Monster Music & Movies

Reviews:

A talented songwriter who's written dozens of songs much more striking and just plain better than those chosen here, Eitzel is nevertheless an interesting enough artist to pull off some general rethinks of B-list oldies stations staples. This he does, slightly, with Anne Murray's 1970 #8 hit "Snowbird," underrated Bill Withers' 1971 #3 "Ain't No Sunshine" ("When She's Gone"), and Glen Campbell via Jimmy Webb's 1968 #39 "Gentle on My Mind." And the countryish 1971 #8 by Nashville's Sammi Smith via Kris Kristofferson, "Help Me Make It Through the Night," is as good as Eitzel's local live version of two years ago, lazy and off-the-cuff. But Eitzel's attempt to reinvent the timeless 1959 #11 by The Flamingos, "I Only Have Eyes for You," is the big stinkeroo, and no artist could ever redeem such a putrid piece of lifeless mush as Culture Club's 1983 #2 "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"-let alone this do-nothing trip-hoppy attempt. Let's wait for the next album of originals from this guy.