When Aimee Mann hit the pop music scene with her solo debut, Whatever (1993), critics applauded. Mann delivered her instantly engaging pop with remarkably strong vocals, sharp wit, clever tunes and featured guest artists like ex-Byrd Roger McGuinn, in a direct link to the heyday of guitar pop. Even Elvis Costello felt compelled to give his seal of approval. 'Til Tuesday's debut, Voices Carry, came out in 1985 on Epic Records, and sold well in the "soft rock" era of the last decade. In fact, heavy MTV rotation and subsequent radio play launched the album into the Top 10. The following year, the band released Welcome Home, which was not nearly as successful. Mann gradually took up song-writing duties for the group, and by the time the highly popular Everything's Different Now came out in 1989, Mann's distinctive voice was the driving force in the band's sound. Whatever was a simple and direct guitar-based album, which offered songs like the accusatory "I Should've Known" and the introspective "4th of July." Mann's personalized lyrics made the album stand out, and became a distinctive beacon for her growing fan base. But just as she generated a strong audience demand for more music, her record company, Imago, went broke. Again, Mann found herself searching for a record label as her contract crumbled around her. After some label-searching and soul-searching, Mann finally released I'm With Stupid on Geffen in 1995. After Interscope's acquisition of Geffen, Mann found herself in a familiar creative bind when the label started calling for more radio-friendly material. After some negotiation, she bought back masters for her then-unreleased album Bachelor No. 2 and released it on her own Superego label in 2000. That same year, Mann's found herself in the spotlight for her work on the soundtrack to Magnolia. The haunting remake of "One" and the Oscar-nominated "Save Me" almost made Mann a mainstream success. However, Mann has never aimed to push the envelope, instead, she has become adept at purifying the pop sound.
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