Get Ready for Eytan! by Eytan Mirsky

" has gotten from the following:

"SHAKE IT UP!"

"CONSUMABLE ONLINE"

"EXPRESSEN"

"ALL MUSIC GUIDE"

"INDIE MONKEY"

"DEAD FLOWERS"

"THE BIG TAKEOVER"

"AMPLIFIER"

From "SHAKE IT UP!"

* * * * (4 stars out of 5)

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready For Eytan! - (Mirsky Mouse)

Prior to this outstanding CD, Mirsky was perhaps most notable for having written the title track of the film "Happiness." Now, he's responsible for many more great things.

Fourteen to be exact - the fourteen tracks represented here, ranging from upbeat clapalong rock and roll to strong balladry. Mirsky proves to be not only a strong songwriter, but a vocalist with an easily identifiable style. No, don't look for any triumph in operatic range or anything like that. Rather, it's Mirsky's even tone and subtle changes in his delivery that make for a voice loaded with an irresistible charm and convincing nature. You'll "feel" right along with him on "What Do I Do?," keep your tongue firmly in your cheek on the fun "Allergic To Fun," and empathize with his discovery on "Record Collection" (saluting his course of action after discovering his girlfriend's ELO record!).

And the songs - the songs! Mirsky can fit right in at any rock and roll party with tracks like the bouncy "Outta Sight" and "Tell Me That You're Foolin'," and then get the slow-dancers on the floor with lovely ballads like "Somebody To Blame" and the country-tinged "Found." Credit must also go to Mirsky's band on "Get Ready For Eytan!," notably guitarist Larry Saltzman (a great solo on "Outta Sight!"). Drummer Billy Atwell provides the steady rock beat behind "Either Way," helping make it the best ballad here. Then we get to some terrific harmonies throughout, but perhaps most effective on "All The Guys You Loved Before."

All right, so let's get ready for Eytan - if there's more of this quality to look forward to, then we're in for a pretty great time!

-Claudio Sossi

From "CONSUMABLE ONLINE"

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready For Eytan! (Mirsky Mouse)

New Yorker Eytan Mirsky might be filling up his press kit with clippings about his soundtrack contributions, but if "Get Ready For Eytan" gets some circulation, the accolades will start flowing in from that as well. In the independent film "Happiness," Michael Stipe and Rain Phoenix sing the Mirsky-penned title track, an ironic title for a film centered on so many dysfunctional characters. Mining the same territory, "Get Ready" is a fourteen track collection of vignettes about unrequited love, betrayal and just plain neurotic romanticism, and if Mirsky isn't culling notes from his own scrapbook, he's done a great job of scoping out his behaviorally stumbling peers.

Lyrically funny and straightforward, Mirsky is drawing comparisons to Marshall Crenshaw and Nick Lowe for his clever wordplay and knack for classic pop hooks. But I hear something much more left of center - Michael Shelley, Jonathan Richman and especially Ben Vaughn come to mind time and time again. Why? Well, I'm laughing my ass off at him and feeling sorry for his misfortunes at the same time, like an audio Woody Allen experience. More often than not, the songs find this lovable loser - and who hasn't uttered this one - looks in the mirror asking "What Did I Do?". And when he does get lucky, he still gets screwed - like when the girlfriend in "All The Guys You Loved Before" insists upon divulging her past to the cringing Eytan:

"Well I'm not saying / that you're promiscuous

but did you really have to go / and make a list."

Mirsky wrote all the songs and sings lead and background vocals; the band is a simple guitar/bass/drums/piano combo that is energetic but not loud, equally effective ripping through surf riffs or steering slow dancers through mid-tempo ballads. Larry Saltzman, in particular, does not let the sparse production prevent him from rocking out when called for (especially on "Record Collection" and "Outta Sight"). And just one look at song titles like "Somebody To Blame", "Allergic To Fun" and "The Vulture Of Love" tells you this is something different and worthwhile. As he sings, his yearning, confusion or misguided superiority (the hilarious "Drop That Loser") comes across loud and clear even though his style changes as subtly as a facial expression.

