Share the post "Album review: AIMEE MANN – Mental Illness"
SuperEgo/Membran [Release date 31.03.17]
Not exactly an uplifting title for an album? But then Aimee Mann’s never exactly been what you might call a happy singer, or a “heaven is a place on earth” composer. No, Aimee was born looking at life though the other end of the telescope.
After the more pop orientated Charmer (2012), Mental Illness finds Mann back to her acoustic, observational, and depressing best. Deliberately stripped back, and downbeat, support is limited to acoustic guitars, piano, harmonium, a string quartet and an unobtrusive and barely used rhythm section. It’s what suits Mann best and lyrical content aside – songs of bi-polarity, sociopaths, and the just plain crazy – Mental Illness is a very beautiful record.
Despite indulging her bleaker side, and setting out to write the saddest, slowest, most acoustic record she could, Mental Illness is musically inspired by the ‘easy listening’ sounds of the ’70′s, the sparse arrangements supplemented by vocal ‘ooh’s’ aplenty. Sonically, it’s irresistible.
One smart cookie, Mann’s wicked sense of humour is laced through the songs that make up Mental Illness which, despite their melancholic lyrical content, are indelibly catchy and must be regarded as one of her most consistent (and perhaps best) piece of work to date. *****
Review by Pete Whalley
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
Next session: Sunday 19 January
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: AIMEE MANN – Mental Illness"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
