verbalgirl's Full Review: Bachelor No. 2 by Aimee Mann
A friend gave me this CD for Christmas and I only just got round to listening to it today. What was I waiting for?! This is amazing! I loved the MAGNOLIA soundtrack, but I wasn't quite sure if I would like this album as much... needless to say, I shouldn't have worried.
I love Aimee Mann's style because she switches back and forth from Sheryl Crow type folk rock to moody coffeehouse ballads to this quirky sound I can't really describe except that she juxtaposes a distinct one-two-three waltz rhythm with her characteristically introspective lyrics. A brief rundown of the tracks on "Bachelor No. 2":
How Am I Different -- I wouldn't be surprised if Sheryl Crow covered this song... it would have fit perfectly on "The Globe Sessions".
Nothing is Good Enough -- has a "carnival music" type feel to it and a strong waltz rhythm, the bounciness of which contrasts beautifully with the lyrics.
Red Vines -- dark, moody, my least favorite on the album.
The Fall of the World's Own Optimist -- Aimee Mann's music often sounds familiar, but this song TORMENTS me... I know I have either heard it somewhere before or have heard a similar song played on the radio. It's both radio-friendly and cinematic, so I could easily have heard it in a movie.
Satellite -- a slow waltz with soaring strings. I love the orchestration of this one... Jon Brion is a genius at using instruments that aren't normally associated with rock/pop music [violin, piano, woodwinds], as fans of Fiona Apple's "When the Pawn..." already know.
Deathly -- P.T. Anderson's inspiration for the character Claudia in MAGNOLIA, with the famous opening lines he lifted for dialogue: "Now that I've met you, would you object to never seeing each other again?"
Ghost World -- about graduating and not being sure what to do. Hits WAY too close to home for me as someone who will be completing her degree this May, but it is a pretty song.
Calling It Quits -- percussion reminiscent of the Sneaker Pimps' "Six Underground", a lovely melody, and strong lyrics. This song has a very eighties feel to it for some reason.
Driving Sideways -- great to sing along with... one of my favorites from MAGNOLIA.
Just Like Anyone -- shares a title with a Soul Asylum song I hate PASSIONATELY, so I was reassured to discover that this is not that song [hey, I run into covers in the most unexpected places] but a very simple ballad that uses violin and accordion sparingly and effectively.
Susan -- another song I would expect to hear Sheryl Crow play, or perhaps Jill Sobule or Meredith Brooks. A different sound, unexpected on this very melodic album.
It Takes All Kinds -- Beatles-esque is the only way to describe this one.
You Do -- a beautiful, subdued, melodic finale.
Aimee Mann and her producer, the brilliant Jon Brion [who created the lovely neoclassical score for MAGNOLIA and produced Fiona Apple's "When the Pawn", among other accomplishments] have created an absolute masterpiece in "Bachelor No. 2". Run, do not walk, to the nearest purveyor of music and purchase this CD. It is destined to become a classic.
Fresh on the heels of her Golden Globe and Acedemy Award nominations for her work on the soundtrack for Magnolia, Aimee Mann releases No. 2.More at Buy.com
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