In my interview with The Huffington Post ahead of her latest release, prolific singer-songwriter Aimee Mann promised to “mix it up a little bit” when she went on tour in April to promote Mental Illness.
Known for intimate, contemplative work over the years since officially turning solo with the debut album Whatever in 1993, Mann knew there might be some crowd concerns after the March 31 release of her ninth full-length studio album.
Of course, she was partly to blame for stating in press material — with tongue firmly in cheek — before the album came out that, “I assume the brief on me is that people think that I write these really depressing songs. … So if they thought that my songs were very down-tempo, very depressing, very sad and very acoustic, I thought I’d just give myself permission to write the saddest, slowest, most acoustic, if-they’re-all-waltzes-so-be-it record I could.”
Discussing her impending tour during our interview in late March, Mann made sure that new and loyal fans wouldn’t get the wrong idea about what to expect.
“There’ll be some stuff that’ll be pretty acoustic,” she said. “But some things are fleshed out with a full band. I don’t want to make the whole night be a sad (occasion).”
If the May 5 sold-out concert at the Boulder Theater in Colorado was any indication of the rest of the Mann Show’s first leg that concluded May 13 in Los Angeles, she not only backed up her pledge but also hit all the high notes in delivering a thoroughly engaging, entertaining and uplifting performance. Ultimately, the acoustic guitarist and former lead singer and bassist of ‘80s rock-pop outfit ’Til Tuesday is adept at delivering effervescence and euphoria during a night of mostly melancholy songs.
While the sumptuous set was topped by an extended encore of three more offerings, all clear indicators of the Oscar nominee’s considerable contributions to Paul Thomas Anderson’s groundbreaking 1999 film Magnolia, the preceding 15 songs included some enticing career gems from at least six other previous albums, serving as a refreshing reminder of Mann’s well-rounded artistry.
The show began with one of my top five all-time Mann compositions — “4th of July” from Whatever — and headed into the encore with another personal favorite — “Long Shot” from 1995’s I’m With Stupid — that explodes with an attention-getting lyrical direct hit — “You fucked it up.”
I’ve seen Mann perform more than a handful of times in Colorado since she played the Mercury Cafe in Denver in the early ’90s on the same night Heart appeared at the far more roomy, comfortable and historic Paramount Theatre only a few blocks away. And while there were no playful, spontaneous instrumental takes like the nod to the Wilson sisters as her band teasingly ripped through the opening riffs to “Barracuda” back then, Mann had the Boulder crowd constantly in stitches, particularly when opening act and frequent collaborator Jonathan Coulton joined her onstage.
Coulton, an irreverent, intelligent artist and acoustic guitarist who cowrote three Mental Illness tracks, performs on NPR’s Ask Me Another and was promoting his new record, served as Mann’s foil throughout the evening, beginning with her casual appearance during his breezy solo set.
Aimee Mann (left) joins Jonathan Coulton for his opening set at the Boulder Theater.
Dubbed “Little Johnnie Coulton,” by Mann, who teased that he was “only 4 inches shy of 6-feet-tall,” the nickname stuck for most of the night after he insisted he was 5-11 1/2.
“Do you wear lifts?” Mann asked, to the amusement of a delighted crowd before the duo sang “All This Time” and “Pictures of Cats” off Solid State, the April release that’s also the ninth studio album of his career.
“Yeah, I wear half-inch lifts so I can be 5-11 1/2,” Coulton replied, showing his skills as a quick-thinking sidekick who also happens to have a beautiful singing voice.
The mirth and merriment — along with sporadic doses of depressing declarations — continued after Mann changed from stylish jeans to a short, black cocktail dress and knee-length boots for her mood-swinging set.
While Coulton drifted in and out, she also received valuable backing accompaniment from Paul Bryan (bass) Jamie Edwards (keyboards) and Matt Mayhall, back on drums again after touring for Mann’s duo side project the Both with Ted Leo.
The other sidemen have a rich history with Mann, but Bryan in particular, having served as producer on her four most recent albums.
“I think he’s a great producer,” Mann said during our interview, marveling over his willingness to play jazz gigs while keeping busy elsewhere. “He’s really good at listening to what you want and figuring out a way to deliver it. He’s also a guy with an incredible work ethic, so he’s a very good influence.”
Edwards, who played piano on Mental Illness, was featured on several numbers in Boulder, putting a jazzy touch on the bouncy “Borrowing Time,” which Mann introduced as “a song about not letting life just happen to you” that’s also about Snow White.
Mann, moving toward the East Coast for more road tripping beginning June 19, never will be mistaken for the happy-go-lucky Disney character while singing the down-and-out numbers that made her famous. “You Never Loved Me” (based on a friend’s weird experience with a potential husband who proved to be an “asshole”) and “Stuck in the Past” (Mental Illness’ saddest song, she told me) are powerful examples of an uncompromising artist at work.
“I really care about songwriting,” Mann said during our interview when asked what’s the secret to her career longevity. “I care about making good records. I don’t think I’ve ever allowed the idea of … the thought of how much will this sell or will people buy it or is this commercial. I try to keep those ideas out.”
Sounding as good as I’ve ever heard her in concert, the performer who still stresses the importance of staying true to her word didn’t hit a false note during this show.
She also gave credit where credit was due, even if it meant tipping her cap to this night’s figurative opponent in their escalating war of words.
Cautiously proceeding to the piano to close out a moving four-song Mental Illness stretch with Coulton, Mann introduced the lovely “Good For Me,” which they cowrote.
“Jonathan had sent me a piece of music and he said, ‘I was trying to write an Aimee Mann song,’ so that’s how this all started,” Mann said, feigning derision for her playing partner of the moment. “And in interviews, I get asked or told that the first line of this song is a quintessential Aimee Mann line and is one of the best lines on the record. And guess what, Jonathan wrote that. So fuck you.”
Drawing the most laughter and loudest reaction up to that point, Mann smiled as Coulton meekly replied, “I deserved that.”
Making matters worse, as Mann began singing those opening lines — What a waste of a smoke machine / Took the taste of the dopamine / And left me high and dry — members of the audience began enthusiastically cheering and clapping.
Continuing her mock indignation, Mann pointed at the excited throng while shouting, “DO NOT applaud for that line.”
The thrilled crowd erupted with more laughter as the music stopped. Before starting over, a beaming Mann pleaded meekly, “Please hold your applause.”
Jest goes to show you, whether she’s feeling like the sad, glad or mad Mann, life always seems good for this true-blue tunesmith.
Aimee Mann at the Boulder Theater (May 5, 2017)
- 1. “4th of July”
- 2. “Little Bombs”
- 3. “Stuck in the Past”
- 4. “Patient Zero”
- 5. “The Moth”
- 6. “Labrador”
- 7. “Humpty Dumpty”
- 8. “Rollercoasters”
- 9. “You Never Loved Me”
- 10. “Goose Snow Cone”
- 11. “Good For Me”
- 12. “Save Me”
- 13. “Going Through the Motions”
- 14. “Borrowing Time”
- 15. “Long Shot”
- Encore
- 1. “One”
- 2. “Wise Up”
- 3. “Deathly”
Michael Bialas is a journalist and photographer who enjoys writing about entertainment and sports for a number of online publications, including The Huffington Post. Follow him on Twitter: @mjbialas
Concert photos by Michael Bialas.