Search - Mark Eitzel :: 60 Watt Silver Lining

No easy way any up or down

William Chaisson | Trumansburg, New York | 08/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is sad to read some of the reviews here that want Mark Eitzel to do what he has always done and then read another review that mentions him self-destructing on stage out of embarrassment and self-loathing. Anybody see a connection here? ... Uh, I didn't think so.Mark Eitzel is one of the greatest living songwriters on the planet. But he is also a great singer. He could do an album of Irish ballads and I'm sure it would be tremendous. But _60 Watt Silver Lining_ is one of the best combinations of great songwriting and great singing that you are going to find in the Eitzel/AMC catalog. I simply don't understand why listeners want this guy to always alternate between rock and roll and country folk all the time. He can do anything he wants; he is a musical genius."Sacred Heart", "Cleopatra Jones" and "Southend on Sea" are three of the best songs that Eitzel has ever written. They perfectly combine humor and pathos (or at least melancholy) to present a view of the world that anyone with the courage to actually pay attention knows is accurate. And the music really swings. I find myself humming these tunes all the time, years after the record was released.The rest of the album is more contemplative and purely sad. "Mission Rock Resort" is a tale of a doomed person sitting the middle of beauty. "Some Bartenders ..." is about a stupid accident. There isn't a single misstep on this record. Listen to it when you are alone and need some perspective."

Great Title Aside....

Stephen Doig | New Zealand | 07/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of all the records in my collection '60 Watt Silver Lining' would have to be the ultimate slow-burner it even has one song that employs a sample of flames in the background. To me, it's Eitzel's finest solo recording. The charm of so many of these songs is that their beauty only unfolds after multiple listenings. 'Mission Rock Resort' I haden't really cared for on my first ten or so plays, but when that subtle chorus finally reveals itself - bingo -music geek heaven. 'Sacred Heart' and 'Always Turn Away' are just flat out stunning, crammed with emotional complexity and breathtaking musical accompaniments. A melancholy mood prevails - no surprise there - but the smoky jazz bar atmospherics add a new dimension to Eitzel's soul-searching and disillusionment. Personally I'd like to hear him make more records like this, but truly great songwriters don't often rest on their laurels."

Breathtaking...

deckard | UK | 08/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I simply cannot begin to describe how perfect an LP this is. 'No Easy Way Down' and 'Everything is Beautiful' are touching enough to reduce anyone to tears. I can only hope that Eitzel's life and songwriting career will not go the same way as that of Nick Drake. Having seen him perform live in Edinburgh, it amazes me that a man of such talent can remain relatively unknown for so long!This - like virtually all Eitzel / AMC releases - is a must buy."