Whatever is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1993. It earned positive reviews but did not meet sales expectations. It was also included in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Dielist.[2]
In the 1980s, Mann co-founded the new wave band 'Til Tuesday and wrote their top-ten single "Voices Carry" (1985).[3][4] 'Til Tuesday released three albums and disbanded in 1990 when Mann left to pursue a solo career.[5][6] She said later that her musical interests had changed, and that she was more interested in "acoustic guitar music" than the new wave pop of 'Til Tuesday.[4]
Michael Hausman, the 'Til Tuesday drummer and Mann's former boyfriend, became her manager.[7]EpicRecords did not release Mann from her record contract for another three years, which prevented her from releasing new material. It was the first of several disputes Mann had with record labels, which Hausman said had a lasting effect on her attitude to the music industry.[8]
Recording
Mann recorded Whatever with the producer Jon Brion,[9] a member of the 'Til Tuesday touring band.[10] Mann found working with Brion exciting and felt her songwriting improved with him.[4] She cited English bands such as the Kinks, the Zombies and Squeeze as influences.[11] Mann wrote "I've Had It" about her frustrations with Epic when they would not release her from her record contract, and said it was influenced by Simon & Garfunkel.[4] In a retrospective interview in 2018, Mann said she felt "4th of July" was the best song on the record.[4]
Whatever was released in 1993 on the independent label Imago. It earned positive reviews but did not meet sales expectations.[22][23] As of February 2001, Whatever had sold 170,000 copies in United States.[24]
Most praised her sense of melody and the wordplay of her lyrics, exemplified by Entertainment Weekly in "hooky songs" and "evocative lyrics".[16] The Los Angeles Times reflected this by saying she "mixes words like a master, catching lifetimes of ache and Angst"[17] while the Chicago Tribune compared her to Elvis Costello.[14]Rolling Stone cited her music as "sunny, surreal melodies" with "razor-sharp lyrics".[20]The Independent's Andy Gill highly recommended the album, concluding that "it's the tension between Mann's disarmingly direct, conversational lyric style and the complexity of her musical design that gives Whatever its peculiar charge".[25]Robert Christgau only cited "Mr. Harris" as a "choice cut", finding nothing else to say about it.[26]
↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN978-0-7893-2074-2.
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