by
Aimee Mann
- Record Label: Superego
- Release Date: May 2, 2000
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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A genuinely winning collection of sublime, old-school pop.
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To call Bachelor No. 2 a masterpiece may be overstating the matter somewhat, since an album this intimate and unassuming (but not unconfident) doesn't call attention to itself the way self-styled masterpieces do. However, it isn't hyperbole to call it the finest record Mann has made to date.
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Bachelor No. 2 makes good on the promise hinted at by Mann's work on the Magnolia soundtrack. In her mastery of sophisticated melodies and sly turns-of-phrase, Mann brings to mind a number of heralded composers.
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Choosing favourites is almost futile with so much scintillating brilliance on offer.
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Yet another emotion-evoking masterpiece.
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On the evidence of her work here, one would have to say there really isn't any pop-rock composer writing more sophisticated material these days than Mann.
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It's an album of tuneful, intimate pop-rock songs...
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Yet again, Mann's songs concentrate on life gone wrong - but this is timeless stuff.
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A soundtrack nuanced enough for the rippling wit of Mann's lyrics.... These songs are layered and soft-spoken, to be sure, but also confident and rewarding of multiple listens. They are the sound of Aimee Mann growing as a songwriter. Yet the album also features the sound of Aimee Mann grousing about being a songwriter.
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She retains her unique quality to marry upbeat, elegant melodies to witty lyrics that exhibit a disenchanted but honest take on life and love.
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What dignifies her from the pack is her ability to blend accessible and likeable arrangements with messages that are simultaneously straightforward and enigmatic, jovial and pained.
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An imperfect collection of remarkable music.
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The only complaint to be lodged against Bachelor No. 2, other than its partially duplicated track listing, is the mid-tempo groove from which Mann rarely extricates herself.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 31 out of 38
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Mixed: 2 out of 38
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Negative: 5 out of 38
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Nov 7, 2022Great album, very good singer-songwriter, good pop-rock, I really liked it.
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shaneequajJun 27, 2007It's just a brilliant pop album. Hands down.
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SamDNov 26, 2005more pop than i would have liked, but most of the songs are incredible and aimee puts forth above average lyrics yet again