Queens of the Summer Hotel

Last updated
Queens of the Summer Hotel
Aimee Mann Queens of the Summer Hotel cover.jpg
Studio album by
Aimee Mann
ReleasedNovember 5, 2021 (2021-11-05)
Recorded2021
StudioUnited Recording
Genre Folk
Length40:20
Label SuperEgo
Producer Paul Bryan
Aimee Mann chronology
Mental Illness
(2017)		Queens of the Summer Hotel
(2021)
Singles from Queens of the Summer Hotel
  1. "Suicide Is Murder"
    Released: August 6, 2021
  2. "Burn It Out"
    Released: September 24, 2021
  3. "I See You"
    Released: October 29, 2021

Queens of the Summer Hotel is the tenth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released on November 5, 2021, on SuperEgo Records. [1] The songs were inspired by Susanna Kaysen's 1993 memoir Girl, Interrupted.

Contents

The album's release was preceded by the first single, "Suicide Is Murder" on 6 August 2021. [2]

The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics. [3]

Writing

Mann started work on Queens of the Summer Hotel in 2018, when she was commissioned to write songs for a stage adaptation of Susanna Kaysen's 1993 memoir Girl, Interrupted. The memoir describes Kaysen's time at McLean Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. [4] [5] The musical was to be produced by Barbara Broccoli and Frederick Zollo, but was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]

Mann spoke to Rolling Stone about the inspiration behind the album's first single, "Suicide is Murder": “I started to write this song because I’ve known people who committed suicide and friends who’ve had loved ones die from suicide. I think the phrase ‘suicide is murder’ took on a meaning for me as it’s the worst thing to have to deal with in the aftermath. It’s just terrible. Because every person who knows the person who committed suicide will blame themselves in some way for not noticing or stepping in or doing something. They’ll till the end of their days, say, ‘was there something I could have done?’" [7]

The album title was inspired by an Anne Sexton poem. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 77/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The A.V. Club B [9]
Riff6/10 [10]

Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing that "despite its contemplative nature, Queens of the Summer Hotel looks outward" and "the combination of the airiness of the arrangements and the warmth of Mann's performance is wistfully hopeful, turning Queens of the Summer Hotel into a record that soothes and consoles during moments of uncertainty". [8] The site also featured this as one of the best albums of 2021. [11] Kirsten Lambert from the Chicago Reader wrote, "Mann probes the depths of human experience, addressing some grim subject matter—including suicide, self-immolation, and incest." She concluded that the album "isn't a quick (or easy) listen. This one will stay with you for a while." [1] Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club called it "an unusual (and unusually rewarding) project," writing, "It doesn't have the instant-classic pop of some of her earlier material, but as a more somber, measured collection of music (none of the jangly pop-rock of Charmer to be found here), it's a winner." [9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Aimee Mann

Queens of the Summer Hotel track listing
No.TitleLength
1."You Fall"3:35
2."Robert Lowell and Sylvia Plath"3:13
3."Give Me Fifteen"2:42
4."At the Frick Museum"3:03
5."Home by Now"1:35
6."Checks"0:34
7."Little Chameleon"1:44
8."You Don't Have the Room"4:06
9."Suicide Is Murder"4:14
10."You Could Have Been a Roosevelt"2:07
11."Burn It Out"2:57
12."In Mexico"3:33
13."Check (reprise)"0:57
14."You're Lost"2:16
15."I See You"3:36
Total length:40:20

Personnel

Credits for Queens of the Summer Hotel adapted from Tidal. [12]

Musicians

  • Aimee Mann – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Paul Bryan – background vocals, woodwind, strings
  • Anna Butterss – bass guitar
  • Richard Dodd – cello
  • Phillip O'Connor – clarinet
  • Sara Andon – flute, alto flute, piccolo
  • Danielle Ondarza – horn
  • Maya Barrera – oboe
  • Jay Bellerose – percussion, trap kit
  • Jamie Edwards – piano
  • Aidan Lombard – trumpet
  • Leah Katz – viola
  • Daphne Chan – violin

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Queens of the Summer Hotel
Chart (2021)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [13] 53
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [14] 18

Related Research Articles

'Til Tuesday was an American new wave band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The band, consisting of Aimee Mann, Robert Holmes (guitar), Joey Pesce (keyboards), and Michael Hausman (drums), was active from 1982 to 1989. They are best known for their 1985 hit single "Voices Carry".

