Aimee Mann "Charmer"

Two years ago Aimee Mann put out "Charmer" and like all her other records (other than "Bachelor #2", I guess) it got no attention and sunk like a stone. It's too bad, because she makes amazing music, and most of her songs- not just the singles- would sound great on the radio.

Where I used to live there was a radio station that would play "Save Me" and "Humpty Dumpty" and the place that I worked had the music pumped in from a music service and they played "Freeway", but that's it. So many great songs have come and gone and most people will never hear them.

Her albums "Lost In Space" and "The Forgotten Arm" had great songs but a lot of them were ballads or they were up-tempo but dreary (in a good way, I think) so I can see why they didn't get airplay. But "Smilers" and especially "Charmer" have a lot of fun pop songs on them.

I don't own "Charmers" (or even a CD player) but over the past year when I was in the kitchen or cleaning the house I'd go to Youtube on the IPad or my phone and plug it into the speakers and play songs; my favorites are "Gumby", "Disappeared", "Crazytown", and "Living A Lie". (All four video clips look the same- somebody filmed their turntable with the clear orange vinyl version of the "Charmer" album playing.) These songs belong in heavy-rotation on the radio (plus in the morning on MTV and VH1 (the early morning is just about the only time they play videos anymore).

But, anyway, if you're at the record store and you're looking for something to listen to, try "Charmer". If they don't have it there get another Aimee Mann album (they're all good, even the old ones from the early to mid-1990s). Or, if you wanna test things out first, go to Youtube and listen to "Gumby". If you like that song you'll like the whole "Charmer" album.