Mental Illness is the ninth studio album by singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. It was released on March 31, 2017, by SuperEgo Records. Mann has described it as her "saddest, slowest and most acoustic" album to date.
Recording
In an interview with Elle magazine, Mann said that the song "Goose Snow Cone" was inspired by a photo of a friend's cat which she received while on tour in Ireland. The song "Patient Zero" was written following a meeting Mann and her husband, Michael Penn, had with actor Andrew Garfield. The album features contributions made by Ted Leo, who collaborated with Mann on their duo project, The Both. Jonathan Coulton co-wrote "Patient Zero," "Good For Me," and "Rollercoasters" while The Long Winters' John Roderick co-wrote "Poor Judge." The bulk of album was recorded on Mann's record label, Superego, by Producer Paul Bryan at Mayberry PCH recording studio. The string arrangements were arranged and conducted by Paul Bryan, were recorded separately at United Recordings Los Angeles by Ryan Freeland. In a March 30, 2017 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mann noted that her manager had pressured her to create more uptempo music, but she resisted, explaining, "Because emotional honesty is uplifting, and it doesn't really matter what the emotion is. It's just uplifting, so that's how I approach it. Writing these songs is never depressing for me, and I don't think you can write out of a position of depression anyway."
As opposed to her previous album, Charmer, which was defined as a "solid, punchy pop rock" album, Mental Illness consists of acoustic guitars, strings and percussion. Ryan Bray from Consequence of Sound defined it as the musical "equivalent of washing your mouth out with soap" and stated that it "smacks of cold reality". Ryan Reed from Rolling Stone magazine described it as "sad and folky". Katie Rife from The A.V. Club pointed out that Mental Illness is a continuation of Aimee Mann's historic tradition of chronicling life's disappointments, both simple and profound. Mojo writer James McNair described it as "intimate and reflective" and said that it is "easy to get lost in". Steve Horowitz of PopMatters wrote that "Mann is our modern day Dory Previn, whose whip-smart sensibility suggests intelligence and mania at the same time." Craig Dorfman of Paste declared that "Mann has earned her reputation as a master songwriter". Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated that on Mental Illness Mann is "Tunefully Tracing Elegant Despair". Maura Johnston of The Boston Globe wrote that "Mann crafts a melancholic atmosphere that is worth repeated listens." Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune declared it as one of Mann's "sparest, quietest albums and also among her most beautiful". Allan Raible of ABC News articulated that this record is "firmly planted in mature soundscapes", that "you may find yourself getting lost in this album's sonic textures" and that with Mental Illness "Aimee Mann continues to be one of the most gripping storytellers writing music today". Dw. Dunphy of Popdose notes that, while the music in Mental Illness is gorgeous, this isn't a "feel good" album. But, for those in the right frame of mind, it's "a warm, plush comforter to crawl into when the self-pity stops working."
Tour
Mann announced the tour, along with the album itself, on January 17, 2017. The tour encompasses performances all around North America, featuring one show in Canada, the rest taking place in the US. The first tour date was April 20, 2017, and the last is a good two months later, on June 30, 2017. Along with Mann herself, the tour features Jonathan Coulton on acoustic guitar, Jay Bellerose on drums, a string quartet, Jamie Edwards on piano, and Paul Bryan on bass while singing backup vocals. Many of the musicians who played on the album also joined Mann on the tour..
Awards and nominations
On January 28, 2018 the album won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. It also won Best American Roots & Folk Album at the 2018 A2IM Libera Awards.
Track listing
The Japanese edition of the album has an additional bonus track, "Throw You Over".
Personnel
Aimee Mann – lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, percussion
