Michael Penn Albums (5)
'Mr. Hollywood, Jr. 1947'
Release Date 8/2/2005
Tracks 13
Label Spin Art
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What The Critics Say
It's been five years since Michael Penn delivered MP4: Days Since a Lost Time Accident, a complex yet radio-ready ode to the passing millennium that put the nail in the coffin of his tempestuous relationship with major labels. Epic's support for the record was mediocre at best, so Penn took the logical next step and started his own imprint, Mimeograph. The resulting Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947, released via spinART, is a loosely constructed song cycle concerning post-World War II Los Angeles. Like fellow singer/songwriter (and Penn's wife) Aimee Mann, who released her own conceptual record earlier in the year (The Forgotten Arm), Penn forgoes the traditional narrative and sticks to what he does best, writing biting and beautiful songs about relationships that are failing, have failed, or are suspiciously working. He lets the year's historical events (the invention of the portable radio, the establishment of the national Department of Defense, a plague of UFO sightings, etc.) wrap his characters in the kind of sepia-tone strokes of nostalgic Hollywood gossamer that would make both Frank Capra and Tom Waits proud. In fact, Penn's slick Tin Pan Alley mini-orchestra (due largely in part to frequent collaborator Patrick Warren's orchestral samples) resembles Rain Dogs-era Waits had he brought Jon Brion on board to produce. When it works, like on the rousing, sentimental opener "Walter Reed," "On Automatic," and "Mary Lynn," Penn knocks the ball into the bleachers, but there's an overflow of midtempo pieces about halfway through that brings the record to a standstill. While songs like "A Bad Sign" and "You Know How" are textbook Penn, they suck the air out of the room, leaving the listener feeling like a winded old police chief who let the bad guys get away. Penn's lyrical spirit of adventure is mirrored by the album's production rather than the songs themselves, a disappointment for fans of past works like "Cover Up," "Drained," "Footdown," and "Battle Room." Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947 is by no means a bad record; in fact, half of it is better than previous offerings altogether. That Penn is better than some of these songs only reflects the high standards he continues to set for both himself and his very patient fans. Let's hope that another five years doesn't go by before he raises the bar again. [Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947 was reissued in 2007 with a bonus disc that featured six tracks recorded live at KCRW, as well as the video for the album's single "Walter Reed."]. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
'MP4: Days Since a Lost Time Accident'
Release Date 2/1/2000
Tracks 10
Label Epic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
When Michael Penn released MP4: Days Since a Lost Time Accident, the strict playlist of adult-alternative radio made it pretty clear that it'd be difficult for him to have a hit, so Penn doesn't even try - he just creates a record for himself and his cult. Brendan O'Brien, the producer of Resigned, mans the boards on the opening cut "Lucky One.." It's not just the only song on MP4 not produced by Penn, it's the only song that sounds like a blatant attempt at a radio-ready single. That it succeeds gloriously -- it's the first sure-fire follow-up to "No Myth" -- speaks of Penn's prodigious abilities as a craftsman. The rest of the album is equally well crafted, but more subtle in construction and production, without hooks that leap out of the speaker. They're there, but they're delivered subtly, letting each song slowly work its way into a listener's memory. Penn knows that whoever puts on MP4 is willing to delve deeply into the record, willing to spend time with it to find its rewards. It's to his considerable credit that he delivers. MP4 doesn't have a knockout punch, but it is an expert pop album -- tightly sequenced and written, filled with small gems. It's the kind of album that's ideal for cult audiences, since it's familiar yet doesn't stand still (the production takes some risks, albeit minor ones). It may not win Michael Penn any new fans, but it'll certainly satisfy the devoted. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Backing away from the introspective inclinations of Free-for-All, Michael Penn delivers a concise and thoroughly infectious guitar pop album with Resigned. Like most of Penn's music, the album relies heavily on Revolver-era Beatles, but his melodies are uniformly tighter and catchier than before, and producer Brendan O'Brien gives the record a crisp, attractive sound. None of the tracks initially stand out like "No Myth" or "Long Way Down," yet each song is well constructed and filled with hooks, making Resigned a terrific third album from Penn. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Free-for-All (1992) is the album that proved to skeptics that Michael Penn was neither a one-hit wonder nor an artistic lightweight trading on his famous surname. It's a darker, less immediately engaging album than March, but it's also a far more consistent album than that wildly uneven debut. From the ominous opener, "Long Way Down (Look What the Cat Drug In)," through to the seething closer, "Now We're Even," this is a murky but memorable set of tunes about deception, anger, broken promises, and recriminations. Hardly Frank Stallone territory. Penn and creative partner Patrick Warren (who, just as he did on March, contributes an atmospheric instrumental at the album's halfway point) fill the album with odd, unsettling sounds and trippy textures, but never at the expense of the songs. The creepy atmosphere and prominent production tricks on songs like the raging "Seen the Doctor" (the album's best song and an unfortunate flop as a single) actually enhance the dismissive, bitter lyrics and the nagging guitar hook. Well-reviewed but poor-selling, Free-for-All marked the start of Michael Penn's unfortunate, long battle for a modicum of respect from his record company. It would be five years before he released another album. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Michael Penn's debut album, March, released in late 1989, served notice there was another talented Penn brother, in addition to actors Sean and Chris. The album kicks off with one of the top singles of the winter of 1989-1990, "No Myth," and proceeds through an engrossing myriad of folk-tinged ballads and up-tempo rockers. Despite several literary allusions and the ponderous title and lyrics of "Cupid's Got a Brand New Gun," on the whole, Penn doesn't take himself too seriously. "Brave New World" is an absurd Dylan-esque hodgepodge of rhyme, and "Big House" is devoted to the childhood prank of ringing doorbells, then running. The coda is "Evenfall," maybe the best '60s "frat rock" song since the '60s, with a horn section that makes you want to dance until the campus police close down the party. ~ Mark Morgenstein, All Music Guide
