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Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo

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Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo
Studio album by
Aimee Mann
ReleasedMay 2, 2000 (2000-05-02)
Recorded1999
GenrePop rock
Length49:21
LabelSuperEgo, V2
Producer
Aimee Mann chronology
Magnolia
(1999) 		Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo
(2000) 		Ultimate Collection
(2000)
Singles from Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo
  1. "Red Vines"
    Released: March 12, 2001
  2. "Calling It Quits"
    Released: September 17, 2001

Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo is the third album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released on May 2, 2000. Some songs were previously released on the Magnolia soundtrack (1999), which Mann wrote in the same period. "The Fall of the World's Own Optimist" was co-written with the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello.

Mann's previous albums had not been successful, and her record label, Geffen Records, refused to release Bachelor No. 2, feeling it contained no hit singles. In response, Mann set up her own label, SuperEgo, and released it herself. Bachelor No. 2 sold 270,000 copies, a large number for an independent artist.

According to Metacritic, Bachelor No. 2 is the 28th best-reviewed album and the ninth best-reviewed alternative album of the decade, and Slant Magazine named it the decade's 100th-best album. The success established Mann as a career artist who could work outside of the major label system.

Background

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Aimee Mann recorded her first two solo albums, Whatever (1993) and I'm With Stupid (1995), under contract to Imago Records. When Imago encountered financial problems, they sold the albums to Geffen Records.[1] According to Pitchfork, Mann's first two albums showed that she was "a witty, self-possessed songwriter", but they did not meet sales expectations, with sales "in the low six figures".[2] Mann began to be seen as someone whose career was in decline.[3] She received wider recognition after she contributed songs to the soundtrack for the 1999 film Magnolia, including some songs later included on Bachelor No. 2.[3]

Writing

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For Bachelor No. 2, Mann collaborated again with the producer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion.[4] She took more control over the production than she had for her previous albums,[4] and said in 2020: "This was the only record that I really took responsibility for all the music: all the parts that were played, the way everything sounded."[5] The dodo of the album title reflected Mann's sense that singer-songwriters were a "dying breed" in 2000.[4]

Mann wrote Bachelor No. 2 and the Magnolia soundtrack in the same period.[4] Her frustration with Geffen inspired many of the songs. She described playing them to Geffen staff, who would complain that they did not sound like commercial singles. The criticism made her feel that she was failing, and she developed writer's block.[4] One executive suggested Mann work with Diane Warren, who had written hit singles for major acts.[6] Mann wrote "Nothing is Good Enough" in response, but felt the song could also apply to many kinds of relationship.[4]

"The Fall of the World's Own Optimist" was co-written with the English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello.[7] According to Mann, "I sent him a tape of a song that I couldn't finish and he added a new bit. Basically I had a problem with a song and he fixed it — it was as simple as that."[6] Mann and Costello had previously collaborated on "The Other End Of the Telescope", released on the 1988 album Everything's Different Now by Mann's previous band, 'Til Tuesday.[6]

Release

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Geffen refused to release Bachelor No. 2, feeling it had no commercial potential.[8] In response, Mann sold homemade EPs of her music on tour, a move she described as a "DIY fuck-you-record-company-I'm-selling-it-myself" gesture.[9] Geffen allowed Mann to leave her record contact. She said later: "I could not have gotten out of there fast enough."[10]

In 1998, the Sony Music employee Gail Marowitz predicted that Mann would make more money selling 70,000 albums independently than by selling 300,000 on a major label.[1] In 1999, Mann and her manager, Michael Hausman, formed their own label, SuperEgo Records.[11] With Mann's husband, the songwriter Michael Penn, they also established United Musicians, a collective working outside the major label system.[12][13] Using the money earned through royalties from Magnolia, Mann bought the Bachelor No. 2 masters from Geffen.[12]

Mann sold 25,000 copies of Bachelor No. 2 via mail order from her website, a large amount for an independent artist.[14] After she secured a distribution deal,[14] Bachelor No. 2 sold more than 270,000 copies,[4] outperforming I'm With Stupid.[8] Pitchfork described this as a "decisive victory".[8] The success established Mann as a career artist who could work outside of the major label system.[15] As of May 2008, Bachelor No. 2 had sold more than 230,000 copies in the US.[16]

