"Choice in the Matter" is a song by American singer-songwriter

Aimee Mann Aimee Elizabeth Mann (born September 8, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released more than a dozen albums as a solo artist and with other musicians. She is noted for her sardonic and literate lyr ...

, which was released in 1996 as the second single from her second studio album '' I'm with Stupid''. The song was written by Mann and

Jon Brion Jon Brion is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer. He performed with the Excerpts, the Bats, 'Til Tuesday and the Grays before becoming an established producer and film score composer. Brion has ...

, and produced by Brion. "Choice in the Matter" was released as a promotional-only single in the United States and United Kingdom. In April 1996, it peaked at No. 12 in the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Adult Alternative Songs Adult Alternative Airplay (also known as Triple A or Triple A Airplay, and formerly Adult Alternative Songs and Triple A Songs) is a record chart currently published by ''Billboard'' that ranks the most popular songs on adult album alternative radi ...

chart.

Background

Speaking to Chris Rubin of the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...

'' in 1996, Mann said the song was about "someone realizing almost immediately that the person they're contemplating becoming involved with is not to be trusted". She added, "You can say to yourself, 'There is no choice, I can't get involved.' Problem solved. There is no possibility that you'll be involved in a horrible nightmare relationship."

Critical reception

On its release as a single,

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

of ''

'' described "Choice in the Matter" as a "quirky, instantly contagious cut". He noted the song's "jangly guitars, skittling pop beats, and fuzzy retro-pop texture" as well as Mann's "low-key, emotion-filled vocal attack". ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' selected "Choice in the Matter" as their "Pick of the Week" for the week of February 3, 1996. Reviewer Steve Baltin praised it as a "wonderful pop tune" which "combines

Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to start a musical career ...

type hooks with '60s pop grooves". In a review of ''I'm with Stupid'', Melissa Ruggieri of the ''

Sun-Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as surrounding Br ...

'' commented, "Mann isn't happy with people who have deceived her on 'Choice in the Matter', yet she doesn't lash out with the intensity of an

Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with tw ...

, choosing instead to state her gripes in a warm, girlish voice over a chugging drumbeat." Chuck Campbell of the

Scripps Howard News Service The E. W. Scripps Company is an American broadcasting company founded in 1878 as a chain of daily newspapers by Edward Willis "E. W." Scripps and his sister, Ellen Browning Scripps. It was also formerly a media conglomerate. The company is he ...

noted that "when a lover suspiciously ignores phone messages in her presence on the dense sounding 'Choice in the Matter,' she sees the flashing answering machine as a signal of deceit." Shane Danielsen of ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' considered songs such as 'Choice in the Matter' to "attest to Mann's melodic skills".

Track listing

;CD single #"Choice in the Matter" (LP Version) - 3:13

Personnel

Choice in the Matter *

– lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar *

– guitar, guitar solo, percussion, backing vocals * Brad Hallen – bass * John Sands – drums *

Glenn Tilbrook Glenn Martin Tilbrook (born 31 August 1957) is the lead singer and guitarist of the English band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid-1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade's end. He generally wrote the music for Squeeze's son ...

Chris Difford Christopher Henry Difford (born 4 November 1954) is an English singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. He is a founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze. Musical career Born in Greenwich, London, Difford has written ly ...

– backing vocals Production * Jon Brion – producer * Mike Denneen – recording *

Jack Joseph Puig Jack Joseph Puig is an American audio engineer, A&R executive, and record producer. He has worked with Tonic, Hole, Jellyfish, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Weezer, Fiona Apple, Roger Hodgson, Taxiride, Green Day, Counting Crows, No Doubt, Klaxo ...

– mixing * Jonathan Wyner – mastering

Charts

References

{{authority control 1995 songs 1996 singles Aimee Mann songs Songs written by Aimee Mann Songs written by Jon Brion Song recordings produced by Jon Brion Geffen Records singles