Copyright 2000 Star Tribune
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
May 14, 2000, Sunday, Metro Edition
SECTION: ENTERTAINMENT; Pg. 10F
LENGTH: 854 words
HEADLINE: LISTEN UP
BYLINE: Natalie Nichols; Kevin O'Hare; Sonia Murray; Tom
Surowicz; Rick Mason
BODY:
Pop/rock
AIMEE MANN, "Bachelor No. 2" (SuperEgo)
It's ironic that Mann's third solo album is
subtitled "Or, the Last Remains of the Dodo." The singer-songwriter's
profile hasn't been so high since she fronted the band 'Til Tuesday, thanks
to her Oscar nomination for best original song ("Save Me" from
"Magnolia"), as well as her much-publicized retrieval of this
collection from Interscope Records after last year's PolyGram/Universal
merger. She deserves the attention, for this self-released collection of
13 gorgeous and brilliantly understated songs (three of which overlap from
the "Magnolia" soundtrack) that examine relationships with the
disbelief, doubt and disillusionment of people who seem quite sure of what
they don't want, but less certain of what they desire. The collection is
available in stores and online at http://www.aimeemann.com. Tempered with
Beatle-esque guitars, shimmering piano and prettily disaffected vocals,
the cheery pessimism in such songs as "How Am I Different" and
"Driving Sideways" seems an almost reluctant conclusion. Indeed,
Mann's self-deprecating "(The Fall of the World's Own) Optimist"
hints at a once-positive outlook being quashed, and there's an underlying
sense to "Bachelor No. 2" that she's emphasizing cynicism in the
hopes that someone will prove her wrong. 5311
_ Natalie Nichols, Los Angeles Times
BACK