In 2020, Mann released an expanded 20th-anniversary reissue of Bachelor No. 2 for Record Store Day. It features an alternative track list and five bonus tracks, including songs included on the Magnolia soundtrack. Mann said she remained pleased with the album and did not regret leaving Geffen.[5]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic89/100[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[18]
The Baltimore Sun[19]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[20]
Los Angeles Times[21]
Pitchfork9.0/10[22]
Q[23]
Rolling Stone[24]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[25]
The Times[26]
USA Today[27]

On the review aggregator website Metacritic, Bachelor No. 2 has a score of 89 out of 100 based on 13 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[17] According to Metacritic, it is the 28th best-reviewed album and the ninth best-reviewed indie/alternative album of the decade.[28] Slant Magazine named it the 100th-best album of the decade.[29]

Writing for the New Yorker in 2000, Nick Hornby wrote that Bachelor No. 2 was Mann's strongest work to date, praising her "bleak and bracing cynicism about our ability to connect with fellow humans" and her "sinuous, Burt Bacharach-like melodies".[30]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."How Am I Different"
Aimee Mann5:03[31]
2."Nothing Is Good Enough"Mann
  • Mann
  • Buddy Judge
3:10[31][32]
3."Red Vines"MannMann3:44[31]
4."The Fall of the World's Own Optimist"
Jon Brion3:06[31]
5."Satellite"MannMann4:10[31]
6."Deathly"MannBrion5:37[33]
7."Ghost World"MannMike Dineen3:30
8."Calling It Quits"MannJudge4:09[31]
9."Driving Sideways"
Brendan O'Brien3:49[33]
10."Just Like Anyone"MannMann1:22[31]
11."Susan"MannMann3:51
12."It Takes All Kinds"MannMann4:06
13."You Do"
  • Mann
  • Brion
Mann3:43[33]
Total length:49:21

Personnel

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Musicians

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  • Aimee Mann – vocals (1-13), backing vocals (1-4,7—9,11), bass (1—8,10—13), acoustic guitar (1,3,6,8,10—13), Nashville guitar (1), guitar (7), tambourine (7,11), hi-hat (11)
  • Jon Brion – electric guitar (4,6), keyboards (4), backing vocals (6), drums (6)
  • Mark Flannagan – trumpet (8)
  • Juliana Hatfield – backing vocals (6)
  • Michael Hausman – tambourine (3), drum programming (13)
  • Buddy Judge – backing vocals (1-5,7,8,12,13), drum programming (1,3,8), Wurlitzer (8), drum loops (8)
  • Hank Linderman - drum programming (11)
  • Michael Lockwood – electric guitar (1,3,4,7-9,12,13), guitar (5,6,11), percussion (5), backing vocals (9), 12-string acoustic guitar (9), Cheesy Keyboards (13)
  • Dan MacCarroll - drums (3,9,11)
  • Ric Menck – drums (2,8)
  • Brendan O'Brien – bass (9), slide guitar (9)
  • Michael Panes - Violin (10)
  • Michael Penn – backing vocals (1,5,9,11), slide guitar (3), feedback guitar (5), electric guitar (9), guitar (13)
  • Grant Lee Phillips – backing vocals (1,5)
  • John Sands – drums (1,4,5,7,12)
  • Clayton Scoble – electric guitar (4)
  • Benmont Tench – Chamberlin (3), Piano (8)
  • Jennifer Trynin – electric guitar (7)
  • Patrick Warren – keyboards (1,5,7,11,12), piano (3,9), Chamberlin (3,8,10,13), guitar (6), accordion (10), celeste (13)

