The Golden Age (American Music Club album)
Encyclopedia
The Golden Age is the 9th studio album
released by San Francisco-based sadcore
and slowcore band American Music Club
. The album is the band's second after a 10 year hiatus that ended in 2004
. The album is an effort by the band to experiment more in their music. The album was produced by Dave Trumfio
, who has also worked for bands such as Wilco
and My Morning Jacket
.
and an 80 (out of 100) score on Metacritic
.
with Dave Trumfio, who also recorded Wilco's Summerteeth
album. Frontman Mark Eitzel
began writing the songs that appear on the Golden Age in 2005, though recording didn't begin until 2007.
, indicating that the band remains relatively unpopular among mainstream fans, regardless of its praise from critics.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
released by San Francisco-based sadcore
Sadcore
Slowcore is a subgenre of alternative and indie rock.The music of slowcore artists is generally characterized by bleak lyrics, downbeat melodies, slower tempos and minimalist arrangements. Slowcore is often used interchangeably with the term sadcore....
and slowcore band American Music Club
American Music Club
American Music Club is a San Francisco-based alternative rock band led by singer-songwriter Mark Eitzel.-History:Although born in California, Eitzel spent his formative years in Okinawa, Taiwan, Great Britain and Ohio before returning to the Bay Area in 1981...
. The album is the band's second after a 10 year hiatus that ended in 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
. The album is an effort by the band to experiment more in their music. The album was produced by Dave Trumfio
Dave Trumfio
-The Pulsars:Dave Trumfio was the frontman in the 90's new-wave band .The Pulsars, made up of brothers Dave and Harry Trumfio, released EPs in the early 1990s before getting signed to Herb Alpert's Almo Records....
, who has also worked for bands such as Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
and My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
.
Critical reception
The album was released to generally positive critical reviews, earning 4 out of 5 stars from MusicOMHMusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
and an 80 (out of 100) score on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
Recording
The album was recorded over two months at Kingsize Studios in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with Dave Trumfio, who also recorded Wilco's Summerteeth
Summerteeth
Summerteeth is the third studio album by Chicago alternative rock band Wilco. Released through Reprise Records on March 9, 1999, the album was heavily influenced lyrically by twentieth century literature, as well as singer Jeff Tweedy's marital problems. Unlike previous albums, Summerteeth was...
album. Frontman Mark Eitzel
Mark Eitzel
Mark Eitzel is a musician, best known as a songwriter and lead singer of the San Francisco band American Music Club.-History:Eitzel spent his formative years in a military family living in Okinawa, Taiwan, Ohio and the United Kingdom. He moved to America in 1979.He started making music while he was...
began writing the songs that appear on the Golden Age in 2005, though recording didn't begin until 2007.
Sales
The album's high critical acclaim was not reflected in its sales figures. The album is currently 51,664th in music purchases and downloads on Amazon.comAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, indicating that the band remains relatively unpopular among mainstream fans, regardless of its praise from critics.
Music
The music on The Golden Age is much more experimental than previous American Music Club releases, tending to be more "melodic and atmospheric". Much of the music is happier and more melodic than other AMC albums, indicating that the band may be going in a new direction.Track listing
- "All My Love" (5:10)
- "The John Berchman Victory Choir" (2:53)
- "The Decibels and the Little Pills" (5:41)
- "The Sleeping Beauty" (3:58)
- "The Stars" (5:17)
- "All the Lost Souls Welcome You to San Francisco" (2:43)
- "Who You Are" (4:31)
- "The Windows on the World" (6:11)
- "One Step Ahead" (3:33)
- "The Dance" (3:17)
- "I Know That's Not Really You" (3:52)
- "On My Way" (5:13)
- "The Grand Duchess of San Francisco" (2:46)