San Francisco

American Music Club

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 1994)
• Original Release Date: October 4, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002MTF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #235,227 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fearless

2. It's Your Birthday

3. Can You Help Me?

4. Love Doesn't Belong

5. Wish the World Away

6. How Many Six Packs Does It Take to Screw in a Light

7. Cape Canaveral

8. Hello Amsterdam

9. Revolving Door

10. In the Shadow of the Valley

11. What Holds the World Together

12. I Broke My Promise

13. Thorn in My Side Is Gone

14. I'll Be Gone

15. Fearless (Reprise)

16. California Dreamin'

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As the critically acclaimed San Franciscan quintet got tired of rave reviews and low album sales, they opted to turbo-charge their sound by emphasizing guitarist Vudi's distorted rave-ups at the expense of the subtler shadings of Bruce Kaphan's pedal steel. As AMC's final album, it's a schizophrenic landmark. The striking quiet numbers ("Fearless," "Cape Canaveral"), the Pepsi Generation power anthems ("It's Your Birthday," "Wish the World Away"), the funky dance party groovers ("I'll Be Gone," "Can You Help Me?"), and the oblique cuts ("In the Shadow of the Valley") all meet butt up against one another to make for an exciting, eclectic collection that never quite comes together. But brilliant, nonetheless. --Rob O'Connor

Product Description

As the critically acclaimed San Franciscan quintet got tired of rave reviews and low album sales, they opted to turbo-charge their sound by emphasizing guitarist Vudi's distorted rave-ups at the expense of the subtler shadings of Bruce Kaphan's pedal steel. As AMC's final album, it's a schizophrenic landmark. The striking quiet numbers ("Fearless," "Cape Canaveral"), the Pepsi Generation power anthems ("It's Your Birthday," "Wish the World Away"), the funky dance party groovers ("I'll Be Gone," "Can You Help Me?"), and the oblique cuts ("In the Shadow of the Valley") all meet butt up against one another to make for an exciting, eclectic collection that never quite comes together. But brilliant, nonetheless. EMI. 1994. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe the critics, March 9, 2001

By	Simone Oltolina (Morbio Inferiore, TI Switzerland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

there are countless critics out there claiming that "San Francisco" is American Music club at their most commercial, hence this is allegedly their worst record but frankly I absolutely disagree. Just because the production is a bit more "slick", it doesn't mean that the band's skills have become less important (or less notable). Ok, there's a definite alternative-feel throughout the record while their previous efforts were more "indie" and maybe AMC were consciously changing direction but they're a great band and on San Francisco, just like on any of their records, it shows! Mark Eitzel is great as usual and there are great songs all over the album...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memory, November 28, 1999

By	Patrick F Clifford (Columbust, OH) - See all my reviews

This album says so much about leaving somewhere, that I feel incapable of saying anything about it. Mark Eitzel comes back to Columbus enough that I can feel him leaving every time he does. "I Broke My Promise" is a beautiful song about getting out. The rest of the record doesn't betray the aetheic laid out by their previous ones: loss, regret, loss, and regret (and then some, uh, loss). Much of this is from Mark Eitzel's sad lyrics, but, still, much has to be said for Bruce Kaphon's pedal steel, and Vudi's fuzzy guitar. For a long time AMC fan, this is probably their mosty accomplished work, emotionally and musically.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "hopeful" AMC record, June 15, 2000

By	J. D. Frey "jdiego" (Denver. CO) - See all my reviews

Admittedly I love anything AMC has put out. "San Francisco," though, is a truly wonderful package of tunes. It's the one I recommend to friends who haven't listened to AMC before. PERSONAL FAVORITE SONGS: "Can You Help Me?" and "What Holds the World Together," which, with their poetry and uplifting tunes both sit among the best of the Mark Eitzel-penned tunes that I've heard. This band's music is intelligent and well-crafted--the kind of music you don't necessarily hear all of the first time you put it in the player (i.e. always worth a second, third, etc. listening).