If you like Sheryl Crow or Sarah McLachlan, check this out..

Or even if you don't. I like some Sheryl Crow, but Sarah McLachlan puts me right to sleep. Nice voice, but I'm not a fan of her songs. Aimee Mann, on the Magnolia Soundtrack, has made a nice combination of fast and slower paced songs that I find introspective and soothing; Songs about healing the wounded heart, in much the same course that the Movie followed.

She performs the first 9 tracks on the album, and I enjoy all nine of them. Very even, very fine performances, and I've been considering picking up some of her other stuff as a result.

Here are my favorite tracks:

1. One--as in "One is the loneliest number"...great cover of a great song, starts out slow and mournful with just her voice, then picks up guitars and drums and then fades away again. A perfect setting for the beginning of the movie, and a great song do drive in the rain to. If you have any rain (or frogs) to drive in.

3. Build That Wall--song about the relationships we all build with and around and in spite of each other, not very melodic, but beautiful nonetheless.

5. Driving Sideways--different than the rest of the album, this has more of a beat to it, is also a song about relationships and how things don't end up as you expect them to; her voice is a beautiful instrument in this one.

6. You Do --more...upbeat? That's not the right word, but it's one of my favorites, anyway.

8. Wise Up --"It's not going to stop till you wise up..." A song that for me was about destructive relationships; This track, track one and track 9 are by far my favorites. This starts out with just a single note on a piano, and doesn't grow much beyond that simplicity, except that Aimee Mann's voice soars above and beyond the song itself and captures your heart. It's wonderful piece of music, with a great message for those who are trapped.

9. Save Me--the third of my three favorite songs from this album, "Save Me" is kinda a sad, pathetic, song that makes me want to cry my little eyes out. If I had tear ducts. A plea for help that goes out from all of us to our loved ones, our families, our fellow humans, our god....who will be the one to save you? Beautiful and simple, like the best songs on this album, I'd buy this album just for these songs.

The remaining four tracks are ones I've only listened to once. No Aimee Mann, but rather, some Supertramp and Gabrielle. Who cares? Not me. So I just kill it after the first 9 tracks and pretend it's a shorter album. It's still worth 5 stars--I've bought this for myself and for two other friends, and it's a great album. Not alot of adrenaline, but simple, quiet beauty.