Post by Mighty Jack on May 25, 2008 4:21:21 GMT -5
To celebrate the forth-coming release of her newest album (Due June 3rd) I’m going to focus next on someone who is the polar opposite to Alice Cooper in every way imaginable. Wry and introspective Indie poet, Aimee Mann
I’m going to go about this backwards and start off with her solo studio work (original music) first since that’s what I’m most familiar with. Later I’ll add some thoughts on her early albums with ‘Till Tuesday, a few of the odds and ends and finally I’ll review her next release.
Whatever[/color]
Release Date: May 11th 1993
Highest U.S. Chart: #127
Tracks: I Should Have Known * Fifty Years After the Fair * 4th of July * Could’ve Been Anyone * Put Me On Top * Stupid Thing * Say Anything * Jacob Marley’s Chain * Mr. Harris * I Could Hurt You Now * I Know There’s A Word * I’ve Had It * Way Back When
Legal struggles with Epic prevented Aimee from releasing a solo album and it would be a 5 year span between the last “’Till Tuesday” album and this one! “Whatever” is a transitional album, stuck between the work she did with ‘Till Tuesday and showing signs of the direction she’s heading. For example, “I Should Have Known”, sparkles in Beatles like fashion, with “Bop, Bop, Bop” background vocals and a lead solo that would do George Harrison proud. While the somber folk beauty found in “4th of July” could fit snugly in her later albums.
These are –mostly- relationship songs (a subject that will be her primary focus) and the best is “Stupid Thing” with humorous snarky lines that are equal to those uttered by Dorothy Parker -“Oh you stupid thing, speaking of course as your dear departed… it wasn’t me that you out smarted”- Other highlights include the pretty May/December romance of “Mr. Harris”, the smartly written “Jacob Marley’s Chain” and for a change of pace, a lyrical look at making music in a rock and roll band, “I’ve Had It”
Not everything works; “Put Me on Top”- for example - starts off strong but loses steam with an uninspired and repetitive chorus. Still there are enough gems to make this an enjoyable listening experience.
I’m With Stupid[/color]
Release Date: November 1995
Highest U.S. Chart: #82
Tracks: Long Shot * Choice in the Matter * Sugarcoated * You Could Make A Killing * Superball * Amateur * All Over Now * Par for the Course * You’re with Stupid Now * That’s Just What You Are * Frankenstein * Ray * It’s Not Safe
Aimee’s an intelligent, clever songwriter, a biting wordsmith with a razor sharp sense of humor. Stupid shows more artistic growth (which will reach full maturity with the next release), the songwriting is tighter, more consistent than in the previous CD. It’s also one that has aged well. Some songs, like “Superball”, which at first blush seemed kind of cheesy, have grown on me and become highlights (The words are playful, fun and I love the lead guitar solo accompanied by Jon Brion doing his best Mick Fleetwood backbeat) Plus it adds some variety to the overall production.
Before that number is the groovy “Sugarcoated”, where jangly guitars are accentuated by a flute like sound and the tinkling of bells sparkling in the background. These bells lead to the waltzing strum of the acoustic “You Could Make a Killing”, which harmonies provided by Juliana Hatfield (The women’s voices blend so nicely together I’d love to hear Juliana sing with Aimee in the future)
As good as these numbers are, the CD is about to get even better; “Amateur” is a stunning ballad that illustrates Aimee’s wry and introspective wit as does the Beatnik cool, “Your With Stupid Now”. My favorite song on the album though is “Par For The Course”. Its languid haunting melody is accentuated by some of Aimee’s most poignant vocals. “Frankenstein” is another delight; more upbeat sound wise with snappy, winding lyrics -“And you'll notice it bears a resemblance to. Everything I imagined I wanted from you - But at least it's my own creation. And it's better than real, it's a real imitation”- all wrapped around some cool monster movie style synths.
The album closes with “It’s Not Safe”, notable for the guitar solo by future hubby Michael Penn and vocals by Neil Innes (Rutles).(Of Note: Tilbrook and Dilford of “Squeeze” provide most of the backing vocals on the CD). Overall superb, “I’m With Stupid” has a nice mix of sounds and styles and ranks as one of my all time favorites from the artist.
