[rating=9.00]
“Life is good, you look around and think you’re in the right neighborhood…” Aimee Mann singing those upbeat lyrics from the song “Patient Zero,” one of many outstanding tracks on Mental Illness, clearly belies the album’s otherwise ominous title. Indeed, based on the name alone, the record would suggest there’s reason for pause. Mann’s first release in five years, it finds her taking a quieter approach to her craft, a seemingly different tack than she took last time around when, teaming with Ted Leo in the duo they dubbed The Both, where she pursued her typical pop approach.
Happily, though, fans and followers will find no reason to complain. Mental Illness may offer a nod and wink, but these songs are brewed with softer sentiments, a quiet charm, and reserve that’s consistently gorgeous given Mann’s deft touch. Strings and acoustic accouterments contribute to the tone and texture, making songs such as “Goose Snow Cone,” “You Never Loved Me,” “Lies of Summer” and “Poor Judge” among the strongest efforts of her 30-year career. The sense of yearning and desire is palpable throughout. When Mann moans “Boy, when you go, you go…you never loved me, you never loved me,” it’s impossible not to feel the pain and remorse that surges through the song, given the realization that some things simply can’t be undone by urging alone.
Ultimately, Mental Illness could be called Mann’s masterpiece, an emotional touchstone in a career that’s had no shortage of purely mesmerizing moments. It’s as good as it gets, thanks to her ability to blend subtlety and suggestion in equal measure, no small accomplishment by any definition. In Mann’s hands, desire and determination find clear expression, leaving an indelible imprint in their wake. This Mental Illness breeds a clarity that‘s unmistakably extraordinary.
