Natalie Merchant "The House Carpenter's Daughter" (2003)

The House Carpenter's Daughter
release date: Sep. 16, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Natalie Merchant
label: Myth America Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Sally Ann" - 2. "Which Side Are You On?" - 5. "Weeping Pilgrim" -7. "Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow"

4th studio album by Natalie Merchant is her first album release on her own independent label, Myth America Records and it has the subtitle "A Collection of Traditional & Contemporary Folk Music". It marks a substantial change in style towards traditional folk as a majority (7 out of 11) of the tracks are traditionals rearranged by Merchant. The remaining 4 tracks are covers, which means that the album doesn't contain songs written by Merchant herself.
It's a very scraped down album with only few instruments - some songs appear as vocal with strings only, and it may only appeal to people who prefer traditional folk. I don't really enjoy this much, and think of it as Merchant's roots album. Yes, Merchant has a fine singing voice, but I don't think she challenges that instrument particular well on this, which is a bit of a pity.
[ allmusic.com, Uncut 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, Mojo 3 / 5 stars ]

Natalie Merchant "Motherland" (2001)

Motherland
release date: Nov. 12, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,02]
producer: Natalie Merchant, T-Bone Burnett
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "This House Is on Fire" (4 / 5) - 2. "Motherland" - 4. "Put the Law on You" - 5. "Build a Levee" - 8. "The Worst Thing" (live) - 9. "Tell Yourself" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 10. "Just Can't Last" - 11. "Not in This Life"

3rd studio album by Natalie Merchant, co-produced by T-Bone Burnett, her last release on Elektra Records may not reflect big changes in her repertoire as it's primarily a singer / songwriter and folk release with focus on everyday-life existence. In a note Merchant dedicates the 12 track album to the victims of the recent 9/11 tragedy, but the album was made and recorded before the incident.
At first, I found this much in her usual style, and thought of it somewhere in between Tigerlily and Ophelia, but in a matter of months I came to see it as a major work - the songs just kept emerging from the album. Now, it may not contain the great uptempo compositions by her former band 10,000 Maniacs and their great In My Tribe or Our Time in Eden - only "Tell Yourself" sounds much like a typical 10,000 Maniacs composition - but I like this one just as much. Perhaps with the aid of Burnett in the production seat they have found room for elements of americana and roots rock, which makes it sound just right. Merchant's voice is almost always great, but here there's a strong inner sincerity brought to the listener, and the emotions are stressed by a strong soulful approach - there's a tone of blues and soul one hasn't heard on her albums before, which adds an extra layer of dynamics to the songs.
Imho, this the best solo album by Merchant and as such highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, Mojo and Uncut 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

2001 Favourite releases: 1. Björk Vespertine - 2. Nathalie Merchant Motherland - 3. Rammstein Mutter

Natalie Merchant "Live in Concert" (1999) (live)

Live in Concert (live)
release date: Nov. 8, 1999
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,33]
producer: Natalie Merchant
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

3rd album release by Natalie Merchant is a live recording from a concert at The Neil Simon Theatre in New York, and the full title of the album is Live in Concert, New York City, June 13, 1999. It consists of 11 tracks with 7 written by Merchant, and it features a fine cover of Bowie's "Space Oddity", and an even better version of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush".
All in all, it's a rather fine album, although, Merchant seem a bit too laid-back at times, but I do like the idea of releasing a full concert instead of picking live recordings from here and there.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Natalie Merchant "Ophelia" (1998)

Ophelia
release date: May 25, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Natalie Merchant
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Ophelia" - 2. "Life Is Sweet" - 3. "Kind & Generous" (4 / 5) - 4. "Frozen Charlotte" - 6. "Break Your Heart" - 7. "King of May"

2nd solo album by Natalie Merchant, again self-produced and released through Elektra Records. The album is mostly in the same style as her debut Tigerlily, although, the focus on folk has been if not left then at least subdued to focus more on her singer / songwriter profile with the addition of chamber pop traits. More strikingly, this is a much stronger release with a number of fine tracks that once again documents her status as both songwriter and singer.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Natalie Merchant "Tigerlily" (1995)

