Whatever (Aimee Mann album)

Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: May 11, 1993 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=I'm with Stupid1995AlbumWhateverAimee Mann - Whatever.jpgAimee MannMay 11, 1993Q Division, Capitol Studios, Clubhouse, Blue Jay, Bearsville, Zeitgeist, Sunset Sound, Presence*Pop

• rock
• alternative rock<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Whatever is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1993. It earned positive reviews but did not meet sales expectations. It was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Background

In the 1980s, Mann co-founded the new wave band 'Til Tuesday and wrote their top-ten single "Voices Carry" (1985).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="stereogum">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 'Til Tuesday released three albums and disbanded in 1990 when Mann left to pursue a solo career.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Meter-1999">Template:Cite news</ref> She said later that her musical interests had changed, and that she was more interested in "acoustic guitar music" than the new wave pop of 'Til Tuesday.<ref name="stereogum" />

Michael Hausman, the 'Til Tuesday drummer and Mann's former boyfriend, became her manager.<ref name="Wiltz-2001">Template:Cite news</ref> Epic Records did not release Mann from her record contract for another three years, which prevented her from releasing new material. It was the first of several disputes Mann had with record labels, which Hausman said had a lasting effect on her attitude to the music industry.<ref name="Meter-1999"/>

Recording

Mann recorded Whatever with the producer Jon Brion,<ref name="stereogum"/> a member of the 'Til Tuesday touring band.<ref name="Pelly-2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mann found working with Brion exciting and felt her songwriting improved with him.<ref name="stereogum" /> She cited English bands such as the Kinks, the Zombies and Squeeze as influences.<ref name="Torres-2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mann wrote "I've Had It" about her frustrations with Epic when they would not release her from her record contract, and said it was influenced by Simon & Garfunkel.<ref name="stereogum" /> In a retrospective interview in 2018, Mann said she felt "4th of July" was the best song on the record.<ref name="stereogum" />

Reception

Template:Music ratings Whatever was released in 1993 on the independent label Imago. It earned positive reviews but did not meet sales expectations.<ref name="Berman-2019">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Baker-2002">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of February 2001, Whatever had sold 170,000 copies in United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Most praised her sense of melody and the wordplay of her lyrics, exemplified by Entertainment Weekly in "hooky songs" and "evocative lyrics".<ref name="EW1993" /> The Los Angeles Times reflected this by saying she "mixes words like a master, catching lifetimes of ache and Angst"<ref name="LA1993" /> while the Chicago Tribune compared her to Elvis Costello.<ref name="Tribune1993" /> Rolling Stone cited her music as "sunny, surreal melodies" with "razor-sharp lyrics".<ref name="RS1993" /> The IndependentTemplate:'s Andy Gill highly recommended the album, concluding that "it's the tension between Mann's disarmingly direct, conversational lyric style and the complexity of her musical design that gives Whatever its peculiar charge".<ref>Template:Cite news Posted at {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Robert Christgau cited "Mr. Harris" as a "choice cut".<ref name="ChristgauCG">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2000, the songwriter Elvis Costello included Whatever in his list of 500 greatest albums for Vanity Fair.<ref name="VF2000">Template:Cite journal Posted at {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and in PitchforkTemplate:'s "150 Best Albums of the 1990s".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2003, the English writer Nick Hornby included "I've Had It" in Songbook, a list of songs that changed his life.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Track listing

1. "I Should've Known" – 4:53
2. "Fifty Years After the Fair" – 3:46
3. "4th of July" – 3:21
4. "Could've Been Anyone" (Lyrics by Mann, Music by Mann, Jules Shear, Marty Willson-Piper) – 4:23
5. "Put Me on Top" – 3:28
6. "Stupid Thing" (Mann, Jon Brion) – 4:27
7. "Say Anything" (Mann, Jon Brion) – 4:57
8. "Jacob Marley's Chain" – 3:01
9. "Mr. Harris" – 4:05
10. "I Could Hurt You Now" – 4:17
11. "I Know There's a Word" (Mann, Jon Brion) – 3:16
12. "I've Had It" – 4:42
13. "Way Back When" – 4:05
14. "Nothing" – 0:09

Personnel

• Aimee Mann – vocals (all songs), electric guitar (1), bass (1–3, 5, 6, 10, 11), Dixie cup (1), acoustic guitar (3, 13), pump organ (4), Mellotron (5), percussion (7), lo-fi acoustic guitar (10), nylon-string guitar (12)
• Michael Hausman – drums (3, 10, 13), percussion (4), orchestral percussion (8), bass drum (12), tongue drum (12), congas (12), cymbals (12)
• Jim Keltner – drums (2, 5, 6)
• Milt Sutton – drums (7)
• Jon Brion – drums (1, 4, 11), bass (1, 4, 7, 13), electric guitar (1, 2, 5–7, 10, 12, 13), pump organ (1, 6, 8), Mellotron (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10), Chamberlain (1, 4, 6, 8), vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13), Optigan (2, 4, 6, 12, 13), glockenspiel (2, 4, 10), tambourine (2, 10), vibraphone (3, 4), guitar (4), piano (4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13), harmonium (6, 8), acoustic guitar (7), acoustic bass (8), kazoo (8), woodwind arrangement (9), Hammond organ (10, 13), Indian harmonium (10), bass harmonica (10, 12), keyboards (11), cottage organ (12), B-3 organ (12), Wurlitzer organ (12), celesta (12), tack piano (12), piccolo flute (12), bottles (12), turtle guitar (13), toy piano (13), marimba (13), pipes (13)
• Buddy Judge – vocals (1, 10–13), acoustic guitar (5, 6, 8, 11, 13), hi-fi acoustic guitar (10), bottles (12), pipes (13)
• Todd Nelson – intro guitar (1)
• Randy Brion – euphonium (9), trombone (13)
• Mike Breaux – oboe (9), bassoon (12)
• Roger McGuinn – 12-string electric guitar (2), vocals (2)
• David Coleman – electric cello (10)
• The Sid Sharp Strings – Sid Sharp (9, 11), Joy Lyle (9, 11), Harry Shirinian (9, 11), Harry Shultz (9, 11)
• Jimmie Haskell – string arrangement (9)

Charts

Weekly charts

yes

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Year	Chart	Position
1993	Heatseekers	3
1993	Billboard 200	127

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1993	"I Should've Known"	Modern Rock Tracks<ref name=BillboardSingles>{{#ifeq: | yes	https://www.allmusic.com/album/r169914{{ #if: charts-awards/billboard-single	/charts-awards/billboard-single }}	{{#if: r169914	{{#if:	[[{{{author-link}}}|{{#if: |, {{{first}}} }}]]|{{#if: |, {{{first}}} }}}}. }}[https://www.allmusic.com/album/r169914{{ #if: charts-awards/billboard-single	/charts-awards/billboard-single }} {{ #if: Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles	Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles	Template:PAGENAMEBASE }}] at AllMusic{{ #if: 27 July 2005	. Retrieved 27 July 2005. }}	{{#if: {{#property:P1728}}	Template:First word {{#if: Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata	{{#if: {{#property:P1729}}	Template:First word {{#if: Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata	{{#if: {{#property:P1730}}	Template:First word {{#if: Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata	{{#if: {{#property:P1994}}	Template:First word {{#if: Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Whatever – Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | Template:PAGENAMEBASE }} at AllMusicTemplate:EditAtWikidata	Template:Main other }} }} }} }} }} }}</ref>	16