MAGNET Magazine| Live Music Review


Mark Eitzel
July 9, 2001
Philadelphia, PA

Mark Eitzel has reinvented his art with every new solo record since the break-up of his acclaimed former band, American Music Club, in 1995. Currently, he's out touring behind the home-recorded The Invisible Man (Matador), his fourth proper solo effort and first to flirt with the "modern" sounds of programmed electronics. While debate swirls among Eitzel purists (they like his more traditional folk-rock acoustic leanings) about this album and its touches of electronica, those who showed up at the North Star seemed to be in agreement that even the new songs - often lacking in, I don't know, sparkle, on record - were brilliant and luminescent when brought to life by a very upbeat and funny-as-hell Eitzel.

Milling about the crowd before the show, Eitzel looked a little tired. But once he took the stage and jokingly introduced an astonishing solo rendition of "Jesus' Hands" (from AMCs' classic 1991 album Everclear) as a song "about Frankenstein" (i.e., a loser who can't find love), you could tell it was going to be a good show put on by an energized singer.

Eitzel's back-up band wrapped sonic touches, including keyboards, samples and guitar, around his new songs. These tunes hinted at atmospheric art rock a la Sonic Youth with programmed beats, their emotional content shined through, and it all felt and sounded perfect. Between songs - and even during them - Eitzel wisecracked and spouted one-liners that had the crowd erupting in laughter amid long stretches of silent awe. A solo "Soap Opera Star" elicited the most laughter as Eitzel sang about hanging out with a superficial actor and peppered the song with jokes. "Steve I Always Knew," "Shine" and the Jeff Buckley tribute "To The Sea" were compelling and sonically gorgeous. The lyrics, sometimes rendered flat by his vocal delivery on The Invisible Man, took on new life.

The set's AMC oldies, however, were the true highlights. Besides "Jesus' Hands," Eitzel showed his brilliance on the heartbreaking "Firefly" and "I've Been A Mess." I don't know if there's a better live performer than Eitzel when distilled to voice and acoustic guitar. During the quiet moments among chord changes and hushed vocals on his solo songs, the North Star was reduced to complete silence. (And they say Philly folks are rude.)

After a feedback workout at the end of "The Boy With The Hammer In The Paper Bag" and a rousing, celebratory "Proclaim Your Joy," loud and enthusiastic applause brought the band back for one more song and then the fitting finale of Eitzel's jaw-dropping "I've Been A Mess."

After the show, an engaging Eitzel chatted with fans and scrawled on the covers of tour CDs, seeming far removed from his image as the gloomy guy with the sad songs. He simply writes and sings songs steeped in the human condition with rare insight into the tragedy and loss that befalls us all. Yet he does it in a life-affirming, beautiful way.