Skip to main content

12 by Aimee Mann

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This week features...










Aimee Mann is the poet laureate of the broken heart. Picking only twelve from from her is tough, especially if you include her work with 'Til Tuesday, which I have. 

1. "Voices Carry" (from 'Til Tuesday, Voices Carry, 1985) When I saw them in concert together, Aimee's husband Michael Penn did the "this little hobby of yours..." monologue from the video. It was great. 

2. "Coming Up Close" (from 'Til Tuesday, Welcome Home, 1986) This was an early indication that Mann's talents lay not in new wave but in bittersweet singer-songwriterly ruminations. 

 3. "(Believed You Were) Lucky" (from 'Til Tuesday Everything's Different Now, 1988) 
Mann is definitely not the type to let someone off the hook. Though it starts as a lament, the song quickly reveals itself as a kiss-off. 

 4. "Why Must I" (from 'Til Tuesday Everything's Different Now, 1988) 
One of the best lines she's written: "Why must I take it so hard / Other people get by with either bourbon or God." 

5. "I've Had It" (from Whatever, 1993) 
This meditative tune sounds like a typical Mann break-up song, but it's actually a simple story about a gig in New York. 

6. "Long Shot" (from I'm With Stupid, 1995) 
Mann joins the fuzzy alternative '90s, with her own spin of course. Great opening line: "You fucked it up / You should have quit." 

7. "Save Me" (from Magnolia, 1999) 
An excellent Jon Brion production that perfectly sums up the themes in Paul Thomas Anderson's film.

8. "Wise Up" (from Magnolia, 1999) 
A showstopper. When the characters sang along with this song in the movie, film and music had rarely combined so well. 

9. "Ghost World" (from Bachelor No. 2, 2000) 
A novel in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. 

10. "Red Vines" (from Bachelor No. 2, 2000) 
As a candy freak, how could I pass on this one? Though, truthfully, I prefer Twizzlers.

11. "Invisible Ink" (from Lost In Space, 2002) 
If, after listening to an artist's album, you are actually kind of worried about them, then you know they really put something across with their songs, and you hope they'll be okay.

12. "Little Bombs" (from The Forgotten Arm, 2005) 
A shuffly little ditty that shows off Mann's deft way with words: "While perspective lines converge, rows of cars and buses merge / All the sweet green trees of Atlanta burst like little bombs".

Comments

Richard said…
I love this list. You just made me want to bring my entire Aimee Mann collection to work!
8:13 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

12 by Weezer

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This one features... I decided to take an unconventional route for this 12 by, and pretend Weezer have already released a "greatest hits." Here's what I think that would look like:  1) "Buddy Holly", 2) "Undone - the Sweater Song", 3) "My Name Is Jonas", 4) "The Good Life", 5) "El Scorcho", 6) "Hash Pipe", 7) "Island in the Sun", 8) "Dope Nose", 9) "Keep Fishin'", 10) "Beverly Hills", 11) "We Are All On Drugs", 12) "Pork and Beans".  Here's a different take: 1. " Say It Ain't So"  (from Weezer , 1994)  A little bit heavy, a little bit catchy, quiet-loud dynamics. So basically, it's Pixies lite. The song is interesting lyrically because it's basically nonsense until the "Dear daddy..." bridge, which lets out a t
2 comments
Read more

12 by Vicious Vicious

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This one features... If you need a reference point for the work of Vicious Vicious mastermind Erik Appelwick, the most appropriate would be Beck. Like Mr. Hansen, Minnesota-based Appelwick has the ability to navigate between making you laugh and making you cry and making you want to dance, and embraces genres from country to R& B to folk to pop.  I've included songs from the two albums Appelwick did under the name Tropical Depression, because honestly there's not a lot of difference between that and Vicious Vicious.  I very literally  wrote the book  on Appelwick, so please feel confident you are hearing from an authority here.  If you have Amazon Music Unlimited, you can listen to an alternate version of list here  (sadly, not all of VV's music is on the service). 1. "Shake That Ass on the Dance Floor" (from Blood + Clover , 2003) A loungy, laconic come-on
Post a Comment
Read more

12 by Jenny Lewis

Here's the drill: 12 songs to summarize an artist's career, in chronological order (of course). This one features... Completely separate from Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis has put together an impressive oeuvre that is very difficult to winnow down to just 12 songs (if you include her work with Rilo Kiley, fuhgeddaboudit). But I've made what I feel is a valiant attempt. Because I admire Jenny's lyrics so much, I'm going to limit my commentary to a favorite couplet from the song. (If you have Amazon Music Unlimited, you can listen along here .) 1. "Rise Up With Fists!!!" (from Rabbit Fur Coat , 2005) "But you can wake up younger, under the knife / And you can wake up sounder, if you get analyzed." 2. "Melt Your Heart" (from  Rabbit Fur Coat , 2005) "It's like a valentine from your mother / It's bound to melt your heart." 3. "Born Secular" (from Rabbit Fur Coat , 2005) "God works in mysterious ways / And God give
Post a Comment
Read more