Aimee Mann

No

Coming Up Close

I love Voices Carry and her songs from Magnolia.

"Wise Up" from Magnolia.

The Other End of the Telescope

R2 I love that song. She has a song on her first solo album called “4th of July” that’s a favorite.

Not her song, but her voice on this track is wonderful.

Looking over my shoulder, from the LP Voices Carry.

Have any of you heard of Voices Carry?

I Should've Known

Ghost World, always Ghost World.

I've loved her since I first heard "Voices Carry". My faves are Labrador, Coming Up Close & I really like her new song "Suicide is Murder" from the upcoming "Queens of the Summer Hotel". Can't wait to hear the whole album.

Yes. She is fantastic. I lived Til Tuesday and her solo stuff. I've always thought this song had one of the best bridges.

Love her

Her first solo album "Whatever" was/is a favorite.

Wise Up. Flawless.

"It's Not"

Choice in the Matter

Brilliant song from the late aughties. The live version is even better.

Runner-up: David Denies, from the Welcome Home album (Til Tuesday)

I use to think Aimee Mann was married to Judd Apatow.

I really like "Wise Up" and "Save Me" from Magnolia, beautiful, haunting songs. I loved "Voices Carry" in the '80s, but then she just fell of my radar until Magnolia was released.

She's great in concert, and still did tours (pre-pandemic). She's very funny and self-effacing on stage.

She fit in very well with the Portlandia folks on the sketches she performed in.

All of Magnolia was very meaningful to me in High School. Sigh. I wonder if listening to "Save Me" would trigger a breakdown now that I'm mid-thirties...

Husband Michael Penn "No Myth"

What does “coming up close” mean? I like the song.

I think she has written some amazing songs. One of the best songwriters we have. Some of it is starting to sound the same to me in the later recordings but with so much recorded material. That's understandable. She has aged really well by the way. Her skin is amazing.

A couple years ago, a DL poster thought her role on Portlandia was reality and that she actually became a housekeeper in real life

Aimee Mann and Madonna were sisters-in-law through the Penn brothers

“The Great Beyond” from @#%&! SMILERS (my favorite of all her albums).

I just watched Magnolia the other night (it's currently on Netflix, if anyone is interested).

Love her music, but something I can only handle in small doses.

Don’t forget to bump one of your Torn Anus threads

Her major fall from pop stardom to more cult status was lampooned on Portlandia on the episode “Aimee.”

I loved that song Voices Carry and especially the video. I can’t believe that was almost 40 fucking years ago!

This one.

I wonder what she thinks of Phoebe Bridgers. It feels like Phoebe kind of copies her vibe/look.

She deserves the masturbatory praise Fiona Apple's overrated, narcissistic ass gets. She can definitely get a bit "same-y", but her ability to remain accessible and never verge into self-indulgence the themes she tackles is very impressive. Paul Thomas Anderson living with Fiona and doing a film filled with Aimee's music instead will always be funny and pretty much says it all. I Wonder if they fucked.

Her husband Michael Penn is highly underrated as well. Love his "Resigned" album.

Everything about Magnolia is just so overwrought. It's embarrassing to watch. Almost like Valley of the Dolls without the camp element.

And not just Tom Cruise. Even Julianne Moore - seriously.

Am I the only DL'er who thought the sadistic yuppie boyfriend in the "Voices Carry" video was hot as hell? ("Why can't you for once do something for me?")

A guilty pleasure, sure. But still.

Love her!

Aimee composes depressing songs which all sound the same, she also has a weird psycho stare.

I remember attending a concert at Radio City, I don't recall if it was Byran Ferry, INXS or possibly the Cure. A friend worked there in guest relations, yet never used his house seats, he gave us four seats in the third row. Certain rows across were assigned for Radio City workers, if workers weren't interested in using the house tickets, the tickets were released to the public the day of a concert.

I remember walking out of the concert and who is sitting in a seat next to the last row in the orchestra, Aimee Mann and the guy she was dating at the time, he had dark curly hair, think he was a musician, Jules Shear?

Besides loudly arguing with this man, Aimee had this look of utter distain for anyone who was walking up from the front area, she was practically scowling at fans as they walked past her and wildly gesticulating. It was so odd. The impression I got, Aimee seemed to think real fans should never ever get the front area seats, that 'famous people' like herself should have that sort of prime access. Or perhaps she was pissed that no one recognized her?!! Basically, she looked like she wanted to punch someone. She looked furious.

