Whatever (Aimee Mann album)

Whatever
Studio album by Aimee Mann
Released	May 11, 1993
Recorded	Q Division, Capitol Studios, Clubhouse, Blue Jay, Bearsville, Zeitgeist, Sunset Sound, Presence
Genre	Pop, Rock
Length	52:14
Label	Imago Records (original release); Geffen (reissue)
Producer	Tony Berg Jon Brion Michael Hausman Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann chronology
Whatever (1993) I'm with Stupid (1995)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[2]
Robert Christgau	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A [4]
The Independent	(highly recommended) [5]
Los Angeles Times	[6]
Q	[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]

Whatever is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1993.

"I've Had It" is one of the songs featured in Nick Hornby's book 31 Songs. The album, with special note for the song "4th of July", was included by Elvis Costello in his "Costello's 500" list for Vanity Fair.^[9] It has also been included in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list.^[10]

Track listing

All songs by Aimee Mann, unless otherwise noted.

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

Whatever — An Exclusive Collection

In 1994 BMG Records in Germany released a limited edition Whatever — An Exclusive Collection. This featured a second CD containing previously released B-sides. The cover of the CD was unchanged, there just being a sticker announcing the bonus material. It appears that Aimee was unaware of this release until it was mentioned in the message forum at her website in 2004, her management calling it a bootleg before it being confirmed as an official release.^[11]

1. "Jimmy Hoffa Jokes"
2. "4th of July" (live for Virgin 1215)
3. "Say Anything" (acoustic)
4. "Baby Blue"
5. "Truth on My Side" (demo, 1989)
6. "Fifty Years After the Fair" (demo, 1989)
7. "Put On Some Speed" (demo, 1989)
8. "Stupid Thing" (live)
9. "The Other End (Of the Telescope)" (live)

Reception

Whatever received mostly positive reviews from the critics. Most praised her sense of melody and the wordplay of her lyrics, exemplified by Entertainment Weekly in "hooky songs" and "evocative lyrics".^[4] The Los Angeles Times reflected this by saying she "mixes words like a master, catching lifetimes of ache and Angst" in her songs^[6] while the Chicago Tribune compared her to Elvis Costello.^[2] Rolling Stone cited her music as "sunny, surreal melodies" with "razor-sharp lyrics".^[8] On the other hand, Robert Christgau only cited "Mr. Harris" as a choice cut, finding nothing else to say about it.^[3]

Legacy

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[12]

Personnel

• Aimee Mann – lead vocals, background vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, mellotron, pump organ, percussion
• Michael Hausman – drums, percussion, conga, cymbals
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Milt Sutton – drums
• Jon Brion – bass, electric guitar, turtle guitar, piano, chamberlin, optigan, hammond organ, toy piano, marimba, pipes, pump organ, vibraphone, glockenspiel, tambourine, mellotron, drums, bass harmonica, piccolo, background vocals
• Buddy Judge – acoustic guitar, background vocals, pipes
• Todd Nelson – electric guitar
• Randy Brion – euphonium, trombone
• Mike Breaux – bassoon, oboe
• Roger McGuinn – 12 string electric guitar, background vocals (on Fifty Years After the Fair)
• David Coleman – cello, electric cello
• Sid Sharp, Sidney Sharp, Joy Lyle, Harry Shirinian, Harry Shultz – Strings

Charts

Album ^[13]

Year	Chart	Position
1993	Heatseekers	3
1993	The Billboard 200	127

Singles ^[14]

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1993	"I Should've Known"	Modern Rock Tracks	16

References

1. McCartney, Kelly. Whatever (Aimee Mann album) at AllMusic. Retrieved 11 October 2004.
2. Caro, Mark (June 3, 1993). "Aimee Mann Whatever". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
3. Christgau, Robert (March 1, 1994). "Consumer Guide: Choice Cuts: Aimee Mann "Mr. Harris" (Whatever)". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 November 2011. Also included in "Aimee Mann > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
4. Sinclair, Tom (May 14, 1993). "Whatever Review". Entertainment Weekly (170). Retrieved 11 August 2007.
5. Gill, Andy (August 26, 1993). "Records: Aimee Mann Whatever". The Independent (London). p. 19. Posted at "The Independent - August 26, 1993". aimeemaninprint.com. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
6. Rosenbluth, Jean (May 23, 1993). "Record Rack: Adult True Confessions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 July 2013. Posted at "The Los Angeles Times - May 23, 1993". aimeemaninprint.com. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
7. "Aimee Mann - Whatever CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
8. Manning, Kara (August 5, 1993). "Aimee Mann: Whatever : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone (662). p. 68. Archived from the original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2013. Posted on July 17, 1997.
9. Costello, Elvis (November 2000). "Costello's 500". Vanity Fair (483): 158–164. Posted at "Vanity Fair 2000-11-01". elviscostello.info. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
10. "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". 1001beforeyoudie.com. Cassell Illustrated. 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
11. "Aimee Mann Message Board - Powered by XMB 1.8 Partagium Final SP2". Aimeemann.com. Retrieved 2012-03-14.
12. Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
13. Whatever - Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 July 2005.
14. Whatever - Aimee Mann > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 July 2005.