Music : @#%& Smilers

Rating: - Something to cheer up any lover of great music
The title of the album, which is pronounced using the 'f-word' in place of the range of symbols, is a reference to the title of a thread on internet newsgroup "alt.bitter" Aimee read a couple of decades ago where the author complained about the people who would approach him at work when he was in a bad mood and try to cheer him up. It really is quite an apt title for an album full of slightly world-weary but cheery cynicism all held together by Mann's rich, beautiful vocals and some incredibly good music.

I suppose I have to mention the fact that, on first listen, I was slightly under-awed. Many of the songs seemed to blur into each other and I felt a little disappointed, but - after quite a few plays - that feeling soon dissipated and all of the individual songs revealed themselves in their full glory. Of course, the most immediately striking thing about this particular album is that it was recorded without the use of electric guitars so, although the mood and style of the album may not be a huge departure from what fans have come to expect from Aimee, the execution and texture of the recording take a little adjusting to. It's subtle, but noticeable. Some of the material, notably the catchy opener 'Freeway' and the excellent 'Thirty One Today' have a pop feel reminiscent of Rilo Kiley's most recent album, 'Under The Blacklight', only arguably better.

One of my real favourites on this album is 'It's Over', a piano-led waltz full of expressive strings, as is the gorgeous 'Phoenix', a melancholy tale of leaving someone who didn't value her, again featuring piano and strings. Another highlight is the exceptional 'Medicine Wheel', the story of a destructive relationship which has a great, understated, brass section and rather lovely electric piano solo. I could, in fact, go on to name and enthuse about many other great tracks on this album ('Columbus Ave' and the Grant Lee Phillips co-written 'True Believer', especially), but I will instead just say that this a genuinely wonderful album and is up there with Aimee's very best work. Brilliant, beautiful stuff and highly recommended.

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Rating: - Fab Album
I love Aimee Mann. Ever since I first heard her music through Magnolia, I have searched and faithfully follow her music ever since. I also had the opportunity to listen to her live 3 years ago and going to go again this Thursday (hoorah!).

If you are a fan of Aimee's music then I am sure you won't be disappointed. Her stuff - just like the others, grows on you more and more. Everytime you listen, there's always one track which stands out and after a while another. You just don't get bored of them.

Her music are haunting and beautiful with deep (and albeit slightly twisted)lyrics. There's more usage of definite beat and drum motion. The last track in the album was upbeat and jazzy and in fact a duet. It is quite different.

Most of the songs in the album are still melancholic but with a touch of a country-folk style (and not country-Western more like New Orleans style) interweave in between most of the songs. However, listening to them, you know it's Aimee's work.

I still find Batchelor No 2 my favourite of her lot. However, this is not disappointing and a must for Aimee fan. Recommended. Love it.

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Rating: - Grower
I've been a fan of Aimee Mann since "Whatever", and along with Lost In Space, it's still one of my favourite Mann albums. This one has taken time to grow on me. All the trademarks are there, the beautiful and warm alto, the witty world-weary obervations, lovely productions.

I would say that my favourite tracks here are Freeway, very radio friendly, the moving honesty of 31 Today, Phoenix - "you love me like a dollar bill, you roll me up and trade me in", and It's Over, a beautiful lilting 3/4 string-laiden ballad. The lyrics are often beguiling to the point where it's not always clear whether these are mere stories, or whether the lyrics are drawn from personal experience, I suspect possibly both. There are a handful of songs which I find it difficult to tap into, ie Stranger into Starman and Ballentines. I'd sum this up 'Smilers' by saying that when it's good, it's excellent, despite one or two inconsistencies. I would highly recommend it to fans, and to people who have yet to discover Aimee Mann. And it gets better the more you live with it.

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Rating: - not quite up to scratch


Aimee, Aimee, Aimee. What can I say? I have been a longtime fan of Aimee Mann. At her best she is a writer of beautiful songs charting the ups and downs (often the downs!) of love and life. However, something seems to have gone wrong with the current album, I'm sad to say.

Unlike many, I was a big fan of The Forgotten Arm, Mann's previous record. Dismissed by most critics purely on the grounds of its `concept', it was a set of strong songs and at least a couple good enough to be ranked amongst Aimee's best. Unfortunately, the magic is somehow missing on Smilers. The songs are pretty enough; it's just that after a number of listens, they steadfastly refuse to stand out; not one has lodged itself in my brain (except maybe Borrowing Time, and that's due to its echoes of Green Day's Holiday and Iggy Pop's The Passenger).

This might be the fault of the production. Each song sounds largely the same, and the electric guitar is notable only because of its absence. It's just kind of... inoffensive, and for a songwriter of Mann's quality I'm sorry to have to say it. I very much hope this is a temporary blip, but I can't see @#%&*! Smilers staying on heavy rotation on the ipod for long.

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Rating: - Another fantastic album from the fantastic Aimee Mann
I loved this album, it just consists of beautiful songs after beautiful songs. For anyone who has no other Aimee music, I would say this album would be a fabulous introduction