Tigerlily [debut]
release date: Jun. 20, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Natalie Merchant
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "San Andreas Fault" - 2. "Wonder" - 3. "Beloved Wife" - 4. "River" - 5. "Carnival" - 7. "The Letter"

Studio solo debut by Natalie Merchant is written, performed and produced by Merchant herself. The change from the music by 10,000 Maniacs is hard to find on this, but apparently it wasn't about musical arguments she felt obliged to go solo.
I always found this particular album a bit challenging. Merchant's voice always adds that extra quality to any song, but the strong songs are just missing on this first attempt on her own, or: you may need to adjust expectations hoping for jangly pop tunes of Our Time in Eden (1992) to bolder singer / songwriter material. The track "River", a tribute to actor River Phoenix, is one of just a few great compositions on a strong and personal album that reveals her potential but also stays much in the shade.
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 1,5 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "MTV Unplugged" (1993) (live)

MTV Unplugged (live)
release date: Oct. 26, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Paul Fox
label: Elektra - nationality: USA

Final album release by 10,000 Maniacs featuring Nathalie Merchant is a live album of a recording made in the Spring '93. It contains acoustic versions of material from the years 1987-1992 with a majority of seven tracks taken from the most recent album Our Time in Eden (Sep. 1992), only two from Blind Man's Zoo (May 1989), and four tracks from In My Tribe (Jul. 1987), which makes a total of 13 out of the 14-tracklist - the last being a cover version of "Because the Night" (written by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen, and first recorded by Patti Smith and appearing on her album Easter from 1978).
The album is mighty fine, and both the band and Merchant all perform very well, but it never really seem as an essential release. Nathalie Merchant initiated her long solo career after the album release and was substituted by Mary Ramsey.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "Candy Everybody Wants" (1992) (single)

Candy Everybody Wants, CD single

release date: Oct. 1992

format: cd

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]

producer: Paul Fox

label: Elektra - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Candy Everybody Wants (Single Remix)" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Everyday Is Like Sunday" - 3. "Sally Ann" - 4. "Don't Go Back to Rockville"

Single release by 10,000 Maniacs is the band's second to be taken from the album Our Time in Eden (Sep. 1992) following the single "These Are Days" (Aug. 1992) and succeeded by "Few and Far Between" (1993). Only the title track here appears on the album - the other three are cover songs. "Everyday Is Like Sunday" is a song by Morrissey written with Stephen Street and taken from Morrissey's solo debut Viva Hate (Mar. 1988) [org. song]; "Sally Ann" is written by Judy Hyman and Jeff Claus of American folk rock sextet The Horse Flies [org. song] together with multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell - a song taken from the '91 album Gravity Dance. This was later again covered by Natalie Merchant solo appearing in a later recorded version on the album The House Carpenter's Daughter (Sep. 2003). The end-track "Don't Go Back to Rockville" is an R.E.M. song taken from Reckoning (Apr. 1984) [org. song].

This four-track single is a true gem with no weak tracks, when in fact it was 'only' made to promote the '92 album.

10,000 Maniacs "Our Time in Eden" (1992)

Our Time in Eden
release date: Sep. 29, 1992
format: vinyl / 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 following Blind Man's Zoo (May 1989), again released on Elektra, is 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, compiling 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 with the band, and these two are imo 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.
In 1993, Nathalie Merchant parted with the band and initiated a long-lasting solo career. Elektra chose to follow Merchant's solo career and instead dropped the band, who extended the line-up with two members: a return to founding member John Lombardo and new lead vocalist Mary Ramsey (both from the folk-duo John & Mary) and the sextet initially went by the name of John & Mary, Rob, Steve, Dennis, & Jerry before settling with the old band name.
Highly recommended.
[ 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

10,000 Maniacs "Blind Man's Zoo" (1989)

Blind Man's Zoo
release date: May 11, 1989
format: digital (11 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Peter Asher
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Eat for Two" - 2. "Please Forgive Us" - 4. "Trouble Me" (4 / 5) - 5. "You Happy Puppet" - 7. "Poison in the Well" - 11. "Jubilee"

