Review by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
4 stars out of 4
I have always enjoyed and appreciated Aimee Mann. From her time with
Til Tuesdayand through all of her tragically underrated solo
work, she has been one of the best female rock artists for last two
decades. With "Lost In Space" Mann once again puts it all together
to offer great musicality accompanied by her tender and addictive
voice. Upon first listen I asked myself where all the angst and rockin'
tunes that this woman used to pump out? Actually, the only real rocker
on the entire album is "Pavlov's Bell." "Humpty Dumpty," which opens
up the album is an incredibly good track. It is has hooks galore and
her voice is so sweet and clear that those thoughts I had were soon forgotten.
Well, the angst is still present, as Mann has had many go rounds with
labels and lawsuits leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. You will
see and hear in her lyrics how she lashes out and strikes back at
her attackers. In "Invisible Ink" she sings about lies and deception-"What
some might take for magic at first glance, is just sleight of hand,
depending on what you believe, something gets lost when you translate,
its hard to keep straight, perspective is everything." Then similarly,
in "The Moth" her disgust and disappointment with the music industry
comes through loud and clear. At least that is how I would interpret
the overall mood of this album. She is one of many artists that have
taken the wrong road regarding their careers. Money grabbers and
slick talking corporate lawyers that do not care about artists' welfare
are some of scum that are the cause these situations. This CD is like
a storyline of her life in recent years. It all reminds me of the
Rolling Stones song "Shattered," when Jagger sings- "Bite the
big apple, don't mind the maggots, uh-huh." You know I may be totally
off base about my perception of what she is trying to convey in her
songs, then again, I may have hit the bull's-eye.
If you appreciate outstanding musicianship, you will love this album
with all it has to offer. There are plentiful stinging guitar lines
layered over lush keyboards that will suck you right in, while Mann's
voice will entrance and enchant you. The production aspects of this
recording are simply out of this world, which makes the listening
process that much more profound.
By the third listen, it all finally hit home and I could actually
write about it. Give this CD a fair chance and listen several times,
I guarantee you will appreciate it all if you take the time to process
everything that is wrapped into the lyrics and music. Perhaps this
time, after several critically acclaimed reviews, she will get the
attention she deserves. I tip my hat to Ms. Mann for her extraordinary
talents as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalists, and above
all for being brutally honest and wearing her heart on her sleeve.
This is without a doubt, some of the best work that Aimee Mann has
ever released; it just does not get much better.
1. Humpty Dumpty - 4:02
2. High on Sunday 51 - 3:13
3. Lost in Space - 3:23
4. This Is How It Goes - 3:47
5. Guys Like Me - 3:11
6. Pavlov's Bell - 4:25
7. Real Bad News - 3:53
8. Invisible Ink - 5:00
9. Today's the Day - 4:41
10. The Moth- 3:46
11. It's Not- 3:24
Credits:
Aimee Mann-Vocals , guitars, bass, piano, drums, tambourine
Please note that Aimee had several guests in the studio for this recording as well.
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