Writing this off as quirky pop tunes is unfair. Mirsky is a clever writer with the ability to make the three minute pop song sound new again. No fog machines or lighting trusses necessary.

- Bill Holmes

From "EXPRESSEN" (Sweden's biggest newspaper)

**** (4 stars out of 5)

EYTAN MIRSKY

Get Ready for Eytan!

(MM Music/CRS)

Those members of the public who cherish their old vinyl copies of Nick Lowe and early Costello should immediately check out New York's most genuine songsmith in the powerpop league since the heydays of Marshall Crenshaw in the early 80's. Before Mirsky made his own debut he wrote film music, among others the recurrent theme to the alternative movie "Happiness," which was sung by Michael Stipe. As a solo act he has the same smart pop artistry as his British colleagues spiced with Ben Vaughn's ironic comments.

Olle Berggren

from "ALL MUSIC GUIDE" (www.allmusic.com)

****+1/2 (4 and +1/2 stars out of 5)

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready for Eytan!

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Why a major label didn't jump at the chance to release an album as fantastic as "Get Ready For Eytan" is beyond me. When the charts (and used bins) are filled with second-rate artists playing third-rate music and acts like Mirsky can't get arrested, you know that something smells fishy in Hitsville. From the opener, "Out Of Sight," it's obvious that Mirsky enjoys the hell out of what he's doing, and it's easy to fall for his care-free, spirited music. Part Nick Lowe and part Jonathan Richman, Mirsky takes his craft seriously while having a whole lot of fun with it. With a quiver in his voice, Mirsky sounds as confident as he does innocent and wide-eyed. Though he doesn't rip off the past as liberally as Lowe once did, he does sprinkle his songs with just enough musical references to keep you guessing. "What Do I Do?" mixes an early Beatles guitar hook with an upbeat alt-country groove. "Allergic To Fun" sounds like a cool surf band covering a Violent Femmes song for a 'Beach Blanket' movie. "Found" is a heartfelt country ballad that is far too intelligent for the country market. "Record Collection," inspired by the book 'High Fidelity' speaks to all of us nerdy music types (though I take offence at Mirsky's continual put-down of ELO). All in all, a fabulous collection of pop songs without one bad apple in the bunch.

- Stephen SPAZ Schnee

from "INDIE MONKEY" webzine

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready For Eytan! (Mirsky Mouse Records)

Listen to these amiable pop tunes just once and you could be forgiven for thinking they were like fast food to someone who hasn't eaten for days - initially fulfilling, but ultimately as throwaway as the box the food came in.

However, listening to Get Ready For Eytan just once would be as much of a mistake as choosing fast food in the first place, because given more than just a cursory spin, the majority of the 14 tunes on offer here prove themselves to be cleverly written, irritatingly catchy and boundlessly energetic.

Part of the appeal of this album is the warm and sprightly melodies which contrast spectacularly with some witty, acerbic lyrics. Titles such as "Allergic to Fun", "Somebody to Blame" and opener "Outta Sight (Outta Mind)" are hopelessly pessimistic yet wrapped in glorious melody.

As a result, songs like the aforementioned opener echo the acidic and carefully crafted power pop of Candy, the Loveless and Elvis Costello, and even though Mirsky obviously can't lay claim to such legendary status just yet, this is still a hugely entertaining collection of songs.

3-minute wonders such as the bouncy "Life of A Pretty Girl", the self-pity of "What Do I Do" and the quite brilliant "Something About The Night" may have you hooked, but there is a lot more to Mirsky's music than just zippy melodies.

"Allergic To Fun" is a prime example, twisting the happy go lucky arrangements of Beach Boys songs with such lines as "Fun Fun, I'm Allergic to Fun". 'Tell Me That You're Foolin'" reveals a similar knack for economical wordplay as well as highlighting Larry Saltzman's sparkling guitar work.

