One of My All-Time Favorites

Mark Eitzel's West...

I haven't listened to this in at least a year, and I'm kind of kicking myself for it. It's been one my favorites for the 13 years(!) that it's been around, and now I've got to put it back in my rotation.

The whole record was co-written with Peter Buck, who is featured throughout on guitar. It also has perennial Buck collaborator Scott McCaughey on bass and keys and the stellar Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin on drums. (Those three were also in Tuatara together.)

Here's a track:

And wouldn't you know it? Even Pitchfork loves it!

I apparently recommended this record 2 years ago in the midst of praise for a then-new American Music Club album. And while that record holds up, if you only acquired one thing by Mark Eitzel, I'd strongly suggest West.

For Your Consideration: American Music Club

This one is especially for fans of Sun Kil Moon, whom I expect to make at least two Top 10 lists among this collective.

Like Sun Kil Moon, American Music Club is:

- From San Francisco.
- Led by a moody guy named Mark.
- Beloved by critics and largely unknown by the general public.
- Melancholy, somewhat folky, but not afraid to use distortion either.

AMC has been out of commission for several years, while their singer, Mark Eitzel, released various solo projects. (I particularly recommend West, which was a collaboration with Peter Buck.) They were big in sad, folky indie circles throughout the '90s, much like Mark Kozelek's old band, Red House Painters. (Who, sound-wise, are 96% the same band as Sun Kil Moon.)

The Golden Age is AMC's comeback of sorts, and it's excellent. I saw the A.V. Club selected it for their "best of" list, and I'm considering doing the same.