Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm
Posted by: j8hn on 14 May 2005
As many B movies are made to go straight to video so this albums seems to have been made to go straight to mp3 and that at 96kbps. Its sound is dead, dull, turgid and lifeless.
The rational was to emulate the great concept albums of the 70s. Ah! "Crime of the Centuary" and "Dark Side of the Moon" I hear you say, albums of rare creativity and sonic beauty. Nope! Boston and Reo Speedwagon are the epitomes aimed for hear - sadly.
"Well" you say "Aimee makes her own records, releases them on a diy lable, s'bound to sound like a porta-studio job" . Wrong again, The Forgotten Arm was put together at two of LAs foremost studios, Sunset Sound & Sound Factory, the same places that the likes of Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac, even coked to the eyeballs, produced crafted masterpieces.
The redeaming factor is the artwork, cleverly based on an old 50's pulp novel style and beautifully illustrated. Those who ordered through the AM website will have received, even better, a large format version.
As far as concepts go this would have made a good song trilogy relived with some lighter, brighter material to produce a fleshed out album - and produced by someone else, someone skilled. Instead this cycle of songs leads us ever deeper down. As a depressive I've always found Aimees songs, songs like "Wise Up", cathartic and capable of lifting me up and away from and not, like these new songs, pushing me ever toward - the brink.
Two good songs "That's How I Knew.." and "I Can't Help You Anymore" are little recompense from the artiste who gave us the magnificence of "Magnolia"
I'm fingers crossed that after a few more listenings this cd proves to be more of a grower.
The rational was to emulate the great concept albums of the 70s. Ah! "Crime of the Centuary" and "Dark Side of the Moon" I hear you say, albums of rare creativity and sonic beauty. Nope! Boston and Reo Speedwagon are the epitomes aimed for hear - sadly.
"Well" you say "Aimee makes her own records, releases them on a diy lable, s'bound to sound like a porta-studio job" . Wrong again, The Forgotten Arm was put together at two of LAs foremost studios, Sunset Sound & Sound Factory, the same places that the likes of Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac, even coked to the eyeballs, produced crafted masterpieces.
The redeaming factor is the artwork, cleverly based on an old 50's pulp novel style and beautifully illustrated. Those who ordered through the AM website will have received, even better, a large format version.
As far as concepts go this would have made a good song trilogy relived with some lighter, brighter material to produce a fleshed out album - and produced by someone else, someone skilled. Instead this cycle of songs leads us ever deeper down. As a depressive I've always found Aimees songs, songs like "Wise Up", cathartic and capable of lifting me up and away from and not, like these new songs, pushing me ever toward - the brink.
Two good songs "That's How I Knew.." and "I Can't Help You Anymore" are little recompense from the artiste who gave us the magnificence of "Magnolia"
I'm fingers crossed that after a few more listenings this cd proves to be more of a grower.