Mellower moments are found in the endearing "Somebody To Blame" and "Found", while the comic scenario of "All The Guys You Loved Before" provides further evidence that in Mirsky's 'don't bore us, get to the chorus' pop world, every winner loses.

After all that, it comes as no surprise to learn that Michael Stipe is enough of a fan to have covered one of Mirsky's songs ("Happiness" - for the film of the same name), and as you can bet your life members of R.E.M. don't eat at McDonalds, you can trust his judgement on this one.

- Andrew Ellis

From "DEAD FLOWERS" webzine

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready For Eytan!

(Mirsky Mouse Music)

Nice! Happy! Short! And, above all else, poppy! Eytan Mirsky has produced a cunning little corker here, chockfull of precisely the kind of music that heads straight for the feet as opposed to the brain matter. Sure, Marshall Crenshaw is one obvious comparison (i.e. hear ye "Somebody To Blame" or "The Vulture Of Love"), but 'cha know what? I think I actually PREFER Eytan's way with a word (especially during "Either Way"), not to mention his twist of a chord. In fact, "Allergic To Fun" conjures the late great Paley Brothers -- no, wait! I mean the Rip Chords! -- by way of no less than Teenage Head, while "Found" even veers delightfully into near Robbie Fulks territory. And why "Record Collection" wasn't spun beneath High Fidelitys end credits I'll never know! Yep, this is one ultra-cool little disc, friends, and if you don't love it already, then that's only because you haven't yet heard it.

-Gary Pig Gold

from "THE BIG TAKEOVER"

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready For Eytan!

(Mirsky Mouse Music)

Eytan Mirsky, whose brushes with fame include composing three songs for the movie "Tao of Steve" and the title tune for a film called "Happiness" (sung by Michael Stipe), reminds me a lot of early Joe Jackson--parts of this album could pass as outtakes from either "Look Sharp" or "I'm The Man." Mirsky shares with Jackson a similar bemusement with romance and tracks like "Tell Me That You're Foolin'" and "All The Guys You Loved Before" paint Mirsky as the outsider forever looking in, albeit in a Woody Allen-esque sort of way. I could argue with the sentiments expressed in "Record Collection" where Mirsky dumps a woman for possessing an ELO album (Is ELO as bad as, say, REO? Or Loverboy?) but here's hoping Mirsky becomes so big that someone gets jilted for owning one of HIS albums.

- Brad Harvey

from "AMPLIFIER"

Eytan Mirsky

Get Ready For Eytan! (Mirsky Mouse)

After several brushes with fame penning songs for various indie films, including the title theme for Todd Solondz's black comedy classic Happiness (sung by Michael Stipe), New Yorker Eytan Mirsky has emerged with a sucker punch of 14 simple, peppy pop nuggets on his debut LP Get Ready for Eytan.

Eytan is well aware of his own vulnerabilities and sometimes wears his heart on his sleeve like a shiny new cuff link. One can't help being sympathetic when he sings about the various trappings of the opposite sex on "All the Guys You Loved Before" and "The Vulture of Love," where he likens his quest for love to that of a carrion-seeking vulture. Particularly amusing and instantly likable is the fast-paced surf-rocker "Allergic to Fun," where Eytan frankly extols his loathing of popular activities.

While the music on Get Ready is sometimes less inspired than his direct and heartfelt lyrical approach, it is nonetheless melodically enticing and catchy. Drawing heavy inspiration from '70's pop with a subtle surf rock vibe, Get Ready rattles off in machine gun fashion like a fast ride to the beach with Jan and Dean and Rockpile-era Nick Lowe. There are two bonus tracks from earlier recordings that offer a more rocked-out, lo-fi punch, but his proven approach is still evident. Eytan Mirsky is anxious to bring you his quirky, modest and brutally honest world of pop. Get Ready.

- Jeff Shelton

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