The Ugly American from the American Music Club frontman Mark Eitzel is being released on vinyl for the first time, seventeen years after its initial release. Recorded in Greece in 2001, with traditional Greek instruments and local musicians all under the arrangements of Greek composer and producer Manolis Famellos, the album features reworked songs from Mark’s chequered past.

Cut-to-vinyl at Abbey Road by Alex Wharton and released on Tongue Master Records.

A lull after the electronically ambient album The Invisible Man (2001), Mark Eitzel’s recording output was followed by two releases: a covers album Music For Courage And Confidence (2002) and an album of solo and American Music Club songs re-interpretations The Ugly American (2003).

The Ugly American was originally going to be an EP of reinterpreted songs under the guidance of respected local musician, Manolis Famellos. The trip to Athens however came to fruition in November 2001, and from this, a yrn track album was created. The ten tracks cover a varied period of Mark Eitzel’s solo output, the cult band American Music Club albums, and composition from Manolis Famellos (Love’s Humming). All songs were recorded with the addition of traditional Greek instruments (bouzouki, tzouras, Cretan lyra & zournas).

The album was released in 2003 on CD only to critical praise and seventeen years later, with updated artwork and cut by our own Alex Wharton, The Ugly American is unveiled for the first time on vinyl.

Mark Eitzel explained the joy of having the album released on vinyl: “I’m so happy this album finally got the vinyl release it deserves - and I’m honoured that Alex Wharton at Abbey Road made it sound as great as it deserves”. Alex was equally as excited to work on the project: “I have rarely heard anything so beautiful. It was an absolute pleasure to cut this album and finally see it on vinyl, thanks to Theodore. A masterpiece I reckon - Check it out!”

The vinyl has been released today on Tongue Master Records which you can purchase here.