<i>Girl, Interrupted</i> Memoir by Susanna Kaysen

Girl, Interrupted is a best-selling 1993 memoir by American author Susanna Kaysen, relating her experiences as a young woman in an American psychiatric hospital in the 1960s after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aimee Mann</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1960)

Aimee Elizabeth Mann is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released ten studio albums as a solo artist. She is noted for her sardonic and literate lyrics about dark subjects, often describing lost or lonely underdog characters. Her work with the producer Jon Brion in the 1990s was influential on American alternative rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Penn</span> American musician (born 1958)

Michael Daniel Penn is an American musician, singer and composer. His 1989 single "No Myth" was a top 20 hit in the US and successful in several other countries.

<i>Whatever</i> (Aimee Mann album) 1993 studio album by Aimee Mann

Whatever is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1993.

<i>Im with Stupid</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Aimee Mann

I'm with Stupid is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1995.

<i>Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo</i> 2000 studio album by Aimee Mann

Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo is the third album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released on May 2, 2000. Some songs were previously released on the Magnolia soundtrack (1999), which Mann wrote in the same period. "The Fall of the World's Own Optimist" was co-written with the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susanna Hoffs</span> American musician (born 1959)

Susanna Lee Hoffs is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actress. She, Debbi Peterson, and Vicki Peterson founded the Bangles in 1981. Their debut album, All Over the Place (1984), was acclaimed by critics but sold poorly. Their second album, Different Light (1986), was also warmly received by critics and was certified double-platinum in 1987 and triple-platinum in 1994. It contained the US number two single "Manic Monday" written by Prince and the number one single "Walk Like an Egyptian". The group's third album, Everything (1988), included the US top ten charting "In Your Room" and number one "Eternal Flame", both written by Hoffs with Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. Hoffs was lead vocalist on five of the seven Columbia singles by the Bangles, which contributed to a public perception that she was a lead singer, even though all four members took lead vocals across their output. Following tensions including resentment at Hoffs' perceived leadership and the stress of touring, the band split in 1989. It re-formed in 1999 and released the albums Doll Revolution (2003) and Sweetheart of the Sun (2011).

<i>Magnolia</i> (soundtrack) 1999 soundtrack album by Aimee Mann

Magnolia: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album to the 1999 film Magnolia. It comprises several songs by Aimee Mann, plus tracks by Gabrielle, Supertramp and Jon Brion. The album received positive reviews and was certified gold in 2001. Mann's song "Save Me" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

<i>Girl, Interrupted</i> (film) 1999 film by James Mangold

Girl, Interrupted is a 1999 American drama film directed by James Mangold and written by Mangold, Lisa Loomer and Anna Hamilton Phelan, based on the 1993 memoir by Susanna Kaysen. Starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy, Elisabeth Moss, Jared Leto, Angela Bettis, Jeffrey Tambor, Vanessa Redgrave, and Whoopi Goldberg, the film follows a young woman who spends 18 months institutionalized at a psychiatric hospital following a suicide attempt.