Bachelor No. 2[/color]
Release Date: May 2nd 2000
Highest U.S. Chart: #134
Tracks: How Am I Different * Nothing is Good Enough * Red Vines * The Fall of the Worlds Own Optimist * Satellite * Deathly * Ghost World * Calling It Quits * Driving Sideways * Just Like Anyone * Susan * It Takes All Kinds * You Do
Aimee has struggled often with the big record companies. First with Epic and now David Geffin, who didn’t hear a hit and wouldn’t release this record. Mann bought back the rights (which is rumored to have gone into 6 figures) and sold this initially on her website. It became one of the biggest Internet sellers. The year before she’d gotten some positive feedback due to the film and soundtrack for “Magnolia” (a movie inspired by her music) and a few of the songs from the movie are found here.
The bottom line is that through all these years of turmoil and struggle Aimee forged together her quintessential album. Literate and incisive lyrics married to catchy smooth melodies highlight this amazing release; this is her finest, most perfect hour. It’s sly, smart, mournful, catchy, with cleverly constructed poetry and a dash of Burt Bacharach. If I fail to mention a song it’s not because it’s a bad. There’s not a bad song on here and vocally…
At the risk of raising the ire of some fans, I have to be honest; while distinct, Mann doesn’t have the prettiest voice. It’s nasally with limited range and power. But when a song strikes her, she is able to draw from herself and can get me “feeling” her lyrics. Tunes in which she does this well are the stunning “Deathly”, “You Do” and I was impressed with the fragile nuances heard in “Just Like Anyone”. I also liked the vocal inflections on “Driving Sideways” and “Susan”
My favorite track on the CD is “Calling it Quits”, with its hip breezy verse that suddenly buzzes into a 60s style chorus, complete with horns. Aimee’s sharp tongue is in evidence -“Now he's numbering himself among the masterminds - Cause he’s hit upon the leverage of valentines - Lifting dialogue from Judy Garland storylines - Where get-tough girls turn into goldmines”- The instrumentation and arrangement on this number is stellar and it breaks up the similarity found within this CD. This “sameness” in tone is a minor complaint, especially when you have songs as good as these, but it is something that will become more prevalent with her next two releases.
Lost in Space[/color]
Release Date: August 27th 2002
Highest U.S. Chart: #35
Tracks: Humpty Dumpty * High On Sunday 51 * Lost in Space * This is How it Goes * Guys Like Me * Pavlov’s Bell * Real Bad News * Invisible Ink * Today’s the Day * The Moth * It’s Not
%@#! a noted music publication (not worthy to be named) and its insipid superficial critics (And a mindset that would have us all listening to “Good Day Sunshine” 24/7*): Though sad and haunting, dismissing this work with the same sweeping strokes as something a kin to mopey emo, exposes the authors shallow understanding of the art form (it would be like lumping Michelangelo with comic book artist Rob Liefeld simply because the 2 draw muscular figures). This is a darker album, but it is one that rings true, she isn’t just whining for whinings sake. The lyrics tap into longing, loneliness and addiction (of all kinds), emotions felt by most of us and ones that I like hearing explored.
This is deep and richly textured material; its haunted orchestral and occasional spacey syths accompany lyrics about wounded people and their messy relationships. The opening track “Humpty Dumpty” is particularly powerful and is very important to me personally as it speaks to my own feelings of isolation and brokenness… “Say you were split, you were split in fragments and none of the pieces would talk to you. Wouldn’t you want to be who you had been? Well, Baby I want that too” and later within the chorus she writes…. ”… all the perfect drugs and superhero’s, wouldn’t be enough to bring me back up to zero”.
