By Christopher David<\/p>\n
Now in the final stages of her tour in support of last year\u2019s Mental Illness<\/em> (an arguable contender for her best record yet), the set was filled with surprises and good-natured self-depreciation as Mann\u2019s wry sense of humor offered thoughts on song titles and rarities. Opening with the gut-wrenching \u201c4th of July\u201d from 1993\u2019s Whatever, <\/em>the set highlighted six records in six songs, a testament to Mann\u2019s consistency, as every song sounded as if it could have come from her newest record. The easy flow from such a broad swath of career-spanning songs came as no real shock, as this has always been one of her greatest strengths as a songwriter; Mann knows her strengths and doesn\u2019t shy away from flexing her muscles when it comes to subtle, hooky melodies and emotionally narrative lines that would make even the most seasoned writer jealous.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought that I\u2019d obviously sit down and come up with a better title that I didn\u2019t have to explain every single time I played the song,\u201d she quipped while introducing \u201cGoose Snow Cone,\u201d one of the more delicate offerings from Illness<\/em> that showcased the understated power of her current lineup. Keyboardist Jamie Edwards maintained a razor-thin balance of driving melody and provided some lush layering; he even offered a nod to Squeeze classic \u201cUp the Junction\u201d at the tail end of \u201cLong Shot,\u201d to the delight of those who caught it. A few songs in, Mann welcomed frequent collaborator and fellow songwriter Ted Leo for a song from the duo\u2019s side project The Both (and an impromptu announcement of their new podcast, The Process, which will explore songwriters and their methods of writing); Leo returned later for perhaps the biggest surprise of the night – \u201cVoices Carry,\u201d the song that broke Mann into the mainstream with \u201880s outfit Til Tuesday. Imagine a folksier version of the song\u2014though the signature keyboards remained\u2014that wouldn\u2019t have been out of place on Lost in Space<\/em> or Charmer<\/em>. In a night full of special moments, it was perhaps the most unexpected. One couldn\u2019t have asked for a better overview of\u2014or introduction to\u2014Mann\u2019s unique, seemingly endless talent.<\/p>\n For more on Aimee Man, click here<\/a><\/p>\n