What do you get when you combine a modest indie pop star and a pop-less alternative punk star? Aimee Mann and Ted Leo’s The Both comes to mind. The two music veterans joined forces in the last couple of years to find the right harmony between their starkly different voices and make an album reflecting the results. The self-titled debut album combines the gritty, distorted punk sound Leo is all too familiar with, and the niche feel-good acoustic pop sound Mann has grown to master. While some of the songs blend into one another, the album as a whole sounds refined, polished and what one would expect from two people who have been writing music their whole lives. However, their age might be catching up with them, as this album offers nothing new. It’s a safe, easy-sounding record that differs from their individual work, which embodied traits of painstaking effort and all-out emotional commitment.
Throughout the album, it’s easy to see where one of the two took the helm and the other offered some consulting production and harmonic vocals. Opener “The Gambler” has Leo’s classic-punk elements like distorted, heavy guitar and simplified song structure. Mann contributes a well-balanced harmony and refreshing vocals. The following track “Milwaukee” has all the ingredients of an energetic, summertime single with Mann’s charming vocals, fast-paced guitar, and an emotional investment that outperforms the previous song.
The Both shines on songs “No Sir,” “Honesty is No Excuse” and “Bedtime Stories.” The reason comes down to the simple explanation that neither Mann nor Leo felt they had to carry the song or put more effort than the other. They allow for their natural talents to combine and produce impressive, fresh tracks. “No Sir” has a ballad tone in Mann’s voice, pretty guitar accents from Leo in the back and a wonderful synth/guitar layering to charge the song to the end. “Honesty Is No Excuse” uses Mann for primary vocals and Leo’s signature guitar sound as the backbone. It tries not to bore listeners while at the same time not overloading them with sound from two artists of different sides of the rock spectrum. The balance settles on these few tracks, keeping the album from falling short.
Mann and Leo are respected, talented veterans of the indie music scene. They inspire younger acts and progressed their own genres in important ways, but this time around they focused too much on perfecting the harmony between their voices and not on producing an album that feels whole-hearted and worth praise. While some songs affirm their musical prowess, others blend into each other, giving off a sense of lackadaisical craftsmanship and unenthused writing. A nice debut overall, The Both’s The Both does not take anything away from the collaboration of two talented individuals, but it sure does not add anything.
Rating: C