The next track is the bluesy “High on Sunday 51”, which speaks of love as addiction. The line “Let me be your heroin” can also be heard as heroine and the dual meaning is powerful. Other favorites are “The Moth” with acoustic rhythms and sing song melody, the gorgeous final track “It’s Not” -“People are tricky, you can’t afford to show anything risky, anything they don’t know. The moment you try, well kiss it goodbye”- and the music, vocals and eerie X-Files like sounds for “Real Bad News” make for one of the most compelling tunes she’s ever written and performed.
There’s a lot of regret in this album, there’s a sense of a longing and loss and the ability to make these emotions flesh and blood takes a spectacular talent. Mann and producer Michael Lockwood recorded this with analog equipment and even with the spacey musical dashes; the sound is warm and organic (and Beatlesque: The guitar solos often evoke later George Harrison. The bass is reminiscent of McCartney’s style). The album art wonderfully conveys the feeling of the CD. The lyric sheet opens and closes with a comic book story and the cover gives a feeling of endless isolation and emptiness.
While I don’t feel it quite matches the past 2 releases, it is still another great album from the artist. If you just can’t take the downbeat truths offered within, this wont be your cup of tea. But I feel it’s an important work and it moved me.
(* = I like “Good Day Sunshine”, I just get sick of those “@%&! Smilers” who wont allow for anything but this type of song)
The Forgotten Arm[/color]
Release Date: May 3rd 2005
Highest U.S. Chart: #60
Tracks: Dear John * King of the Jailhouse * Goodbye Caroline* Going Through the Motions * I Can’t Get My Head Around It * She Really Wants You * Video * Little Bombs * That’s How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart * I Can’t Help You Anymore * I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up For Christmas * Beautiful
Heartbreaking, while the melodies are not always as catchy as compared to past releases, lyrically this is some of Aimee’s most insightful and her ability to give weight to this tragic love story is moving. Though I wouldn’t call this a pleasant experience, I often sat there with my heart in my throat with eyes welling up knowingly. As with “Lost in Space” this might be a CD too sad or painful for some listeners.
It’s a concept album, packaged much like the previous release (it reads like a novel) and it tells of a boxer (John) who returns from the war with an addiction (some say alcoholism, some say it’s heroin… Aimee dedicates the record… “For the alcoholic and addict who still suffers”. John meets Caroline (who some have suggested is the “trailer trash” type) at the fair and the two hit the road in an attempt to escape their burdens. Later John checks into rehab (Goodbye Caroline) but can’t get through the program (“Going Through the Motions” and “I Can’t Get My Head Around It”).
Interestingly, and I wonder if Aimee planned it this way, the music gets prettier as the lyrics get darker, the trio “Video”, “Little Bombs” and the aching honesty of “That’s How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart” are incredibly catchy/beautiful even as their words devastate. Later Caroline realizes that she can’t help John (track 10), and he makes a weak vow to change in some of the albums most powerful and painfully real lyrics… -”I was thinking I could clean up for Christmas and call it a day – Tell you I’m sorry that I made you a witness to my moral decay. And that once upon a time, I believed it was a victimless crime”-. In those few lines Aimee sums up the despair and struggle and loss associated with addiction and how it impacts those close to you in masterful strokes. That she isn’t hailed more universally as a brilliant lyricist shocks me just for this song alone.
The CD ends with a measure of hope (The stunning “Beautiful”); the lovers reunite after a time. Damaged, but hopeful. Still it is a wary hope (and I wonder if the couple isn’t living in denial?). It’s arguably the catchiest track on the album.
The title, “The Forgotten Arm”, refers to a move in boxing, where you under use one arm until your opponent forgets it and then you unload it, hopefully catching your opposite unguarded and unprepared. It was recorded nearly live in 5 days. The drums are heavy like a heartbeat and the guitars and keyboards are mournful. Though the melodies don’t always grab you with bright hooks, the songs carry some of Mann’s best most expressive vocals. Through each note she brings to life every heartbreaking moment found in these, her most mature and powerful lyrics, and it’s this work that carries the album. It’s a record that moves me deeply, makes me cry often and evoking that kind of emotion says a lot about her skills as an artist.
I gave up on this because nobody cared but I might as well add my thoughts on Smiler’s