Aimee Mann will bring her blend of acoustic folk-pop to New Orleans’ House of Blues on Tuesday night.
Mann is touring in support of “Lost in Space,” but the shows are a solid representation of her entire solo career.
Mann spent the past 10 years as a solo artist, releasing four critically acclaimed albums. Though she has established her place within the industry as an independent, well-respected songwriter, she only recently enjoyed success.
If You Go:
What: Aimee Mann
Where: House of Blues, New Orleans 8 p.m.
When: Jan. 28
Cost: $20
Contact: (504) 529-2624
What you’ll hear: A recent setlist from Jan. 21 at The Rialto in Tuscon, AZ included:It’s Not Safe, The Moth, Calling it quits, Sugarcoated, Humpty Dumpty, Susan, Amateur, Wise Up, Save me, Long shot, 4th of July, Red Vines Invisible Ink, Deathly, Make a killing, Just what you are, This is how it goes, Pavlov’s bell
‘Til Tuesday, a soft rock hair band, was her original try in the music business in the mid 1980s, and she found moderate success with a Top 10 album and heavy MTV rotation. But by 1989, ‘Til Tuesday’s success had faded, and Mann was in a battle with her label, Imago Records, to begin a solo career.
“Whatever,” her first solo record, released in 1993 to critical applause but low sales. Mann’s label went bankrupt and would not allow her to record with any other label. Mann felt stagnant.
She freed herself of her legal battles, signed with Geffen records and released her second solo album, “I’m With Stupid.” Critics responded even more positively to this effort, and she began building a considerable audience. More label troubles followed with a merger of Interscope and Geffen.
After Interscope attempted to mold her writing style into radio-friendly hits, Mann took her prior earnings and created her own label, Superego records.
Her big break into the spotlight came when Paul Thomas Anderson attributed some of his inspiration for his movie, “Magnolia” to her. Mann’s work dominated the soundtrack, exposing her to a broader audience.
The Oscar-nominated “Magnolia” soundtrack and her independently released, third solo album, “Bachelor No. 2,” brought Mann to the position for which she always had strived. She was doing the music she wanted and was in command of everything around her.
“Lost in Space,” her 2002 release, is full of her characteristic dry wit concerning heavy, emotional issues. She covers themes of alienation and addiction, which many people can understand.
Because her audience isn’t built from hit singles, she can expose it to her older material without feeling obligated to play certain songs.
Longtime fans can expect an excellent performance of the old and new, and newer fans can go eager to learn more about the career of this esteemed songwriter.
The show begins at 8 p.m., tickets are $20, and Duncan Sheik is the opening performer.