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The Forgotten Arm | 
 enlarge | Artist: Aimee Mann
Label: Superego Records
Category: Music
List Price: $11.98
Buy New: $10.99
You Save: $0.99 (8%)
New (36) Used (21) Collectible (1) from $3.93
Rating:  82 reviews
Sales Rank: 9304
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 18
UPC: 698519001825
EAN: 0698519001825
ASIN: B0007YLLK2
Release Date: May 3, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Dear John | | • | King of the Jailhouse | | • | Goodbye Caroline | | • | Going Through the Motions | | • | I Can't Get My Head Around It | | • | She Really Wants You | | • | Video | | • | Little Bombs | | • | That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart | | • | I Can't Help You Anymore | | • | I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas | | • | Beautiful |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Marked by a distinctly more middle-aged melancholy than her previous releases, Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm is a successfully conceived story album, following a couple through the life of their relationship. There is much for old and new fans here, as Mann lifts vignettes from the love-and-hate affair of a boxer and his girlfriend like sepia-toned snapshots from a county fair. In fact, it is in just one of those sticky, hot fairground parking lots where the romance blossoms and progresses "in the back of a Cadillac, that's her asleep in the mirror in back." The syncopated, bluesy melodies and strong ensemble of musicians make for a polished effort, and Mann's gimlet eye doesn't miss much--from the seductive pain of addiction, bout-induced memory loss, and finally to the inevitable discussion about having (or not) a baby. If indigo is the mood for most of Mann's work, then The Forgotten Arm may be closer to lavender, given the seasoned humor and perspective evident in standout tracks such as "That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart" and "She Really Wants You." This one's a keeper. --Megan Halverson Best of the Largo-ites 
Bachelor No. 2, Aimee Mann | 
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Album Description
The Forgotten Arm is the new studio album from the Grammy and Oscar nominated singer/songwriter Aimee Mann. Aimee's songs have a literary quality to them — sharp, spare short stories set to music — so it was probably inevitable that she would one day make a concept album, the musical equivalent of a novella. The Forgotten Arm , her fifth solo release, is exactly that: a dozen songs that tell, rather loosely, the story of John and Caroline as they meet, fall in love and road trip across America.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 77 more reviews...
 Among Aimee Mann's Best March 6, 2008
This is every bit as good as "Bachelor No. 2" but you have to have patience. The story, music, vocals, and brilliance of the song sequence didn't start sinking in until about my seventh listen. It's deceptively complex, and absolutely beautiful. A start-to-finish pleasure from a true artist.
 not one good song :( October 28, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm a huge Amiee Mann fan but was soooo disapointed by this one. You can keep your concept albums I'll take the random collection of songs anyday. This felt forced.
 The arm might be forgotten, but this album won't be. July 21, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mann created a concept album in the true sense of the term with "The Forgotten Arm". The songs all contribute to one continuous theme - the story of the long dysfunctional relationship of a couple drifting further and further into the fringes of society. I found the work provocative - but as another reveiwer suggested, I think you have to be middle-aged (40 plus) to really get it. It's not that I don't love it, because I do, but being 32, it seemed some of the themes were a little out of my grasp. I still think Lost in Space is her best work to date - probably because the anger and loss it expresses is closer to the phase of life I am currently experiencing. I look forward to growing older and re-visiting this work. FYI - "Little Bombs" was the high-light of the album.
 Someone stop Joe Henry before he "produces" again! February 7, 2007
5 out of 10 found this review helpful
I'm serious, get this guy out from behind the mixing console!!
Aimee says (on her web site) that Joe Henry only spent a few days recording this album, and that he went for minimalist arrangements. Boy, does it show! For the record, I own and enjoy most of Joe's CDs and all of Aimee's CDs (including Till Tuesday but not including the Magnolia soundtrack). But the production here is just strange, with lots of instruments in mono panned hard right or left, and every track has the trailing sound of some instrument dragging on for too long before the fadeout - gaaa!!
Joe H. also ruined the latest CD from Susan Tedeschi - she doesn't even play guitar on it for cripe's sake! I mean think of it: a CD by a blues guitarist upon which said guitarist doesn't play? What were they thinking?
Another gripe: seems like singers who do more studio work than live performing are prone to end up mumbling their words quietly into the mic. I'm sad to say that Aimee is now solidly in this camp, which is a shame. I prefer dynamic singers, the energy they lend to the song is part of what I really enjoy.
Lastly, I like sad depressing songs, but "I was thinking I could clean up for Christmas" isn't the good kind of sad - it's a huge soul-sucking downer that I could have done without.
OK, I give this 3 stars because it is better than most stuff out there, but not up to Aimee's usual excellent level.
Aimee Mann is the Stuff!! January 30, 2007
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
What can I say? Aimee Mann is brilliant and her music is, too! A big fan since Til Tuesday and she keeps getting better!
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