As the frontman for California sadcore cult heroes American Music Club in the 1980s and '90s, Mark Eitzel penned fragile, self-effacing tales full of beauty and vulnerability and sang them in a deep, passionate voice. When AMC split up in 1994, Eitzel embarked on a prolific solo career that included a duo project with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck. By 2004, though, Eitzel was leading a reunited version of American Music Club, much to the delight of the band's hardcore fan base. ~ Jim Allen