Smilers

Product Details

Artist : Aimee Mann
Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0698519002624
Label : Outside Music
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : Music
Release Date : 2008-06-03
UPC : 698519002624

ASIN : B00171MNKQ

Track Listings for

Disc-1
1. Freeway
2. Stranger into Starman
3. Looking for Nothing
4. Phoenix
5. Borrowing Time
6. It's Over
7. 31 Today
8. Great Beyond
9. Medicine Wheel
10. Columbus Avenue
11. Little Tornado
12. True Believer
13. Ballantines

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Customer Reviews

Simply amazing (2008-06-11)

Although Aimee Mann is not your typical frontpage superstar, this woman has built a steady and devoted following since the mid-80s (when she burst onto the music scene as the leader of the long-gone band Til Tuesday). Two decades later, having survived more ups and downs than many of her musical peers assembled together, she is still an essential and creative artist with a deeply personal songwriting and performing style - not to mention a truly independant spirit in a business where style is often more important than substance."Smilers", her sixth complete solo album (not counting the brilliant "Magnolias" soundtrack) continues her tradition of biting, sharp and introspective pop songs with everything you'd expect from her, all the while avoiding complacency. From the engaging and catchy opener ("Freeway", also the debut single) right to the lilting finale ("Ballantines"), the thirteen songs included here form a perfectly segued collection of songs. Of particular interest are the aforementioned tracks, plus the showstopping "31 today" (the closest thing she's come to a pop hit since "Voices carry"), the achingly beautiful "Phoenix" and "It's over", the uptempo "Borrowing time", the irrepressible "Medicine wheel", the haunting "The great beyond" and the pensive "Columbus avenue". The album's unlikely highlight may arguably be "Little tornado", a quiet but powerful song whose understated arrangments and minimalistic production prove yet again that less is more; the hook is so subtle that you probably won't notice it at first, but you'll keep humming it for the rest of the day - which might be the perfect way of describing Aimee Mann's music.Musically, the album is a smooth continuity of what Aimee does best; the hook here is that "Smilers" features no electric guitars, a brave and daring move that yields great results. The interesting thing is that you don't miss them at all - the acoustic guitars are up front, the rhythm section is solid, and the keyboard work is groovy and tastefully used. The debut single "Freeway" is a great example of this, a song that manages to qualify as a strong rocker even without the presence of electric guitars.There is not a single dud on this filler-free album; Aimee's voice is great (effortlessly soaring on high notes on "It's over"), her melodies are strong and effective, production is tasteful and filled with wonderful little details, and the songwriting is first rate. It may not propell her to the top of the radio stations playlists, but it will certainly convince her already loyal fanbase that she is well worth following around.Diehard fans will be wise to purchase the limited deluxe edition of "Smilers"; while it features no bonus tracks, it features an enhanced packaging that is simply stunning.

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