Magnolia: Music from the Motion Picture

 (202 customer reviews)

The trajectory of Aimee Mann's career is one of the more unusual ones. Whereas artists typically toil in obscurity for years, slowly building a rabid fan base who turn their noses when that artist makes a successful compromised play for mainstream success, Mann started her major label career with the successful compromised album ('Til Tuesday's "Voices Carry"), then proceeded to follow it up with a brilliant-but-less-commercial discography (now numbering four LPs, plus assorted other contributions) that built the rabid fan base out of the ashes of the mainstream success.If there has been a fault with her output post-Voices Carry, it has been that there simply has not been enough. This is due in large part to her problems with major labels. Columbia rejected what was supposed to be the fourth 'Til Tuesday album. Imago, who released her first solo album (Whatever) went under before the second solo album could be released. Geffen Records, who released the second...Read more

To be honest, I haven't heard of Aimee Mann before this terrific soundtrack. She totally encompasses the emotion of the film and enhances the viewing experience. Her music and the film work together to create an emotion within yourself that is so hard to depict through mass media. "Save Me" is the hit, but I feel that "Wise Up" is one of the best tracks on the soundtrack because it truly defines what the film is all about. I have now bought all of Aimee Mann's collection and will be eager to hear more from this artist. No longer will the corporate record labels be able to silence one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists I have ever heard. Buy this soundtrack and go see the film if you want to experience some of the best personal and social commentary that can be shown in this commercialized, mass mediated society.

Buy this CD and program tracks 2-9--since Aimee's version of One--Track 1--is dispensable, as are the Supertramp, Gabrielle and, I hate to say it, Jon Brion, tracks. That leaves seven sterling examples of Aimee Mann's musical and lyrical virtues. As always, there's the expert songwriting, guitar playing, musical arrangements, vocals, lyrics and relentlessly penetrating insight. But,that's just the beginning. Once you've immersed yourself in the music, go see Magnolia This isn't the usual snippet here and verse there type of Soundtrack. As director P.T. Anderson acknowledges: Magnolia is based on these songs and he gives full rein to most of them during the course of the movie. In one beautiful passage, each of Anderson's lovingly developed characters take turns singing Wise Up in sad, broken, heartfelt voices as Aimee's plaintive voice rises above them all. For my money, it's one of the most affecting movie moments in memory. Though P.T. Anderson is clearly the...Read more