No one marries romantic melancholy to an exquisite melody quite like Aimee Mann. After her hit-making years with 'Til Tuesday, she launched her solo career with 1993's Whatever, a richly bittersweet blend of poignant lyrics and exhilarating pop-rock. Mann's brilliant wordplay dissects heartache with raw honesty and scathing wit in "I Should've Known," "Stupid Thing", and "4th of July." She's equally effective with wry show-biz snapshots like "Put Me on Top" and "I've Had It." "Mr. Harris" and "Fifty Years After the Fair" strike a note of tenderness and nostalgia. Aiding Mann throughout is producer/guitarist Jon Brion, who embellishes the tracks with brightly Beatles-inspired sonic shadings. One of the truly essential singer-songwriter albums of the '90s, Whatever secured Mann's stature as pop's undisputed Mistress of the Minor Key.