem, bringing out both the over the top self-pitying indulgence of the song even as he refashions it as a lost country classic. It’s almost kind of brilliant."
Monday, March 03, 2008
The Tale Of a Support Band
Thursday, February 28, 2008
More press
Nice interview with Mark here on the BrightestYoungThings website. There is also a foreign language review here along with a nice photo gallery.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Radio Interview
There is a link on this page that leads to an Interview with the American Music Club. It is a program called The World Cafe and it appears to be hosted by Sir Richard Attenborough.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Review Of All Reviews
The lines are closed and the judges have come to their decision. The folks over at MetaCritic have averaged out all the reviews for The Golden Age and its final score is 80/100. Not a bad average, that is more then the new Kylie one but less then the Drive By Truckers.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Two More Reviews ...
Friday, February 22, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Apology For An Accident
From Chris at the bands management.
"Dingwalls was the first time the band has played London without their own sound man which was a big mistake. It was probably the worst sound I have ever heard at an AMC show in 18 years. Mark and Steve also had very evil stomach bugs that kept them busy before, during and after the show with the bog...not a pretty site. So apologies all around.
Ask people who went to Brussels last night and they can tell you a different story, the venue had great sound and was broadcast on Radio1 there, I can't seem to find the link to it on their site but should have some more information next week here.
The Hamburg concert will be broadcast on NDR and Berlin will bebroadcast on Radio Eines."
Links to the concerts when they come on line.
"Dingwalls was the first time the band has played London without their own sound man which was a big mistake. It was probably the worst sound I have ever heard at an AMC show in 18 years. Mark and Steve also had very evil stomach bugs that kept them busy before, during and after the show with the bog...not a pretty site. So apologies all around.
Ask people who went to Brussels last night and they can tell you a different story, the venue had great sound and was broadcast on Radio1 there, I can't seem to find the link to it on their site but should have some more information next week here.
The Hamburg concert will be broadcast on NDR and Berlin will bebroadcast on Radio Eines."
Links to the concerts when they come on line.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Brighton Gig Review
I went along to the show the American Music Club were playing in Brighton the other night. Mark has always liked Brighton so I was hoping for a good one. Upon arrival the C2 seemed to be 1/3 full. Vudi was sat on the merchandising table drawing pictures on the plain covers of the tour CD. Mine has got a picture of a pig getting its head chopped off. Nice.
First band on was Butterfly McQueen. These were a Brighton band and I think they were on the bill as Mark was writing his musical with one of the singers. I missed the first part of their set but thought they were quite good for a band that doesn't even have a MySpace page. Two or three singer/guitarists taking it in turns along with keyboards, bass , drums and girl on tambourine. Their final song was dedicated to Mark as the singer said he had written it for him.
The second band was Bee And Flower. They sounded a bit like Madder Rose as the guitarist played a lot of slide and the singer had a similar voice to Mary Lorsen.
Vudi was the first to come out and taking his place stage left started singing (what I guess was) their Abba cover. Then the band came out and went straight into "Hello Amsterdam". I seem to remember that mentions Abba covers. Then it was "Revolving Door" and a couple more of the old songs. Mark seemed a bit nervous as he cracked jokes between songs and introduced the band as "Wish the World Away", an American Music Club tribute act. What can you say, it wasn't the original band so it wasn't going to sound much like them. They got through the old songs in double quick time. Then about 1/2 way through the set we got "The Stars", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Decibels" and with that the band seemd to relax and play them like the record.
The encore part of the show was interesting. The new lads left the stage leaving Vudi and Mark to play "Johnny Mathis' Feet" together. Then there was a band verson of "Western Sky" and a duo version of "Jesus' Hands". And they were gone.
Were you there? What did you think?
First band on was Butterfly McQueen. These were a Brighton band and I think they were on the bill as Mark was writing his musical with one of the singers. I missed the first part of their set but thought they were quite good for a band that doesn't even have a MySpace page. Two or three singer/guitarists taking it in turns along with keyboards, bass , drums and girl on tambourine. Their final song was dedicated to Mark as the singer said he had written it for him.
The second band was Bee And Flower. They sounded a bit like Madder Rose as the guitarist played a lot of slide and the singer had a similar voice to Mary Lorsen.
Vudi was the first to come out and taking his place stage left started singing (what I guess was) their Abba cover. Then the band came out and went straight into "Hello Amsterdam". I seem to remember that mentions Abba covers. Then it was "Revolving Door" and a couple more of the old songs. Mark seemed a bit nervous as he cracked jokes between songs and introduced the band as "Wish the World Away", an American Music Club tribute act. What can you say, it wasn't the original band so it wasn't going to sound much like them. They got through the old songs in double quick time. Then about 1/2 way through the set we got "The Stars", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Decibels" and with that the band seemd to relax and play them like the record.
The encore part of the show was interesting. The new lads left the stage leaving Vudi and Mark to play "Johnny Mathis' Feet" together. Then there was a band verson of "Western Sky" and a duo version of "Jesus' Hands". And they were gone.
Were you there? What did you think?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Another Interview
Here is another interview with Mark. It is by a San Francisco newspaper and examines Marks obsession with the town. Strangely he says he prefers performing in London "... because I get paid better there". He is also quite frank about the new line up of the band.
Monday, February 11, 2008
London Show Update
A message from the bands management regarding the upcoming London show.
"As many of you have heard Camden market burned down over the weekend so Dingwalls is closed until later in the week. We are looking to move the show to somewhere close by like the Electric Ballroom or Underworld. As soon as I have any information I will report it here. Please check back in by this time tomorrow and we should have all the new details."
I will pass on any further details as soon as I hear them. Shame about Camden Market though. It was the place to go if you were after vaguely ethnic clothing or head massagers. Rumour has it you could smell the burning incense for several miles.
"As many of you have heard Camden market burned down over the weekend so Dingwalls is closed until later in the week. We are looking to move the show to somewhere close by like the Electric Ballroom or Underworld. As soon as I have any information I will report it here. Please check back in by this time tomorrow and we should have all the new details."
I will pass on any further details as soon as I hear them. Shame about Camden Market though. It was the place to go if you were after vaguely ethnic clothing or head massagers. Rumour has it you could smell the burning incense for several miles.
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