Today's song is "Suit Me", written by Aimee Mann, Steve Vargas and Donnelan; produced by Andy Breslau; engineered by Rob Dimit. Aimee Mann: co-lead vocals, bass Steve Vargas: co-lead vocals, guitar Michael Evans: drums Michael Hausman: additional vocals What I speak don't want to speak What I hear Don't want to hear Can't seem to find I can't find A state of mind that I feel would suit me A state of mind that I feel would suit me Where I go, Don't want to go Where I am Don't want to be Can't seem to find I can't find A state of mind that I feel would suit me A state of mind that I feel would suit me State of mind State of mind Don't want to see no colors in the sky I don't want to be alive What I do Don't want to want What I want Don't want to want Can't seem to find I can't find A state of mind that I feel would suit me A state of mind that I feel would suit me State of mind State of mind
The band has big musical ideas, but not the proficiency needed to pull it off. I like the stacked voices, interesting note choices, angular rhythms - all of it works as a compelling composition, but the performance is lacking. This would be great if done by The Waitresses and it seems inspired by their work. Some more rehearsing and this would really be something. 2/5
I like this song better. Doesn’t seem as random, has some variation, a bridge of sorts, some bits of actual singing. I think it’s pretty fun actually and better than I was expecting based on the two songs that preceded this one. 2.5/5
At first glance this doesn't seem so different from the angry existentialist repudiations of everything from the punks and post-punks of the late seventies; but the song is more inward looking and self-searching than that, making this feel like early Gen X anthem of the disaffected -- this kind of thing would become mainstream by the early 90s, but was still bubbling under in the underground at this early point. A lot of interesting musical ideas going on here: again ou hear snippets of melodic brilliance, albeit in deliberately raw and disjointed form: mostly the vocal harmonies (including the almost jazzy three part hamony that it ends) are quite impressive. While the song has energy, you feel that it's just a bit rushed and a better producer giving it a more measure might have brought this up a notch higher. As it is, it's all youthful nervous rhythm and the message is somehow obscured. I agree that this is better than the last two songs; I reckon if they had wanted to cull single from this EP, this would be would be this one. 3.4/5
Generic kind of stuff. You didn't have to be squatting in a cold water flat in London to be doing this. 2
Didn’t have time last night- I barely got in on the Prince thread for Dorothy Parker and missed Housequake. I need to get a copy of this. It sounds so much like a fave small-time band I know from Austin TX, called Glass Eye. Both these last songs.. so hard to rate because they are 5’s to me as freshly heard music from that time- but we’re rating Aimee freaking Mann here.. and in that context, like Prince- only the top tier songs get 5’s. so in that context I have to give them 2’s because there’s a LOT of 5 star songs in Aimee’s cannon. This is a Til Tuesday record played at 45rpm instead of 33.
First time hearing again, but this time didn't like 'Suit Me' one bit. Not averse to odd rhythms at all, but this just irritated me, didn't make it to the end. Let's give it 1.5.
Sounds to me as if she's acting the singer's part here. We won't hear an authentic Aimee Mann until Everything's Different Now.
Not really? Although I like the singing and the songs on all the 'Til Tuesday albums, they are great pop albums, it's not until J for Jules, Limits to Love and the others that I hear songs that could stand with her solo output and delivery.
I don't like "Suit Me" nearly as much as the first song on the EP. It seems sort of like a pose more than anything truly honest. There are a few positive elements in it but it's really just far too angsty to hold much appeal for me. 2.3/5
Today's song is "Don't Change Your Mind", written by Aimee Mann and Doug Vargas; produced by Andy Breslau; engineered by Rob Dimit. Aimee Mann: co-lead vocals, bass Steve Vargas: co-lead vocals, guitar Michael Evans: drums Michael Hausman: additional vocals
For me, this is the best track so far. The problem I'm having overall is that the band seems schizophrenic... have they decided that they are a New Wave band, are they leaning punk, alternative, or ??? I hear that they are attempting to make statements, but it's as though they haven't decided on a definite plan and are just striking out with arbitrary ideas and with no solid purpose. At this point it's a given that Aimee hasn't yet "found" herself as an artist, but I feel that Don't Change Your Mind is closer to a cohesive band statement than the previous tracks so I give it a 3/5.
Part of the problem is that there are two songwriters collaborating on these and they might not have all that compatible styles. This one for example really sounds like it could have gone on the first 'Til Tuesday song to me, and I'd guess that it is probably more Aimee than Doug; but the arrangement is totally different than 'Til Tuesday. And it's not just the lack of synthesizer. Which is not to say it's a worse: Doug Vargas actually has more impressive chops that I wouldexpect from an art-punk band that basically no one has ever heard of. But there's something kind of...Minutemen about the whole thing, and that's not the best setting for Aimee's songs. 1985 'Til Tuesday would have knocked this out of the park -- although in my opinion, 'Til Tuesday in my opinion soon became an outdated vehicle for her songs as well: when I hear the second and third albums, I can't help but think the arrangements are all wrong and the band and the songs are not meshing....but that's getting ahead. I think the same thing is happening here though: there was a time when Aimee and Doug Vargas was probably doing the right thing and maybe were in mesh, but by this time, a year or so into the band, I think it's clear that she might be the right bassist and she might be the right singer but she is definitely not the right songwriter for this band and vice versa. But it is a good pop song with some very nice guitar work and singing. The chorus is soaring and manages to still get that arty quirk in with that odd turn of melody/modulation at the end. 3.9/5
"Don't Change Your Mind" is interesting, particularly on the verses. The chorus doesn't work for me, but I do like the guitar and odd rhythm on the verses. Aimee's vocals are, again, affected here and it takes away from the song. She sounds like she's playing a role rather than just singing naturally. Still, this song showed some hint of the talent that would eventually blossom. 2.9/5
Today's song is "The Way the World Goes", written by Aimee Mann and Doug Vargas; produced by Andy Breslau; engineered by Rob Dimit. Aimee Mann: lead vocals, bass Steve Vargas: guitar Michael Evans: drums Michael Hausman: additional percussion (also above, I wrote vocals accidentally) March march march outside your door Things are not the way the were before Keep keep inside your house You don't want them to find you out If anybody's there If anybody knows Could you please explain The way the world goes Burn burn burn the buildings down Drive drive drive til you find another town And when you find a bed Cry cry cry for all the dead If anybody's there If anybody knows Could you please explain The way the world goes Keep keep keep your heart alive Pray pray for a way to survive And when you've finished your...? Start the world again If anybody's there If anybody knows Could you please explain The way the world goes
Don’t Change My Mind & The Way The World Goes.. I'm just loving these cuts. I give the latter of the 2 the edge but score them equally with 2.5/5
