http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/art ... 1003677886



Mann Is All 'Smiles' On Spring Album

November 27, 2007, 1:20 AM ET
Gary Graff, Detroit

Aimee Mann has just put the finishing touches on her seventh solo album, which she hopes to release in the spring of 2008 on her own Superego label. Mann tells Billboard.com that the new set, titled "Smilers," is "not a concept album" like 2005's "The Forgotten Arm."

It was produced by Paul Bryan, who also helmed her 2006 holiday album "One More Drifter in the Snow," and Mann says that "the sound is a little bit different for me. It's got a lot of Moog (synthesizer) on it (and) sometimes almost sounds like the Cars a little bit. From song to song, everything gets a different treatment."

Mann also notes that "there's no electric guitar at all, which you weirdly don't miss. It's kind of this all-keyboard situation, which is great. It's an interesting amalgamation of sounds."

Bryan plays bass on the album, with Jay Bellerose on drums and Jamie Edwards on keyboards. "I formed a band that was perfect for this project and stuck with it," Mann says. She also incorporates strings and horns on some songs and duets on one track with San Francisco singer/songwriter Sean Hayes.

Mann plans to preview a couple "Smilers" songs on her upcoming holiday tour, which kicks off Thursday (Nov. 29) in Solana Beach, Calif. She'll also be premiering a short comedy film she made with director Michael Blieden which features appearances by Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo.

"There were a lot of people who were interested in being part of the live show," Mann says, "but they were all either out of town or doing a movie. So there's this kind of cast of stars that for some reason agreed to be in my little, jokey film. I'm excited about that."

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[bigred]Standard Edition[/bigred]



1. Freeway
2. Stranger Into Starman
3. Looking for Nothing
4. Phoenix
5. Borrowing Time
6. It’s Over
7. Thirty One Today
8. Great Beyond
9. Medicine Wheel
10. Columbus Ave.
11. Little Tornado
12. True Believer
13. Ballantines

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00171MNKQ/?tag=imwan-20

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[bigred]Special Edition[/bigred]



For everyone who says the CD is dead, think again, in addition to the standard CD package, Smilers will be available in a limited edition package that has to be seen to be believed, a book-bound cover with a die-cut 32 page book, illustrations from renowned artist Gary Taxali, and held together with steel screw binding.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00171MNL0/?tag=imwan-20

I have always thought of her sound as guitar-defined so it will be interesting to hear how the music changes.

Just saw on Billboard where this now has a release date of June 3 (and the magnificent Linda has already updated the IMWAN listing).

This CD will be one of my personal best of 2008. It is a knockout, with instantly memorable melodies and some of the most clever lyrics she's ever written.

her last couple of CD's have underwhelmed me. i have been disappointed since the "magnolia" soundtrack.

i'm not sure what i want to hear from her, but i know whatever it is i;m just not hearing it.

does that make sense?

First two albums are great.................so so after that.............M.

I'm crazy about Aimee Mann, though I think her sound really changed when she and Jon Brion split. She seemed to buy into that whole Bacharach worship thing that happened a few years ago and it sort of smoothed her sound over, especially compared to the rawer and rockier I'm With Stupid. I still loved Bachelor #2 and Lost In Space but I've never been able to get through The Forgotten Arm. I've got to give this new one a listen.

For you lucky NYC fans, Aimee Mann is scheduled to perform & sign copies of Smilers on 7/31/08 at 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble / Union Square.