Meaningless (album)
Meaningless is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Jon Brion, released in 2001. Initially slated for release on Lava Records, the album was ultimately released independently by Brion on his own "Straight to Cut-Out" label, sold through his website and CD Baby. After being widely unavailable and obscure[2] due to its limited release, in 2022 the album received its first wide release and first pressing on vinyl through Jealous Butcher Records.[3]
| Meaningless | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2001 | |||
| Recorded | 2000 | |||
| Genre | Power pop[1] | |||
| Length | 44:29 | |||
| Label | Straight to Cut-Out (Independent), Jealous Butcher Records (2022 reissue) | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Jon Brion chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
Jason Damas of AllMusic observed the influence of Brion's past collaborators, particularly Aimee Mann, in the album's music, while noting that "in reality it is a representation of the purest form of what Brion has given to the production of those other artists' work".[4] He deemed Meaningless to be "a lovely, catchy, and personal pop album on par with (and in many cases, superior to) the albums and artists that he has worked with in the past".[4]
In a 2016 reappraisal of the album, PopMatters critic Dylan J. Montanari wrote that Meaningless "remains the defining document to which Brion aficionados turn to be reminded of the place he has so admirably carved out for himself in the pop landscape".[1]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jon Brion, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gotta Start Somewhere" | 4:13 | |
| 2. | "I Believe She's Lying" | Brion, Aimee Mann | 3:26 |
| 3. | "Meaningless" | 3:23 | |
| 4. | "Ruin My Day" | Brion, Jeff McGregor | 3:49 |
| 5. | "Walking Through Walls" | Brion, Grant Lee Phillips | 5:49 |
| 6. | "Trouble" | Brion, McGregor | 3:29 |
| 7. | "Hook, Line, and Sinker" | 4:25 | |
| 8. | "Dead to the World" | 2:21 | |
| 9. | "Her Ghost" | 4:12 | |
| 10. | "Same Mistakes" | 1:59 | |
| 11. | "Voices" | Rick Nielsen | 7:32 |
Personnel
Jon Brion performs vocals and instruments on all tracks except "Trouble", which features:
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Benmont Tench – piano
- Greg Leisz – pedal steel guitar
- Mary Lynn Rajskub – backing vocals
- Ethan Johns – production
Additional personnel
- Jon Brion – mixing
- Curt Anderson – engineering
- Tom Biller – engineering
- Doug Collins – mixing, engineering
- Rich Costey – engineering
- Mike Dereen – engineering
- Creston Funk – photography
- Ethan Johns – engineering
- Benjamin Niles – design
- Jack Joseph Puig – engineering
- Eddy Schreyer – mastering at Oasis Mastering, Studio City, California, United States
- John Tyrell – engineering
References
- Montanari, Dylan J. (October 6, 2016). "Jon Brion's Meaningless: An Appreciation". PopMatters. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- Ehrlich, Brenna (26 January 2021). "'Meaningless' at 20: Jon Brion Looks Back on His Obscure Solo Masterpiece". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- Major, Michael. "Jon Brion Announces First Release of 2001 LP 'Meaningless'". Broadway World. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- Damas, Jason. "Meaningless – Jon Brion". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
External links
- CD Baby page for Meaningless, including Brion's notes on the songs
- Meaningless at Discogs (list of releases)
- Meaningless at MusicBrainz (list of releases)