Afterwards, once the four of us were outside Radio City, one of my friends said he heard Aimee and Jules arguing in the lobby, she was going on about him not being able to secure "better seats." It was quite funny!

Years down the line, a relative's husband's jazz band opened for Aimee at some small venue, my relative's husband is very friendly and a kind man. He went into Aimee and her bands dressing room to say 'hello' and to say how happy he was to open for Aimee and her band, that he was a huge fan. Once again, she looked angry and disgusted, all she did was stare him down, she didn't say a word. She gthen ot up and walked past him into a bathroom, her band looked at her as if she was nuts.

Aimee seems mentally ill. It's no surprise she writes such downbeat songs.

r38 She said in this podcast that she had some medical issue during lockdown and had a major breakdown, including suicidal thoughts.

Both she and Michael Penn seem like very depressive people. I can't imagine them having sex, let alone good sex. He seems like the total opposite of Sean (probably a good thing overall). They don't seem close.

[quote][R38] She said in this podcast that she had some medical issue during lockdown and had a major breakdown, including suicidal thoughts.

Well, there you go. All that money and these people cannot find a great psychiatrist? Money does change everything, there is a joke in there.

Guess she never had any kids with Michael Penn?

She has fantastic weave now

[quote]Am I the only DL'er who thought the sadistic yuppie boyfriend in the "Voices Carry" video was hot as hell?

His career after that video is something of a mystery that I think DL sleuths have covered in other threads. IIRC he eventually died of AIDS in a small town in Indiana.

I Googled the Voices Carry actor, here's what I found, "Cully Holland died of AIDS on 29 July 29 1991, aged 33, in Sacramento, California."

A post from someone who apparently knew Cully: "Like the FB poster above, i too lived in Evansville and knew Perry while there. once when i knocked on his door, Cully opened it wearing only his tighty-whities. (!!) flash forward to 1988 at the Woods Resort in Guerneville, CA, Sonoma County. i was serving in the Woods' restaurant one night and there was Cully and another man at one of my tables. he mentioned that he and Perry had broken up and that he had moved back to California to work in films. that's the last time i ever saw him, and i know Perry succumbed to AIDS back in Indiana."

What unpleasant experiences, R38. I got to briefly hang out with her at a small party (art & music people) in SoHo in the '90s, and she was very polite and offbeat funny.

Michael and Aimee "Two of Us"

R44

For longest time WEHT Cully Holland was one of the biggest questions. You look at YT videos of "Voices Carry", and it was one of the major questions everyone asked.

For some time there was nil to nothing on internet except a few persons saying CH died of HIV/AIDS, which no one seemed to believe. Then suddenly things like like above began appearing and word got out, Cully Holland did indeed die from HIV/AIDs related causes just a few years after "Voices Carry" video was done.

"Suicide is Murder" sounds like a very judgmental, shame-filled song. Has she been bashed for it?

Another song from her upcoming album called "Burn It Out".

New song "I See You". Album out next week.

Yes, I’m a big fan. I really like I’m With Stupid which is about her record company; Bachelor #2 and Lost in Space. Her songwriting has gotten stronger. Mental Illness was fine, too.

Has anyone here listened to her new album?

I loved Til Tuesday -- especially the album "Welcome Home" -- and stayed a fan through her first few solo albums. I loved "Whatever" and "I'm With Stupid." I also liked the "Magnolia" soundtrack, but found that after "Bachelor No. 2" all of her songs began to sound the same. Very downbeat and mopey. I found her increasingly hard to enjoy. I still listen to the three Til Tuesday albums to this day. She's better when she's got someone (a band or a record label) pushing her to write and record more commercial material. Because she has and can write stellar commercial songs but left to her own devices she writes lazy, navel-gazing dirges.

Love this one:

"Any woman my age is traumatised by growing up in the 60s and 70s"

R53 - 100% agree, well said

I like Christy Turlington's voice segueing into Aimee's

[quote] stayed a fan through her first few solo albums. I loved "Whatever" and "I'm With Stupid." I also liked the "Magnolia" soundtrack, but found that after "Bachelor No. 2" all of her songs began to sound the same. Very downbeat and mopey.

Her early albums were produced by Jon Brion who produced Fiona Apple’s first two albums too. I felt the same way you did at first, but somewhere down the line, I found myself listening more and more to the post-Brion era albums and really enjoying them.

