@&*! Smilers

Infobox Album
Name = Smilers
Type = studio
Artist = Aimee Mann


Released = June 3, 2008
Recorded = The Sound Factory, Hollywood, CA
Genre = Pop/rock
Length = 45:51
Label = SuperEgo
Producer = Paul Bryan
Reviews =
*Allmusic rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fnfexzwjldte~T1 link]
*"The A.V. Club" (B-) [http://www.avclub.com/content/music/aimee_mann link]
*"Billboard" (favorable) [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3i07a95797894eac563386b5a97579f542 link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (B+) 13 Jun 2008
*"Mojo" Rating|5|5 [http://www.aimeemann.com/ammojo.jpglink]
*"Newsweek" (favorable) [http://www.newsweek.com/id/135885 link]
*"Okayplayer" (85/100) [http://www.okayplayer.com/content/view/6123/86/ link]
*"PopMatters" (6/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/58886/aimee-mann-smilers/ link]
*"Rolling Stone" rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/20881088/review/21464002/_smilers 10 Jul 08]
*"Spin" rating|4|5 [http://www.spin.com/reviews/aimee-mann 2 Jun 2008 link]
Last album = "One More Drifter in the Snow"
(2006)
This album = "Smilers"
(2008)
Next album =

"@#%&*! Smilers" (pronounced "Fucking Smilers" [http://www.aimeemann.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=6579 Aimee Mann Message Board ] ] ) is the seventh studio album by singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. It was released by SuperEgo Records in 2008 (see 2008 in music). Upon the week of its release the album was featured as the Virgin Megastore "Pick of the Week."

The album was produced by Mann's bassist, Paul Bryan, and features guest appearances by singer-songwriter Sean Hayes, who duets with Mann on the track "Ballantines," and author Dave Eggers, who whistles on "Little Tornado."

In addition to the standard CD package, "Smilers" is available in a limited-edition package with a book-bound cover, a die-cut 32-page book with illustrations by renowned artist Gary Taxali, and held together with metal screw binding.

A press release for the album is available [http://www.michaelhausman.com/michaelhausman.com/artists/aimee.htm here] .

The title of the album comes from a thread Mann read about 20 years ago on a newsgroup called alt.bitter where someone was complaining about the "fucking smilers" who would approach him at work when he was in a bad mood and try to cheer him up. [ [http://dcist.com/2008/01/31/dcist_interview_15.php DCist: DCist Interview: Aimee Mann ] ]

Track listing

All songs written by Aimee Mann, except where noted.
#"Freeway" – 3:50
#"Stranger Into Starman" – 1:31
#"Looking for Nothing" – 3:46
#"Phoenix" – 3:56
#"Borrowing Time" – 3:12
#"It's Over" – 3:58
#"31 Today" – 4:52
#"The Great Beyond" – 3:12
#"Medicine Wheel" (Mann, Gretchen Seichrist) – 4:08
#"Columbus Avenue" – 4:06
#"Little Tornado" – 3:23
#"True Believer" (Mann, Grant Lee Phillips) – 3:32
#"Ballantines" – 2:21

Personnel

*Aimee Mann – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, bowed acoustic
*Paul Bryan – bass, backing vocals, horn arrangements
*Jay Bellerose – drums
*Jamie Edwards – keyboards
*Buddy Judge – backing vocals on "Looking for Nothing" and "31 Today"
*Kimon Kirk – backing vocals on "It's Over"
*Jebin Bruni – Moog on "Borrowing Time"
*Chris Bruce – guitar solo (arranged for horns) on "Borrowing Time"
*Sean Hayes – duet vocals on "Ballantines"
*Dave Eggers – whistling on "Little Tornado"
*Patrick Warren – string arrangements
*Willie Murillo – trumpet
*Mark Visher – tenor and baritone saxophone
*Jason Thor – trombone and bass trombone
*Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen, Amy Wickman, Alyssa Park, Terry Glenny, Marisa Kuney, Melisa Reiner – violins
*Leah Katz, Caroline Buckman, David Sage – violas
*Richard Dodd, Alan Matthews, John Krovaza – cellos

Charts

References