release date: Sep. 29, 1992
format: vinyl (7559-61385-1) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]
producer: Paul Fox
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA
Tracklist: 1. "Noah's Dove" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "These Are Days" (5 / 5) - 3. "Eden" (live) - 4. "Few and Far Between" (live) - 5. "Stockton Gala Days" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) (MTV unplugged) - 6. "Gold Rush Brides" - 7. "Jezebel" (4 / 5) - 8. "How You've Grown" (4 / 5) - 9. "Candy Everybody Wants" (4,5 / 5) - 10. "Tolerance" - 11. "Circle Dream" - 12. "If You Intend" (4 / 5) - 13. "I'm Not the Man"
5th studio album by 10,000 Maniacs released on Elektra, and the final album with new material to feature Nathalie Merchant on lead vocals. Before this they released their first compilation album Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983, which compiles their earliest recordings: the ep Human Conflict number Five from 1982, and the self-released debut album Secrets of the I Ching (1983). Paul Fox is new producer on this one, and I simply consider this the best produced album with 10,000 Maniacs. The album is my only vinyl release with the band. I already had In My Tribe (1987) on cassette, which until then was my favourite album with the band, and these two albums are the band's master works, being much alike, without being repetitive, but both albums have that special tone, which has to do with Nathalie's narrating melancholic, yet strong voice, and the band's trademark of blending folk, jangle pop and pop / rock into a great mixture with banjo, mandolin, violin, and percussion. On this, brass sections is an additional element, which helps shaping this as their best-sounding album with great melodic catchy songs.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]
1992 Favourite releases: 1. Morrissey Your Arsenal - 2. 10.000 Maniacs Our Time in Eden - 3. Adrian Borland Brittle Heaven
