Mark Eitzel - West

For his sophomore solo effort West, Mark Eitzel teamed with R.e.m. guitarist Peter Buck; given that several of the songs recorded during the sessions were originally intended as material for Buck's day job, it's no great surprise that the album sounds much like R.e.m. circa Out of Time or Automatic for the People, favoring gorgeously spare acoustic arrangements. Eitzel has never sounded looser or more carefree than he does here -- tracks like "Free From Harm" and the exhilarating "In Your Life" are positively sunny by his usual standards, upbeat declarations of love and commitment lifted by Buck's trademark guitar jangle; even the drinking songs, like "Fresh Screwdriver," offer an uncharacteristic ray of hope.< Read More