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Natalie Merchant was with 10,000 Maniacs for four full-length albums before she departed for a solo career. Four albums and ten years into her solo career, she released Retrospective 1995-2005, a 13-track collection of highlights, containing no rarities or B-sides (those were reserved for the simultaneously released deluxe edition of the album, which had a 15-track bonus disc containing all notable non-LP tracks, including three unreleased cuts, plus duets with the Chieftains, R.E.M., Billy Bragg, and Susan McKeown). Her solo career began on a high note with Tigerlily, a continuation of the sound of latter-day 10,000 Maniacs records, heavy on the polish and laid-back atmosphere and light on jangling guitars. It entered the charts at 13, spawned the Top Ten single, "Carnival," and its Top 20 follow-up, "Wonder," and garnered generally positive reviews. But her momentum began to slow on her 1998 sophomore effort, Ophelia, which may have climbed higher on the Billboard album charts, but it failed to produce any big hit; "Kind & Generous" peaked at 18, but it never gained the same popularity as either "Carnival" or "Wonder." From there, Merchant settled into a comfortable cult, turning out variations on the Tigerlily template on 2001's Motherland and getting a little folkier on 2003's collection of traditional tunes, The House Carpenter's Daughter. Retrospective balances these four albums nicely, selecting four cuts each from Tigerlily and Ophelia while taking three from Motherland and two from House Carpenter. It not only takes the obvious highlights from these albums, but it draws an accurate, representative picture of her solo career. Which is not to say that it will please 10,000 Maniacs fans looking for music in a similar vein -- after her solo debut, Merchant's music got a little too small and insular, a little more concerned with mood and lyrics than with pop hooks to appeal to a broader audience. Those fans will likely want to stick with Tigerlily, which is a more satisfying listen overall than Retrospective, but for those who want an overview of Natalie Merchant's solo career, this does a fine job of providing that.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Natalie Merchant, Composer, Lyricist, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Bob Ludwig, Masterer - John Holbrook, Mixer, Engineer - Peter Yanowitz, Drums, Percussion - Todd Vos, AssistantEngineer - Adrian Lopez Guevarra, Percussion - Barrie Maguire, 12 String Guitar, Bass - Jennifer Turner, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals - Suzanne Dyer, AssistantEngineer - Andrew Page, AssistantEngineer - Paul Antonell, AssistantEngineer
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment Group, a division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Natalie Merchant, Composer, Lyricist, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Writer, MainArtist - Bob Ludwig, Masterer - John Holbrook, Mixer, Engineer - Peter Yanowitz, Drums, Percussion - Todd Vos, AssistantEngineer - Adrian Lopez Guevarra, Percussion - Katell Keineg, Backing Vocals - Barrie Maguire, 12 String Guitar, Bass - Jennifer Turner, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals - Suzanne Dyer, AssistantEngineer - Andrew Page, AssistantEngineer - Paul Antonell, AssistantEngineer
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment Group, a division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Eric Schenkman, Electric Guitar - Natalie Merchant, Composer, Lyricist, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, MainArtist - Bob Ludwig, Masterer - John Holbrook, Mixer, Engineer, Electric Guitar, Organ - Peter Yanowitz, Drums, Percussion - Todd Vos, AssistantEngineer - Barrie Maguire, 12 String Guitar, Bass - Jennifer Turner, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals - Suzanne Dyer, AssistantEngineer - Andrew Page, AssistantEngineer - Paul Antonell, AssistantEngineer
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment Group, a division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Natalie Merchant, Composer, Lyricist, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Vocals, MainArtist - Bob Ludwig, Masterer - John Holbrook, Mixer, Engineer, Electric Guitar - Matt Henderson, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar - Randy Grant, Percussion - Peter Yanowitz, Drums, Percussion - Todd Vos, AssistantEngineer - Barrie Maguire, 12 String Guitar, Bass - Jennifer Turner, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals - Suzanne Dyer, AssistantEngineer - Andrew Page, AssistantEngineer - Paul Antonell, AssistantEngineer
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment Group, a division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Craig Ross, Electric Guitar - Natalie Merchant, Composer, Lyricist, MainArtist - Bob Ludwig, Masterer - JIM SCOTT, Mixer - Mike Scotella, Assistant Mixer - Graham Maby, Bass Guitar - George Laks, Organ, Piano - Joakim Lartey, Percussion - Louka Kanza, Acoustic Guitar
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1998 Elektra Entertainment Group, A Division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
N'Dea Davenport, Additional Vocals - Craig Ross, Electric Guitar - Natalie Merchant, Composer, Writer, MainArtist - Merchant Natalie, Vocals - Peter Yanowitz, Drums - Garo Yellin, Cello - Ralph Farris, Viola - Graham Maby, Bass Guitar - Hector Falcon, Violin - Krystof Witek, Violin - Louka Kanza, Acoustic Guitar - Conroy Kuo, Viola - Donny Ward, Electric Guitar
