Ultimate Collection By Aimee Mann Tracks: 1. That's Just What You Are 2. You Could Make A Killing 3. You're With Stupid Now 4. Wise Up 5. Driving With One Hand On The Wheel 6. Long Shot 7. Choice In The Matter 8. Voices Carry (Single Mix) 9. Take It Back 10. Say Anything 11. Jacob Marley's Chain 12. Amateur 13. All Over Now 14. Baby Blue 15. Everything's Different Now 16. Sign Of Love 17. The Other End (Of The Telescope) (Live) 18. Jimmy Hoffa Jokes 19. Stupid Thing 20. I Should've Known Unable to get an album released between 1995 and 1999, Aimee Mann had three on the market within 12 months, including this September 2000 compilation. There is a certain irony that the current configuration of a record company that gave her so much trouble (demanding changes to her third album, refusing to release it, dropping her, and then forcing her to buy back the album's master tapes) is now attempting to * in on the exposure she received due to her 1999 Academy Award nomination for "Save Me" from Magnolia. Mann's music is catchy, guitar-based pop/rock, which sounds like it should be at the top of the charts. But since Mann has reached the Top 40 only twice in 15 years, she has largely been subject to standard operating procedure in the major-label record business. Journalists have howled largely on critical grounds, and Ultimate Collection should give them more ammunition despite its limits. Compilation producer Rhonda Shields pulled a variety of stray tracks, turning this into a virtual rarities album. Several songs were contributed to movie soundtracks, and five tracks are drawn from the non-LP B-sides of singles. Thus, even those who have copies of Whatever and I'm With Stupid will need this album, and find that the rarities are some of her better performances. Aimee Mann is unquestionably one of the most impressive singer/songwriters of her time, but her lyrics of bitter romantic complaint may destine her to a limited audience.
M**G
Great Collection of Early Songs
This collection covers Aimee Mann’s career from 1985 and her ’Til Tuesday” years until her second solo album ”I’m With Stupid” from 1995. Moreover a good handful of fine singles/rarities are included.Overall this is really a great collection of songs, showing the range of Mann, both as a singer and an intelligent songwriter.The two earliest tracks are from Mann’s time as a member of the pop-act ’Til Tuesday. They’re are rather typical 1980’s pop, nut onlike a lot of what Kim Wilde recorded in those years – solid but not much more.4 songs are taken from her first solo-album ”Whatever” from 1993. Among those the atypical ”Jacob Marley’s Chain” is a clear favorite – actually this was the song that first convinced me that he was an artist worth digging into. Also ”Stupid Thing” and ”I Should’ve Known” are fine – the first a heartfelt ballad and the second one of the heaviest songs on the compilation – a bit of Pretenders style.The six songs from her second album ”I’m With Stupid” are generally really great. From the immediately catchy singles ”That’s Just What You Are” and ”You Could Make a Killing” over the Sheryl Crow like ballad ”Amateur” til more rocking songs like ”Long Shot” and ”Choice of the Matter”.Among the singles you notice a great and faithful version of Badfinger’s classic ”Baby Blue” ( don’t hesitate to dig into this great band either). The cover song ”Sign of Love” is one of the more commercial tracks – but really great pop. ”Driving with one Hand on the Wheel” is an unpretentious song, which also reminds me of early Sheryl Crow. A songwriting collaboration with Elvis Costello produced the country flavoured ”The Other End” – also a win for the collection. ”Take it Back” and ”Jimmy Hoffa Jokes” are just nice additions to any Aimee Mann song collection.Finally the ”Magnolia” soundtrack song is worth noting – a very evocative song, which was also included on her highly praised 3rd solo album ”Bachelor No. 2”
A**S
Aimee Mann = pure musical genius
When I was in my early twenties, I ‘discovered’ this wonderful artist Aimee Mann through the song ‘Long Shot’. I’d recorded the song from the radio onto a blank cassette (remember those things?!) and used to rewind and play this song over and over and over again. Just loved the energetic vibe of the song and the guitar riff. Have been recently reminded about Aimee Mann so revisiting some wonderful music in her back catalogue through this album including Long Shot plus one of her more recent albums called ‘Mental Illness’. Aimee Mann is a musical genius🙂
A**N
Three Stars
As described
D**.
Five Stars
new singer to me love this cd.
R**D
Five Stars
One of my favourite female artists. Great compilation.
A**G
Five Stars
Lovely voice
A**R
Mann does it again!
A brilliant culmination of Aimee Manns work to date. This album brings together alot of her best songs from previous albums, such as You could make a killing and amateur. However it does, unfortunately have the feel of a 'greatest hits' album and not an album which flows easily from song to song. A couple of my favourite songs, such as You Do, and Save Me (both on the Magnolia soundtrack) are not present on this album, aswell as some of her more recent songs (from Bachelor No.2) such as Red Vines and Calling it quits. It is however, interesting to see the progression of her work, and if you an Aimee Mann fan, I would definately recommend this album. If this is your first taste of Aimee Mann, I would recommend that you start with another album, such as the Magnolia soundtrack, or Bachelor No.2.Nevertheless, this is a throughly enjoyable album, and I can't wait until the next!
