West by Mark Eitzel

West

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West

Reader Reviews
Hype killed this one before it hit the store shelves. Thats the story of Mark Eitzels career. All praise and accolades, zero sales. Co-produced and (co-)written with R.E.M.s Peter Buck--whose contributions to the process vary depending on who you talk to--over three days in '97, this was to be Marks last major label release. More textured and varied than his previous lp's, from the punch-drunk revelry of 'Helium' to the skronkin'sax of 'Move Myself Ahead', WEST is yet another example of Mark refusing to dilute his muse for the sake of greater public exposure. Celebrity, I geuss, just isn't his bag. 'Stunned and Frozen', though it features the single most haunting and defeated Eitzel vocal to date, is one for the ages with the saddest interplay of piano and accordion, augmented by Buck's razor-like acoustic flourishes. 'In Your Life', a rare pop item for Mark, is sweet and mesmerizing in its own awkward charm. How much you will like this lp may depend on your opinion of R.E.Ms 'UP' as many of the production tricks--vibes, synths et al.-- seem to foretell the ambitious R.E.M. project. Many Eitzel-watchers were put off by the jazz pretensions of this and 60 WATT SILVER LINE, but do not listen to them. Listen to me. Trust in Jason. Both of these discs, both high among the very best of the 90's, are all but impossible to find now but so very, VERY worth it. It is both a compliment and a insult to this talented man to regard him as the Nick Drake of our time. Do not let this talent rot in obscurity any longer. BUY THESE DISCS!

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