Introduction
Jonathan Mann – I’m Not A Shy Guy [nerd mixtape]
Artist: Jonathan Mann
Title / Release Page: I’m Not A Shy Guy [nerd mixtape]
Release Date: 2015 Jan 20
Genre: Folk Rock
License: CC BY-NC
Media: MP3 / OGG / FLAC
Pricing: $7 USD (or more)
Label: Self-Release / BandCamp
Rating: ★★★★★★★
I have admired Jonathan Mann for a long time. Not necessarily for his music, but for his work ethic. There aren’t many people that can claim to have written a song (or anything for that matter) every day for thousands of days on end. As much as I write on this site, I doubt that I will ever reach that level (and let’s face it, by not writing on the weekends I am not trying to duplicate his level of dedication). Jonathan Mann’s Not a Shy Guy, and he proves it with this compilation of tracks specifically aimed at our more nerdy nature.
Jonathan Mann’s Not A Shy Guy
Now, I have to admit I kind of grew tired of the whole folk rock style of songwriting a long time ago. Probably about 10 years ago. I just felt that most of the singer / songwriters of had become uninspired, and just sounded tired. But Jonathon Mann, to many, proved that it wasn’t necessarily the form that was tired, rather it was just the subject matter that was tired.
One of the things that Mann has tapped into is the shift in the things that this generation care about. It’s therefore not surprising that a compilation like this would be loaded with tracks that focus on video games like “Down On Rainbow Road”, “Co-Op Multiplayer Action,” and “Zelda’s Boyfriend Has A Ukulele And He’s Not Afraid To Use It” just to name a few.
He’s also selected some tracks that specifically fit into memes that resonate with many nerds: “Pizza As We Know It Didn’t Exist (Until It Did),” “Obligatory Fall Sick Song,” “Please Film In Landscape Mode,” and several others. He’s also included a few that are more generally topical, like “Science Is Awesome,” “I’m Sure Your God Will Save You” and others.
Overall this release serves as a framework for showcasing the lighter, pop-culture oriented side of Mann’s work. It’s an entertaining release to listen to, with good production, and fun arrangements of the pieces (some of which have been re-recorded to improve on the original versions released in is Song A Day series).
Conclusion
This isn’t a release that is going to win any awards for Mann. But that doesn’t matter. It’s a light bit of entertainment, showcasing some of the more quirky and fun sides of Mann’s ability to interpret pop-culture in interesting ways. (For example, ‘Down On Rainbow Road’ sounds like something that could have been written by a 70’s folk rock band, however the subject matter is really about video games like Mario Cart, which isn’t really all that obvious until you watch the video.)
