| American Music Club 9:30 Club,Washington,DC October 26th 1991 The horrible truth about American Music Club is that it's not a great band. That wouldn't be such a burden -- lots of second-rate groups make entertaining music -- if this San Francisco quintet hadn't arrived at the 9:30 Club Saturday night weighed down by overwrought critical plaudits and by the overweening seriousness of singer-songwriter Mark Eitzel, The Club's set was not without its rewards. Eitzel's songs are solidly crafted, if sometimes too ostentatiously dour, and his voice, reminiscent of early Springsteen, is fine when he doesn't emote too strenuously. Still, the group's sound is awfully funereal for a rock club, and its notion of dynamics is to play the same dirge a little faster and louder to end certain of Eitzel's trauma-rock tunes. The occasional sprightly number, such as the countrified "Crabwalk," was much appreciated Review of show by Mark Jenkins for Washington Post November 1st 1991 Return to homepage here |