This CD was difficult for me to review for several reasons. First, I was a Mann-fan from back in her days with ‘Til Tuesday. Second, I lost track of her until a little over a year or so ago, when she sang on a Jim White song, “Static In The Radio." I wasn’t familiar with her name after this long absence, and I’d either never heard or never noticed Jim White’s name, but that particular song caught my attention.
I guess I’m like a lot of people today who buy music. Gone are the days when I’d run out and buy a new album or CD based on the fact that I like the group and they have a new CD out. Actually, those days have been gone for a good 20 years or so. Like many people, I was “once burned, twice shy.” When the record companies began putting out CDs with one or two decent songs and the rest dreck, that’s when I became a careful shopper. After getting burned two or three times (OK, I was a little slow to catch on), I began scrutinizing the CDs before committing myself.
When I heard “Static,” though, I sat up and paid attention; then I read up on both White and Mann. I still wasn’t sold on White, mainly because I wasn’t familiar with any of his past work. But when I read that Mann had been the singer for ‘Til Tuesday (which I’d forgotten), I decided to give this CD a try.
Having it to do over again, I wouldn’t have picked up Smilers. I should have listened to my earlier cautions on buying. Not that this CD is bad; don’t get me wrong on that. I still think Mann has a terrific voice, her arrangements are well written and well executed. But the lyrics, while catchy, are bland. The songs on this CD make excellent pop music; however, I don’t usually listen to pop. It’s not worth it (to me) to wade through hours of pop music waiting for that one or two kernels of meaningful music. Also, if a song has lyrics, it’s important to me that they me meaningful, or amusing, or funny, or that they strike me in some other way. That they have an impact, to put it clearly.
I’m still in love with Aimee Mann’s voice but she’ll have to make big strides in her lyrics for me to pick up another CD by her in the future.
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Article comments
1 - Howie
That wasn't a review of the album - that was a review of your music buying habits. Waste of time.
2 - Jill
The lyrics on this album are very interesting and meaningful to me. What do mean "bland" ?
Just a couple of examples. First, from borrowing time which turns the snow white fairy tale on its head to describe Aimee's experience with the movie studio:
"Get up, the needle has pricked a little finger.
She wants the beautiful child the blood will bring her.
You ask a question in the mirror.
Alas, no answer could be clearer....
I don't want anything anyway.
I was happy with what I had yesterday.
Who wants the whole weight of the world when it'll drag you down underground?"
From Phoenix:
""It's hard to know when to cut and run
you balance heartache with your fun
and when the scales tip, you know you're done
I don't want to abandon you but baby I've had my fill
you love me like a dollar bill
you roll me up and trade me in
and if you had the chance you will
and if you get the chance again"
From "Its Over"
"Here on the boulevard, you were the golden boy,
a mix of brains and muscle
that was a lucky break,
luck is a thing you make,
not just another hustle
but you sit there in the darkness,
and you make plans but they're hopeless,
and you blame God when you're lonely,
and you'll call it fate, when you show up too late and it's over.
'cos nothing can wait forever,
they don't give unlimited chances in life;
they hand you the knife and tell you to cut it around."
What are you looking for ?!
3 - Jill
The lyrics on this album are very interesting and meaningful to me. What do mean "bland" ?
Just a couple of examples. First, from borrowing time which turns the snow white fairy tale on its head to describe Aimee's experience with the movie studio:
"Get up, the needle has pricked a little finger.
She wants the beautiful child the blood will bring her.
You ask a question in the mirror.
Alas, no answer could be clearer....
I don't want anything anyway.
I was happy with what I had yesterday.
Who wants the whole weight of the world when it'll drag you down underground?"
From Phoenix:
""It's hard to know when to cut and run
you balance heartache with your fun
and when the scales tip, you know you're done
I don't want to abandon you but baby I've had my fill
you love me like a dollar bill
you roll me up and trade me in
and if you had the chance you will
and if you get the chance again"
From "Its Over"
"Here on the boulevard, you were the golden boy,
a mix of brains and muscle
that was a lucky break,
luck is a thing you make,
not just another hustle
but you sit there in the darkness,
and you make plans but they're hopeless,
and you blame God when you're lonely,
and you'll call it fate, when you show up too late and it's over.
'cos nothing can wait forever,
they don't give unlimited chances in life;
they hand you the knife and tell you to cut it and run."
What are you looking for ?!
4 - Tom Johnson
This was my spotlight album in last week's New Releases list and it'll likely feature high in my year-end list. It's yet another great album from Aimee Mann. She's a fantastic lyricist, kind of a female Elvis Costello at times, telling great stories. She's "pop" only in that she falls under that very, very broad spectrum of "pop/rock" - but she's far from the "pop" genre you seem to want to assign her to. You're really missing out if you only gave this the cursory listen that I think you gave it (judging by how you talk about it, you're not very familiar with the music.)
Howie is right - this is more about your buying/listening habits than about the album itself. Honestly, and this isn't aimed solely at you, I don't know why most people buy "unknown quantities" when they're gun shy like you seem to be. Sound clips are out there - the artist's site often has them Amazon, CD Universe, Itunes, etc., they usually have them, and there's always illicit means of sampling music, too. I buy stuff blindly all the time out of curiosity but that's because I like adventure and I have very, very wide-ranging interests, but most people should not do this. I never feel like I've been duped. I know I can sell my stuff on Amazon and lose a few bucks for the learning experience - big deal. If you can't handled that, take advantage of the many opportunities that are given to us now to find out what stuff sounds like before handing over your money.
5 - Ken Foster
Another example of how the art of criticism has gotten really crappy in the past few years. Is there any evidence that this guy actually listened to the disc? Not one lyric quoted. Not one song title mentioned. Instead we get an essay about how he accidently heard a song last year that reminded him that he'd once heard Aimee Mann sing something a long time ago. Maybe.
6 - John Stewart
Lou's opinion is just as valid as yours and mine.
Look at it like this: Bad reviews just mean more Kool Aid for the rest of us.
Most records that reach me right away also begin to bore me very quickly.
Aimee's records typically take some time to move in on me but all of them have real staying power.
If I had to guess, I would venture that Lou probably listened to "Smilers" while reading the lyrics on the sleeve.
For me, the printed lyrics come later, after I've had a chance to get involved in the song a bit more.
Going all the way back to the Til Tuesday days that you mentioned, there has always been a subtle "sub-text" buried in much of Aimee's music.
Simply said, you get it or you don't. Many people do not. It's no sin. Aimee is not for every ear.
Or eye. While I appreciate the graphic zing on Aimee's CD packages, my favorite Mann libretto was the do-it-yourself lyric sheet that was included with "I'm With Stupid".
Returning to "Smilers": This is a great Aimee Mann record.
If you like other records by Aimee, you'll like "Smilers" too.
If you like Sheryl Crow or Norah Jones or Joni Mitchell or Sugarland, you might also like "Smilers" very much.
Try it.
7 - Andy
You should really stick with not buying CD's and then not write about them either. Smilers is a great CD. I don't get the "pop music" as you stated.
8 - gavagai
Reviews are not mere opinions. Art isn't ice cream. Reviews should be done from a well-informed and, dare I say, skilled point of view. Lou, the reviewer here, is neither of these. He hasn't the background nor the understanding to be doing anything but giving thumbs-up or thumbs-down. At least nothing in his "review" suggests anything different.