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 due to its limited release, in 2022 the album received its first wide release and first pressing on vinyl through Jealous Butcher Records.
Critical reception
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". 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".
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".
Track listing
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 Deneen – 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
External links CD Baby page for Meaningless, including Brion's notes on the songs