Fringe Californian’s seventh – not much progression.
Aimee Mann has been rolling out albums for the past 15 years.
Her cult status has guaranteed her fans have been faithful since the soundtrack
for Magnolia. ‘Smilers’ keeps the status quo – solid, reliable, quality
music.
Not one for throwing caution to the wind, Mann has yet another one that’ll appeal
to the fans, but it’s doubtful if it’ll catch the casual listener’s ears. Her credibility
ensures she’s a musos magnet, with some 26 musicians contributing.
As ever, her singing is assured, forceful, smokey here and there, but not outstanding
by any means. First song Freeway is about a bum who’s happy enough on
speed, but hasn’t got his priorities right – no surprises there. It builds to
a huge chorus and eventually becomes quite catchy, making it one of her popier
efforts.
In sharp contrast she goes all melancholic for piano lead ballad Stranger Into Starman
and further-in It’s Over and Medicine Wheel, whereas later she
delves into Joni Mitchell styled balladeering backed by a sumptuous string
arrangement on country-tinged Phoenix and stripped back Little Tornado.
Jaunty Borrowing Time leans back to her pop thing: the song’s hook is
the subtle use of a Moog synthesiser. After the midway mark, her horn section
unleashes masses of brass which stay to the end. By far the best track is the
cool shuffle and beats of bouncy Great Beyond.
Lyrically, much is directed at the disillusionment with California’s empty and
shallow lifestyle, a recurring theme over the years.
1. Freeway
2. Stranger Into Starman
3. Looking For Nothing
4. Phoenix
5. Borrowing Time
6. It’s Over
7. 31 Today
8. The Great Beyond
9. Medicine Wheel
10. Columbus Avenue
11. Little Tornado
12. True Believer
13. Ballanties
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008.
