Mercury
After nearly ten years of toiling in obscurity to the occasional rave review, San Francisco's AMC receive an avalanche of praise for their previous album (1991'sEverclear) and are signed to a major label. With producer Mitchell Froom and his engineer Tchad Blake in control, the band set out to record the most difficult album of their career. From the opening daybreak challenge of "Gratitude Walks" to the poignant lost-art-sea ending of "Will You Find Me?"Mercurysucceeds on all counts. Singer Mark Eitzel's tales of pain and desperation are taken to the next level by elliptical lyrics and an intricate band mix of pedal steel, electric guitar, and waltz-time drumming.--Rob O'Connor