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(Warner)
Review: Russell Baillie
You'll hear Aimee Mann's name on Oscar night on Monday in the song category for her work in Magnolia. Actually director Paul Thomas Anderson says in the liner notes here that the work of the Los Angeles singer-songwriter inspired his brilliantly unwieldly follow-up to Boogie Nights.
Among the more delicious indulgences of the lengthy film (which I've seen but has been bumped to May for New Zealand release) is a sequence where its ensemble cast lip-synchs to Mann's nominated track, Wise Up.
Anderson is clearly a man of discerning taste - he may be Fiona Apple's significant other, but he gave the soundtrack job to Mann and longtime studio collaborator Jon Brion, who produced Apple's last album as well as Macy Gray's breakthrough.
The resulting soundtrack album-wise is a good, forshortened Mann album, rather ruined by the inclusion of two ironically utilised-on-screen Supertramp tracks (Goodbye Stranger, Logical Song) which will have most purchasers sprinting for the stop button at track 10.
However, before that it's a run of Mann's bruised, emotive pop gems old and new, lyrically disarming ballads with the sort of wistful melodies which remind of Chrissie Hynde or Elvis Costello at their most melancholy, as well as a cover of Harry Nilsson's One. And the lilting Wise Up is indeed gorgeous.
Mann has joked that she is going to be the first Oscar loser ever to boo if Phil Collins wins for his Tarzan ditties. Listening to this, you'll be tempted to join in.
Aimee Mann - Songs from Magnolia
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