Aimee Mann is a modern-day folk heroine who has cranked out nine studio albums, including her brand-new release, Mental Illness.
Mann is a juggernaut in indie-rock circles. She recently teamed up with Ted Leo for a well-received rock project called The Both. She’s also contributed to several high-profile soundtracks, including a large portion of the 1999 Oscar-nominated film Magnolia and song credits for Jerry Maguire and Cruel Intentions.
Mann’s lyrics have always been introspective and profound, but on Mental Illness she’s pulled a black dog out of her hat with a deluge of melancholy gems that give subtle nods to mental health. Maladies like depression and bipolar are not quite the centerpiece here but are definitely a backdrop.
Ambling along, she strums her acoustic guitar with gusto, playing achingly beautiful music, as always. Despondent minor chords dominate the album. Here’s a trailer for the record.
Mental Illness is a back-to-basics venture, following Mann’s 2012 mostly electric and upbeat 2012 album, Charmer.
In the grand tradition of ‘70s singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Dan Fogelberg, Mann channels the essence of folk music on the album from beginning to end. There are lyrics about relationships gone awry, and a down-in-the-dumps, sinking-ship mentality.
Mental Illness is an album that sounds a bit like the darker side of Leslie Feist on her critically acclaimed breakout album, The Reminder.
On the dreary standout track “Rollercoasters,” which could be construed as a metaphor for bipolar, she sings: “Rollercoasters and ferris wheels, you like how it feels, round and round ‘til you lose yourself in the end.”
And on “Philly Sinks,” Mann describes a possibly alcoholic lover or friend in distress.
“Philly thinks and when he thinks he can’t swim anymore,” she sings. “Philly drinks until the tide goes away from the shore / Philly sinks and when he sinks you go down / and when you do, you both drown.”
Sometimes somber music, art, or film can be depressing on its face, but its underlying artistry transcends its darkness. If it’s both depressing and great, the greatness wins out and the work lifts your mood rather than brings it down. And that’s what Mental Illness is: Mood Music — and Mood Music of the finest quality, at that.
