Review - Aimee Mann: @#%&*! Smilers

by John Mizer
July 1, 2008

Aimee Mann does not disappoint on her latest release but doesn't really raise the stakes either. With word getting out that she eschewed using electric guitar on "Smilers", using more keyboards one could expect a possible change in songwriting or delivery. This is not the case. Aimee doesn't stray too far from her familiar territory which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Her songs are solid as always-although perhaps sounding a bit like...herself. Like Ray Davies, Aimee Mann has forged a nice career recycling and borrowing from herself but it's hard to knock the results.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Watch the video for "Freeway" and more on HalfSquareTV.