AV Club review

What the World Needs Now

She's cool. I met her when she was on a promo tour for 'Whatever,' April 1993. A bone crushing handshake.

[quote]"Any woman my age is traumatised by growing up in the 60s and 70s"

Drama queen much? What a bizarre and false statement. Lots of my relatives, many who are women, grew up in the 60s and 70s. They are all functional adults, they are happy, satisfied with their careers and live productive creative lives. Some are gay and some are straight.

What a bizarre blanket statement. Aimee Mann comes across as extremely depressed, she's quite lucky she's found a career where people eat up her personal drama. I see this woman as an extremely depressed and unhappy person, she gets to spew her depression on the world in the form of her songs. Lucky her.

In any other field she'd be deemed dysfunctional and difficult. As a musician, she's considered talented and possibly some kind of genius. Fans put these types on pedestals and call them "brave."

Aimee Mann always looks miserable and unapproachable, she has a permanent sneer on her face. Even when interviewed on TV she seems as if she doesn't want to be there. Showbiz is so bizarre.

Top 5:

Video

The Other End of the Telescope

That’s Just What You Are

Momentum

Coming Up Close

I like or love most of the songs off the albums I know but a few favourites are Medicine Wheel, I Could Hurt You Now, Stupid Thing, Ray, Goodbye Caroline, Dear John and, as mentioned by R63, Video and That's Just What You Are.

I have but have not listened much to Charmers and Bachelor No 2 so I'm glad this thread came up as it's prompted a wish to get to known them better as there's bound to be some gems there.

Another for Coming up Close

"Little Bombs"

The "life just kind of empties out" line hits me.

From the twenty second floor Walking down the corridor Looking out the picture window down On Sycamore While perspective lines converge Rows of cars and buses merge All the sweet green trees of Atlanta burst Like little bombs Or little pom-poms Shaken by a careless hand That drives them off And leaves again Life just kind of empties out Less a deluge than a drought Less a giant mushroom cloud Than an unexploded shell Inside a cell Of the Lennox Hotel On the twenty second floor Found a notice on my door While outside, the sun is shining on Those little bombs Those little pom-poms Life just kind of empties out Less a deluge than a drought Less a giant mushroom cloud Than an unexploded shell Inside a cell Of the Lennox Hotel Inside a cell Of the Lennox Hotel Inside a cell Of the Lennox Hotel Inside a cell Of the Lennox Hotel

The one day of the year to dust off this evergreen chestnut

I loved that song Voices Carry and especially the video.

Yes the video is quite good but it might have been more interesting if the record label hadn't made her change the lyrics and storyline from "She wants me" to "He wants me".

The song makes so much more sense in its original format between two women.

STILL married to Michael Penn

Coming Up Close - Til Tuesday

Invisible Ink - Aimee Mann

…and so many others.

She's one of my favourite artists. I would say my favourite album of hers is The Forgotten Arm which hasn't seen much love on this thread (although R66 highlights 'Little Bombs' which is from that album). It's got my favourite songs of hers, with one of my favourite lyrics - 'That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart' with the line "So like a ghost in the snow, I'm getting ready to go. Cos baby, that's all I know - how to open the door." 'Video' and 'Little Bombs' are my other faves from that album.

Almost 40 years of great songs. I enjoy every one of her albums, and the ones I listen to most are from the past two decades. Her lyrics can be witty, biting, and yes, quite depressing, but seldom self-pitying and never maudlin.

At times she reminds me of Joni Mitchell far more than her closer contemporaries.

"The Other End of the Telescope" (co-written with Elvis Costello) is my favorite too. The 'Til Tuesday version is very different in effect from Costello's own later version on All This Useless Beauty. Mann sings it with an ache in her throat, and there's more of a sense of sadness and loss behind the verbal barbs. The production is elaborate, swirling around her voice. Costello sounds more bitter, and the instrumental backing is spare and hard-edged.

I like them both, but I'd give the edge to Aimee and company.

Every singer/songwriter dreams of what Paul Thomas Anderson did with her music in "Magnolia"

Duet of escalating bitterness from a moribund marriage, proving Aimee Mann gets as good as she gives.

She wrote and performed the theme song for Bridger Winegar's podcast, I Said No Gifts. In the closing credits of each episode, he refers to her as "Miracle Worker Aimee Mann", and I agree.

American Bandstand

r72 Joni actually praised Aimee during her 'Til Tuesday days, so she saw the talent in her from the beginning.