<i>Girl Interrupted at Her Music</i> 1660–1661 painting by Johannes Vermeer

Girl Interrupted at Her Music is a painting by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. It was painted in the baroque style, probably between the years 1658 and 1659, using oil on canvas. Since 1901 it has been in the Frick Collection in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aimee Allen</span> American singer-songwriter

Aimee Allen is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. She is currently the lead vocalist for the ska-punk band the Interrupters under the moniker Aimee Interrupter. As a singer-songwriter, she has collaborated with Mark Ronson, Sublime with Rome, Tim Armstrong of Rancid, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Linda Perry, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Jimmy Cliff, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Travis Barker, Dirty Heads, and Tom Morello.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Bryan (musician)</span> American musician

Paul Bryan is an American music producer, arranger, songwriter, and bassist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aimee Mann discography</span>

Aimee Mann is an American singer-songwriter who has released several albums since the early 1980s. Originally, she worked in collaboration with The Young Snakes and 'Til Tuesday, before becoming a solo artist. In 2013, she and Ted Leo began performing as a duo called The Both.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voices Carry</span> 1985 single by Til Tuesday

"Voices Carry" is a song by the American rock band 'Til Tuesday. It was produced by Mike Thorne for the band's debut studio album, Voices Carry (1985). The accompanying music video, directed by D.J. Webster, received wide exposure on MTV and positive reactions from critics. It was nominated for numerous awards and is thought to be the reason behind the song's success. It was released in North America in March 1985. "Voices Carry" became the band's highest-charting single and their only top ten hit in the U.S., peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally it reached the top twenty in Canada and Australia.

The Both American musical duo

The Both is an American indie rock musical duo consisting of Aimee Mann and Ted Leo. They began collaborating in 2013 and released a self-titled album in April 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Interrupters (band)</span> American ska punk band

The Interrupters are an American ska punk band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2011. The band comprises lead vocalist Aimee Interrupter, drummer Jesse Bivona, bassist Justin Bivona, and guitarist Kevin Bivona. They have released four studio albums. The latest, In the Wild, was released in 2022, along with the album's lead single, "Raised by Wolves".

<i>Mental Illness</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Aimee Mann

Mental Illness is the ninth studio album by singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. It was released on March 31, 2017, by SuperEgo Records. Mann described it as her "saddest, slowest and most acoustic" album. The album won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Shot (Aimee Mann song)</span> 1996 song by Aimee Mann

"Long Shot" is a song by American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, which was released in 1996 as the third single from her second studio album I'm with Stupid. The song was written by Mann and produced by Jon Brion. "Long Shot" peaked at No. 126 in the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Bright Lights</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Susanna Hoffs

Bright Lights is the fourth solo album by Susanna Hoffs. This is a covers album featuring songs originally performed by Badfinger, the Velvet Underground, and former Big Star singer Chris Bell among others. Hoffs stated, "These were songs I always admired and adored and had listened to on repeat for pure pleasure, but had never sung."

References

  1. 1 2 Lambert, Kirsten (2 November 2021). "Aimee Mann poignantly confronts mental illness on Queens of the Summer Hotel". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Corcoran, Nina (6 August 2021). "Aimee Mann Announces New Album Queens of the Summer Hotel, Shares Song". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Queens of the Summer Hotel by Aimee Mann". Metacritic . Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 Lentini, Liza (5 November 2021). "On the record: Aimee Mann's Queens of the Summer Hotel". Spin . Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Pelly, Jenn (4 November 2021). "Aimee Mann: 'I have an enormous amount of compassion for people who are struggling'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Snapes, Laura (2021-11-04). "Aimee Mann: 'Any woman my age is traumatised by growing up in the 60s and 70s'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  7. ↑ Aimee Mann Shares ‘Suicide is Murder’ From Upcoming New Album Rolling Stone. 6 August 2021
  8. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (n.d.). "Aimee Mann – Queens of the Summer Hotel". AllMusic . RhythmOne . Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  9. 1 2 McLevy, Alex (5 November 2021). "Aimee Mann gets theatrical with the Girl, Interrupted-inspired Queens Of The Summer Hotel". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  10. ↑ Alm, Rachel (3 November 2021). "Aimee Mann is a woman, interrupted on 'Queens of the Summer Hotel'". Riff Magazine. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "AllMusic Best of 2021". AllMusic . RhythmOne. n.d. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  12. ↑ "Credits / Queens of the Summer Hotel / Aimee Mann". Tidal. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.