Production

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  • Producers: Aimee Mann, Jon Brion, Mike Denneen, Buddy Judge, Brendan O'Brien
  • Executive producer: Michael Hausman
  • Engineers: Mike Denneen, Nick DiDia, Ryan Freeland, S. "Husky" Höskulds, Dustin Jones, Buddy Judge, Hank Linderman, Brian Scheuble
  • Assistant engineers: Elijah Bradford, Carlos Castro, Connie Hill, Dustin Jones
  • Mixing: David Boucher, Bob Clearmountain, Ryan Freeland
  • Mastering: Shawn R. Britton
  • Extensive Help with Production: Buddy Judge
  • Assistants: David Boucher, Ryan Freeland
  • Computers: Buddy Judge
  • Drum engineering: Hank Linderman
  • Vocal engineer: S. "Husky" Hoskulds
  • Art direction: Aimee Mann, Gail Marowitz
  • Design: Aimee Mann, Gail Marowitz

References

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  1. ^ a b Meter, Jonathan Van (July 11, 1999). "What's a record exec to do with Aimee Mann?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Berman, Judy (November 17, 2019). "Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  3. ^ a b McLevy, Alex (June 25, 2020). "Aimee Mann got cinematic with the gorgeous Magnolia soundtrack". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Bevigila, Jim (November 25, 2020). "Aimee Mann looks back on Bachelor No. 2 in advance of 20th anniversary reissue". American Songwriter. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Willman, Chris (November 27, 2020). "Aimee Mann on the 'stubbornness' that led to Bachelor No. 2, an indie landmark being reissued for Record Store Day". Variety. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Happy 60th Birthday Aimee Mann: Revisiting A Classic Interview". Hot Press. September 8, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  7. ^ Hornby, Nick (June 4, 2000). "Aimee Mann's melodies for a darker mood". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Berman, Judy (November 17, 2019). "Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  9. ^ Doug Bleggi (November 21, 2018). "'Til Today: 25 years after her solo debut, Aimee Mann looks back". Stereogum. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  10. ^ "Aimee Mann Looks Back On 'Bachelor No. 2' In Advance Of 20th Anniversary Reissue". American Songwriter. November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  11. ^ McLevy, Alex (June 25, 2020). "Aimee Mann got cinematic with the gorgeous Magnolia soundtrack". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Baker, Brian (October 1, 2002). "The Evolution of Aimee Mann". Paste Magazine. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  13. ^ Leopold, Todd (April 25, 2007). "Musician finds second act — and second life". CNN. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Aimee Mann's Bachelor No. 2 turns 20". Stereogum. May 1, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  15. ^ Bleggi, Doug (November 21, 2018). "'Til Today: 25 years after her solo debut, Aimee Mann looks back". Stereogum. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  16. ^ Nagy, Evie (May 27, 2008). "Still Her Own Mann: Aimee Mann". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Reviews for Bachelor No. 2 (or, the last remains of the dodo) by Aimee Mann". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  18. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Bachelor No. 2 Or, The Last Remains of the Dodo – Aimee Mann". AllMusic. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  19. ^ Considine, J. D. (June 8, 2000). "Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2 Or, The Last Remains of the Dodo (Superego SE002)". The Baltimore Sun.
  20. ^ Browne, David (April 28, 2000). "Bachelor No. 2 (or, the last remains of the dodo)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  21. ^ Nichols, Natalie (April 9, 2000). "Aimee Mann 'Bachelor No. 2' SuperEgo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  22. ^ Berman, Judy (November 17, 2019). "Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  23. ^ "Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo". Q (166): 120. July 2000.
  24. ^ Wild, David (June 8, 2000). "Bachelor No. 2 : Aimee Mann". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  25. ^ Randall, Mac (2004). "Aimee Mann". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 511–12. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  26. ^ "Aimee Mann: Bachelor No. 2". The Times. March 24, 2001. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  27. ^ Barnes, Ken (May 2, 2000). "Aimee Mann, Bachelor No. 2". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  28. ^ Dietz, Jason (December 15, 2009). "The best music of the decade". Metacritic. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  29. ^ Newlin, Jimmy (February 2010). "Best of the Aughts: Albums". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on February 4, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  30. ^ Hornby, Nick (June 4, 2000). "Aimee Mann's melodies for a darker mood". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g Initially appeared on the self-published 7-track EP "Special Preview" version of the album.
  32. ^ Instrumental mix appeared on the Magnolia soundtrack.
  33. ^ a b c Initially appeared on the Magnolia soundtrack.
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