Music Giveaway + Preview: Aimee Mann Gets Bittersweet At La Zona Rosa Tuesday
As the voice of Til' Tuesday, Aimee Mann seemed destined to become a one-hit wonder. But with 1995's brilliant I'm With Stupid, Mann defined her musical identity and found wide critical acclaim (though, at the time, not a sizable audience.) Mann mined the emotional territory of breakups, dysfunction, regrets, and longing, and most who heard the music could relate to Mann's regretful glances into the past. In an interesting twist, right as Mann found her niche, her personal life changed dramatically when she married fellow singer-songwriter Michael Penn. Penn would collaborate with Mann both on record and on tour, and the union appears to remain a happy one. That said, Mann knows where she excels, and continues to pen tales of love gone wrong, mistakes made, and bad breaks. She has had a strong following since her music was featured on the Magnolia soundtrack in 1999, which also merited an Oscar nomination for best song (somehow, she lost to Phil Collins.)
Her latest album @#%&*! Smilers marks a return to the sounds of 2000's career best Bachelor No. 2 after some mid-00's detours into holiday and concept album territories. In a stylistic shift, all electric guitars have been jettisoned from the album in favor of some subtle organ and synth sounds. The effect leads to a surprising warmth and instant familiarity with the material, and the consistency of the songwriting makes this tour a great time to catch Mann in top form.
Opening the show Tuesday is British singer-songwriter David Ford. Ford's music is earnest, slightly angry, and emotional, and should appeal to fans of both Damien Rice and Ryan Adams. In a live setting, Ford uses the Liam Finn loop pedal approach to performing, so expect a one-man band with a lot of sonic power. The pairing with Mann seems perfect for Ford's style, so we suggest turning up early and perhaps catching a future headliner.
For a chance to win a pair of tickets to Tuesday's show at La Zona Rosa, enter your details on the form below.
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