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42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Subversively seductive, March 28, 2000
This album will really sneak up on you. When I first played it, it seemed somewhat, well, subdued. Not quite as poppy as "Whatever," not quite as hard-edged as "I'm With Stupid." But after listening to it again, I found myself unable to get it's songs out of my head. The subtlety of it's lyrics and melodies will sneak up and capture you. Now I can't stop listening to it! Bachelor No. 2 is nothing short of lyrically brilliant, and shows Aimee Mann has yet again developed her craft ever further. Imagine the acerbic wit of Elvis Costello combined with the masterful wordplay of a modern day Cole Porter or Ira Gershwin not afraid to use the "F" word to accent it's real life edginess. The top selections range from the jazzy, hypnotic "Calling It Quits" to the love blown up in your face resignation of "Susan" ("I guess I see it all in hindsight/I tried to keep perspective despite/The flash of the fuse, the smell of cordite"), "Red Vines" ("Well, it's always fun and games until/ it's clear you haven't got the skill/ in keeping the gag from going too far"), and the Elvis Costello co-written "The Fall of the World's Own Optimist," ("'cause the eggshells I've been treading/ couldn't spare me a beheading/ and I'll know I had it coming/ from a Caesar who was only slumming"). Great stuff accompanied by unique arrangements. This album also includes 3 selections off of Aimee's "Magnolia" soundtrack, but if you already own and enjoy that CD, let that be an encouragement, not discouragement, to add this keeper to your collection and explore it's wealth of riches.
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56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album of the Year, March 30, 2000
"Hey, kids--look at this/ it's the fall of the world's own optimist/ I could get back up if you insist/ but you'll have to ask politely/ cause the eggshells I've been treading/ couldn't spare me a beheading" from Bachelor #2's '...Optimist' (co-written with fellow music expatriate Elvis Costello) pretty much sums up Aimee Mann's musical stance -- well, it's time to ask politely. What's a songwriting genius with integrity far beyond industry comprehension to do when a major label monolith refuses to release stellar new material? Hmm, first release a career-defining soundtrack ('Magnolia'), earn golden globe and academy award nomintations, and follow up by continuing to single-handedly restore signs of life into the languishing Billboard charts by releasing 'Bachelor #2', yet another defining moment in a truly inspired body of work. I've never heard such consistency in a cd - not one moment of 'filler'. A collection of pure, honest, gorgeous lyrics, melodies and arrangements. Yes, it's time to make history, Ms. Mann.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Undeniable., April 16, 2000
The new Aimee Mann album is huge step in terms of independence, maturity and sheer songwriting and instrumental genius. Where "I'm With Stupid' was an opening salvo re:"this is my work and fuck you if you don't like it,' sentiments, this album just shoots totally into a different stratosphere. "How Am I Different," starts off with a great and increasingly rare descending chorus scale, with nice contrasting lead guitar work. It's a wonderful group of takes on a great melody. "Nothing is Good Enough," is translated from Magnolia's version of A Hard Day's Night's "This Boy", with a terrific vocal. This is the first of the record's several Bacharach influenced moments. In an album of highlights, "Red Vines" is "merely" a great song with a great chorus. I say this because the following track, "The Fall of the World's Own Optimist," co-written with Elvis Costello, is the singular example of why Aimee Mann is the best songwriter around. Nobody writing today even close to the level of talent in evidence here. It's the rare song where the verse stands on it's own, equally as engaging as the wonderful chorus. It's sad that in a time when Christina Agriculture is a hot property, good songwriting sounds almost archaic, like some Rube Goldberg contraption that Ms. Mann is forced to drag around and exhibit, much to our benefit. The other high point, "Deathly," simply amazes. The Robert Fripp-y lead guitar, the pristine Julianna Hatfield backup vocal, the seventh chords:sheesh, it's the best. Just another case of "who else pulls off anything close to this these days." "Ghost World" is a cool pop song,with a groovy delayed delivery on the backup vocal, a device I haven't heard used in a while. "Calling it Quits," sounds even more Costello like than it's aforementioned co-written predecessor, with some nice Magical Mystery Tour style horn flourishes. "Just Like Anyone" comes off a little to Lileth-y for me, but it's a minor complaint. "It Takes all Kinds," is another Bacharach influenced one, with the terrific Buddy Judge on backup vocal. What more can you say about a record that evidences so much talent and guts. This woman is undeniable.
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