Aimee Mann - @#%&*! Smilers

Snore.............

I'm With Stupid is one of my all-time top 25. Whatever is nearly as good as that one. Smilers almost put me to sleep. Medicine Wheel is pretty good. Balantine's? Heard it before. The rest... you get the picture. October 25, 2008

Her Best Work Since "Whatever"

I've read quite a few reviews stating that Aimee is retreading old territory and that she should experiment more. The last time one of my favorite bands started "experimenting" we ended up with a pretentious piece of crap called "Kid A". As long as Aimee keeps putting out well written songs with killer performances, I'm in.

In the case of Smilers I am not really hearing it as same old same old. It sounds like she has revisited her entire history - from the tender acoustic balladry of Whatever - the adventurous keyboard flavored songs of Lost In Space. She has birthed a new beast made up of her own parts. It also sounds like she is having fun. Something that I haven't really heard on the last few records. The only thing that is missing, and that I would like to see Miss Mann return to, is the rocking electric guitar songs that we got on Whatever and I'm With Stupid. Songs like "I Should Have Known", "Say Anything", "Choice In The Matter", and one of my all time favs "It's Not Safe". Songs like these need to make a comeback

As for the songs on Smilers there isn't a bad one in the bunch. The ones that stand out for me are the stunningly beautiful duet with Sean Hayes "Ballantines", "Phoenix", "Borrowing Time" (I'm a sucker for horns), and the heart wrenching beauty of "Columbus Ave". I'm sure my favorites will change from listen to listen. Why? Because Aimee's songs are alive and vibrant. They grow and evolve over time with the listener. That's what excellent songwriting is all about. That's why diehard Aimee Mann fans have stuck by her through thick and thin. It's always worth it.
October 24, 2008

Consistently good...one of the best of 2008

I own most of Aimee Mann's albums, including her previous one before this, The Forgotten Arm. Some reviews felt that as a concept album, it was a bit of a departure for Mann but I find that she consistently makes good music, especially with sweet lyrics and vocals.

I was fortunate enough to catch one of her concerts as part of the tour for this album and she did a great job on the songs. The show helped reinforce just how well these songs fit into the Aimee Mann canon. The album opens with the single, "Freeway", which is the one song on the album that seems atypical for Mann. It's a catchy, adult-oriented pop song that finds Mann letting loose with some unusual lyrics for her, "you got a lot of money but you can't afford the freeway."

The album leads into "Stranger into Starman", which is just short enough to always leave you wanting more of this beautiful song. Other highlights for me are "Thirty One Today" and "Little Tornado", but the album is consistently good Aimee Mann from front to back.
October 22, 2008

Bring the band back

I couldn't wait to get this new CD by Aimme Mann. I listened to it over and over but it just isn't soaking in. I preferred the full band albums complete with drums and faster tempos. I'm hoping this is just a phase and she will return to a full band soon. And I hope she returns to Florida, the state she seems to put off on her tours. There are fans south of Atlanta Aimee. The acoustic thing is ok for a short time but not a whole album and 2 tours. I remember when I saw her in Atlanta for the Lost In Space tour and she opened with "The Moth", the drums kicked in and it was electrifying! I miss that feeling. Hope it returns.
Disappointing. September 28, 2008

@#%&*! Aimee!

@#%&*! Smilers
She's a great songwriter and while her and her husband went off and did their own concept albums last time (didn't care for her boxing album...Did I hear she did a dark Christmas album? No, she didn't...Man, it must cost a lot to live in LA) this is as compelling and addictive as Lost in Space for me.

I like the horns and the electronics, they seem to add more to her minimalistic song structures than studio cleansed guitars of albums past.

I would have seen her in concert when she comes to town but opening for Squeeze? Don't think I could sit through that. I'm sure while that band would look back at their perfectly coiffed 80s hits, Mann, will, no doubt musically, existentially, keep looking forward...That's what separates her from the rest, I believe.

Aimee is consistently fresh with her stories and even if she's comes across as a bit California-condescending in her observations at times and still clunks a bit with her references (Anne Sexton) and precious with Mr. Eggers whistling (Please...), she still carries a pop tune as well as she always has.

Jim Harris
A Bottle of Rain
Nowhere Near the Sea of Cortez September 21, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...