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1998 Elektra Entertainment Group, A Division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Craig Ross, Guitar - Natalie Merchant, Composer, Writer, MainArtist - Merchant Natalie, Vocals - Peter Yanowitz, Drums - Garo Yellin, Cello - Ralph Farris, Viola - Graham Maby, Bass Guitar - Karl Berger, Conductor, String Arranger - Tom Varner, French Horn - George Laks, Piano - Hector Falcon, Violin - Krystof Witek, Violin - Conroy Kuo, Viola
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1998 Elektra Entertainment Group, A Division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Natalie Merchant, Composer, MainArtist - Merchant Natalie, Vocals - Peter Yanowitz, Drums - Graham Maby, Bass Guitar - George Laks, Organ
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1998 Elektra Entertainment Group, A Division of Warner Communications Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Natalie Merchant, Writer, MainArtist - T-Bone Burnett, Producer, Acoustic Guitar - Patrick Warren, Chamberlain Strings - Matt Chamberlain, Drums - Greg Leisz, Electric Guitar - Mavis Staples, Vocals - Merchant Natalie, Producer, Piano, Vocals - BOB GLAUB, Bass Guitar - Elizabeth Steen, Organ - David Ralicke, Saxophone - Keefus, Organ
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 2001 Elektra Entertainment for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Natalie Merchant, Writer, MainArtist - T-Bone Burnett, Producer - Patrick Warren, Chamberlain Strings - Matt Chamberlain, Drums, Percussion - Merchant Natalie, Producer, Piano, Vocals - Graham Maby, Bass Guitar - Elizabeth Steen, Organ - Gabriel Gordon, Guitar - Erik Della Penna, Electric Guitar
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 2001 Elektra Entertainment for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
Van Dyke Parks, Accordion - Natalie Merchant, Composer, Writer, MainArtist - T-Bone Burnett, Producer, Acoustic Guitar - Patrick Warren, Organ - Greg Leisz, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin - Merchant Natalie, Producer, Vocals - Mike Elizando, Bass Guitar
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 2001 Elektra Entertainment for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.
DISC 2
Natalie Merchant, MainArtist - Chris Botti, Trumpet - Merchant Natalie, Producer, Vocals, Writer - Peter Yanowitz, Drums - Garo Yellin, Cello - Ralph Farris, Viola - Graham Maby, Bass - Karl Berger, Vibes - Hector Falcon, Violin - Krystof Witek, Violin - Conroy Kuo, Viola - Cyro Battiste, Percussion
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 2005 Elektra Entertainment
Bill Berry, Drums, Writer - Mike Mills, Writer, Bass - Natalie Merchant, MainArtist - R.E.M., Vocals, FeaturedArtist - MICHAEL STIPE, Vocals, Writer - PETER BUCK, Guitar, Writer - Merchant Natalie, Vocals, Writer
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1993 R.E.M./Athens Ltd.
Walter Booker, Bass - Natalie Merchant, MainArtist - George Gershwin, Writer - Ira Gershwin, Writer - Chris Botti, Trumpet - Merchant Natalie, Producer, Vocals - Peter Yanowitz, Drums - Joel O'Brien, Piano
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 1998 Elektra Entertainment
Album review
Natalie Merchant was with 10,000 Maniacs for four full-length albums before she departed for a solo career. Four albums and ten years into her solo career, she released Retrospective 1995-2005, a 13-track collection of highlights, containing no rarities or B-sides (those were reserved for the simultaneously released deluxe edition of the album, which had a 15-track bonus disc containing all notable non-LP tracks, including three unreleased cuts, plus duets with the Chieftains, R.E.M., Billy Bragg, and Susan McKeown). Her solo career began on a high note with Tigerlily, a continuation of the sound of latter-day 10,000 Maniacs records, heavy on the polish and laid-back atmosphere and light on jangling guitars. It entered the charts at 13, spawned the Top Ten single, "Carnival," and its Top 20 follow-up, "Wonder," and garnered generally positive reviews. But her momentum began to slow on her 1998 sophomore effort, Ophelia, which may have climbed higher on the Billboard album charts, but it failed to produce any big hit; "Kind & Generous" peaked at 18, but it never gained the same popularity as either "Carnival" or "Wonder." From there, Merchant settled into a comfortable cult, turning out variations on the Tigerlily template on 2001's Motherland and getting a little folkier on 2003's collection of traditional tunes, The House Carpenter's Daughter. Retrospective balances these four albums nicely, selecting four cuts each from Tigerlily and Ophelia while taking three from Motherland and two from House Carpenter. It not only takes the obvious highlights from these albums, but it draws an accurate, representative picture of her solo career. Which is not to say that it will please 10,000 Maniacs fans looking for music in a similar vein -- after her solo debut, Merchant's music got a little too small and insular, a little more concerned with mood and lyrics than with pop hooks to appeal to a broader audience. Those fans will likely want to stick with Tigerlily, which is a more satisfying listen overall than Retrospective, but for those who want an overview of Natalie Merchant's solo career, this does a fine job of providing that.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 02:07:08
- Main artists: Natalie Merchant
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rhino - Elektra
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing. ℗ 2005 Elektra Entertainment Group Manufactured & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing
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