REVIEW: Mark Eitzel, West (Warner)

- Reto Koradi

An interesting couple, without any doubt: Mr. American Music Club, Mark Eitzel, meets his REMness Peter Buck. The fact that they managed to write 11 songs within 3 days indicates already that the chemistry between the two was right. And there is no need to worry for AMC fans that the influence of a big name would suddenly make Mark Eitzel write songs about happiness.

West is certainly the least suitable album to create a party atmosphere, and listening to it too frequently might be harmful for your mental state. But for these sad moments where you really need to let yourself fall for a while, it is hard to beat. Eitzel puts melancholy into lyrics and music like few others, and reaches a deepness that can send shivers down your spine. Just when you think to hear an optimistic twist in a line like "I'm gonna move myself ahead", this is shortly followed by "and I don't know how". Some of the lyrics are also mysterious in a fascinating way, and leave room for interpretation, like the chorus of "Three Inches Of Wall", one of the highlight tracks on the album: "there is a song in the next room, that I can't quite hear, and only three inches of wall, separates me from my fear".

Peter Buck plays his part in this fruitful partnership perfectly. His guitar work is excellently done, but he always stays far enough in the background to make it mainly showcase Eitzel's capabilities. Only rarely, like in the intro of "In Your Life", can one clearly identify REM sounds. The simple production done by Eitzel and Buck themselves perfectly fits with the music.

You can place bets that West will not enter any major charts; this is not music for the masses. But those that are not afraid of darkness should put it right beside their Red House Painters and Tom Waits albums. There can be beauty in sadness, and Mark Eitzel captures these emotions in an outstanding way.