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glatisant
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« on: April 06, 2005, 10:51:35 AM » |
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Does anyone here listen to Amee Mann? Her new album, "The Forgotten Arm," is set to release on May 3rd. It is produced by Joe Henry. According to this excellent Salon interview, it's "set in the early '70s, and recounts the shaky relationship between John, a Vietnam vet and boxer, and Caroline as they meet, fall in love and set out on a cross-country road trip." She discusses the backstory of the album, her thoughts on Costello, Waits, Elliot Smith and others, her experience with labels, and other good stuff. And you can listen to three of the tracks here. Of her works, I've only heard Lost In Space, but what an album that was. If I were a fiction writer, I'd write a story to each one of those songs. |
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« Last Edit: April 06, 2005, 11:22:20 AM by glatisant »
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Josh
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« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2005, 11:20:53 AM » |
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This album is at the very top of my must-hear list, for three simple reasons:
1. The aforementioned Joe Henry. The man can do no wrong.
2. The 4-star review in the current issue of PASTE.
3. The track that appears on the current PASTE sampler, which kicks booty.
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bethany
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« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2005, 12:25:06 PM » |
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I lurve Aimee Mann. This album is definitely going on my birthday wish list.  |
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Josh
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« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2005, 12:47:41 PM » |
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I lurve Aimee Mann. This album is definitely going on my birthday wish list. I figured you'd be a fan, bethany, what with Mann's prominent place in the film Magnolia.  |
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bethany
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« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2005, 01:45:31 PM » |
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I figured you'd be a fan, bethany, what with Mann's prominent place in the film Magnolia. Yeah, that was my first exposure to her, and I subsequently went out and bought several of her albums (Magnolia, Bachelor No. 2, Ultimate Collection, plus the Magnolia soundtrack (though not all at the same time)). She's great. |
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glatisant
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« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2005, 10:19:45 PM » |
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More on Lost in Space, in case anyone's interested in picking it up...
Listening to the album again within the context of the Abnormal Psych class I'm taking has been interesting, as it's practically a handbook for psychologically maladjusted profiles (there's even one song titled "Pavlov's Bell," just to underscore the parallel). Destructive co-dependent relationships is the major theme that runs through all the tracks, often with drug addiction as a metaphor, but Mann also covers such disorders as dissociative amnesia ("Lost in Space") and dissociative fugue, or multiple-personality disorder ("Humpty Dumpty," which can be contrued as addressing either a significant other or another self). "It's Not" is one of the most accurate descriptions of depression I've ever read. And then there's the enimatic portrait of a Babbit-like, emotionally numb conformist in "Guys Like Me."
Given enough time, I can probably come up with a checklist of symptoms for each song, but I really should go back to my paper on repressed memory right now...
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Tom
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« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2005, 09:59:00 AM » |
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i regret that i haven't heard much of Aimee Mann. but the Magnolia soundtrack that she did with former Jellyfish guitarist Jon Brion (Brion's Eternal Sunshine music was awesome too) was magical. her cover of "One is the Loneliest Number" was awesome. and "Wise Up" gave me some serious chills. brilliant song.
is the rest of her output on par with the Magnolia sdtrk?
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Josh
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« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2005, 01:16:16 PM » |
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Speaking of Brion, he also did the soundtrack to Punch-drunk Love, which remains the most surreal and memorable film score I've ever heard. (Not to mention the most divisive!)
And yeah, the "Wise Up" scene is one of the most moving in all of Magnolia.
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glatisant
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« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2005, 05:25:17 PM » |
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Josh
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« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2005, 07:05:09 PM » |
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S.T. Erlewine is polite, but far from enthusiastic.
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Josh
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« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2005, 12:51:11 PM » |
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I've bumped this album up to #3 in my Music Journal, placing it ahead of Beck, Springsteen, and Iron & Wine.
It's really a very compelling listen. Mann has a magnetic vocal presence, and her backing band it absolutely first rate. Joe Henry's production keeps things lively and exciting, and he never gives this album the neo-noir sheen that he's known for, which is very fortunate; these songs benefit greatly from the breathing room that he gives them.
The songwriting is fantastic. Mann can really turn a phrase, and her exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of romantic love is fascinating.
I give it an A-, and highly recommend it to all of you.
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dgp11776
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« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2005, 07:46:22 AM » |
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I DL'd this over the weekend, and I'm checking it out today.
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dgp11776
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« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2005, 08:09:25 AM » |
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Yeesh, this album bored me to tears. I listened to it 4-5 times, and I couldn't get into it.
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Josh
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« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2005, 09:34:42 AM » |
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Yeesh, this album bored me to tears. I listened to it 4-5 times, and I couldn't get into it. Oh, you're just trying to get even with me for my reactions to John Davis and Mae. =) But really, I can understand your reaction. I didn't really start to dig it until several weeks after I bought it, when I began to become really excited by the band and really fascinated by the story Mann tells with her lyrics. But many of the arrangements sound very similar at first, so your response is certainly justified. |
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Josh
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« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2005, 10:12:25 PM » |
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My review, for what its worth.
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