Aimee Mann

Motion Picture Magnolia

Aimee at the top again

Review Score:

(10/10)
After squabbles with her record company, the public had to wait a long time to hear anything resembling a follow-up to Aimee Mann's second solo album 'I'm With Stupid'. The 'Magnolia' soundtrack proves that she's still on top form, which was decidedly affirmed by Paul Thomas Anderson basing an entire movie on her work. Although several of these tracks were also included on the later 'Bachelor Number Two', this is still an absolute gem of an album.

It starts with a cover of 'One', an tune that really fits the mood of 'Magnolia' but perhaps a little jarring alongside Aimee's originals. The album mostly contains angst-ridden songs about relationships gone wrong or heading for a fall. However, if the lyrics have a sad tone to them, the often buoyant melody means that they are never self-pitying and Mann often adopts a restrained approach of mock-hardiness. It would be impossible to pick a track of Aimee's here that is better than the others. Let's just say that they compare with her much-acclaimed 'Whatever' album, and that should be enough to make anyone want to buy it. The last two tracks of Aimee's, 'Wise Up' and 'Save Me', are possibly the most obvious to pick out though, purely because they are both the most prominent in the movie. In particular, the excellent 'Wise Up' which is part self-denial and part admittance of defeat, is sung by all of the characters in 'Magnolia'.

Of the other songs, they just don't seem to fit. Although the Supertramp tracks are reminiscent of an era which many people may find appealing, I didn't personally. The Gabrielle track, a huge song in England, is good but almost seems like an afterthought. Indeed, it wasn't included at all on the British release of the CD. Whatever the later tracks may be like though, this showcases Aimee's talent and will hopefully endear her to a whole new set of people. It's just fantastic.

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