4th studio album by 10,000 Maniacs released on Elektra and once again with producer Peter Asher. Stylistically, the band keeps to a defined combination of folk pop, jangle pop, and pop / rock, which works for the band without the need to try out other styles or look for a progression in their sound, and the album sounds like a continued chapter to In My Tribe (Jul 1987). They have their distinct and unique style, which binds them to traditional folk roots but also to a contemporary jangle pop, and you sort of know what you may expect.
The album is not bad but not one of their best - the sound is similar to In My Tribe but it simply doesn't contain that amount of great and memorable tracks, and everything is just... quite solid workmanship, which isn't bad - it just doesn't really move me that much, and it stands as a somewhat forgettable album in between two really unique releases.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "In My Tribe" (1987)

In My Tribe
release date: Jul. 27, 1987
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: Peter Asher
label: Elektra - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "What's the Matter Here?" (5 / 5) - 2. "Hey Jack Kerouac" (4 / 5) - 3. "Like the Weather" (4 / 5) - 4. "Cherry Tree" - 5. "The Painted Desert" - 6. "Don't Talk" (4 / 5) - 7. "Gun Shy" - 8. "My Sister Rose" (4 / 5) - 9. "A Campfire Song" (feat. Michael Stipe) - 10. "City of Angels" - 11. "Verdi Cries" (4 / 5) (Nathalie Merchant live)

3rd studio album by 10,000 Maniacs released on Elektra. A year before releasing the album, guitarist and songwriter John Lombardo left the band, reducing it to a quintet, and Natalie Merchant and Robert Buck initiated their collaborative works on composing songs for the new album. The production sound has improved with more focus on uptempo 'jangle pop' compositions centered around guitar, drums and vocal, and the mandolin, accordion, and more traditional folk instrumentation, including tam-tam drums are barely noticeable.
In the late '80s U2 and R.E.M. were among my favourite bands, and the music scene of Athens, Georgia was on everyone's lips, and I found that this band was very interesting, although, their style is much more folk-minded and perhaps for a more mature audience. Several things brought me to the attention of the band. All members of R.E.M. occasionally met and played with the band, whose guitarist is Peter Buck's younger brother, Robert, and Michael Stipe participates on "A Campfire Song", which may have been the reason why I decided to check their music in the first place. Another thing that caught my interest for the band, was a look at the tracklisting and finding a song titled "Hey Jack Kerouac". I had just read his famous novel "On the Road" and then deduced that their music couldn't be all bad! Nathalie Merchant shines all over the album, and together with Our Time in Eden (1992), this release shows the band at their very best.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

10,000 Maniacs "The Wishing Chair" (1985)

The Wishing Chair
release date: Sep. 23, 1985
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Joe Boyd
label: Elektra Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Can't Ignore the Train" - 3. "Just as the Tide Was a Flowing" - 4. "Lilydale" - 5. "Back O' the Moon" - 8. "Grey Victory" - 9. "Among the Americans" - 12. "Daktari" (4 / 5)

2nd studio album by 10,000 Maniacs after the self-released debut Secrets of the I Ching (1983) and their first major release on Elektra. At this point the band consists of Natalie Merchant on vocals, Robert Buck on electric & acoustic guitar, mandolin, and pedal steel, John Lombardo on 6 & 12 string guitars (and bass), Steven Gustafson on bass (and guitar), Dennis Drew on keyboards, and with Jerome 'Jerry' Augustyniak on drums.
The style is folk-based jangle pop, often characterized by Robert Buck's mandolin, and the quartet of instrumentalists playing acoustic or electric guitars, producing a bold sound of strings, and of course on top of that: Merchant's beautiful, vibrant alto vocal all held together within a rather traditional folk frame, also secured by long-time folk-producer Joe Boyd - who has worked with many acclaimed folk and psychedelic rock artists in the 1960s and '70s including Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, The Incredible String Band, and Nick Drake.
The Wishing Chair is not one of the band's best albums, imho, but it has its moments. The best track "Daktari" is a re-recording of a track from the debut, which here comes close to their best tracks on the successor In My Tribe (1987) - it only figures as a bonus track on the cd version of the album. I don't find the production sound that impressive and basically find it a bit of an anachronism with its 1960s [flat] sound.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]