Natalie Merchant - Motherland
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Free Music Notes for Motherland
Free Music Review: The Best Natalie Merchant CD So Far...
Hit: 5 Stars
Motherland, Natalie Merchant's 4th Solo CD is in my opinion the best album she has ever released. The album starts with eastern rhythms of THIS HOUSE IS ON FIRE, a very atmospheric song with Natalie singing, "I don't have a gift a prophecy, Telling everybody how it's gonna be,...This house is on fire". We see a very different tune and complex lyrics mixed with a moving melody. "Motherland" is the next and in my opinion the best track of the CD. A really moving ballad with a nice chorus "Motherland cradle me, Close my eyes, Lullaby me to sleep, Keep me safe, Lie with me, Stay beside me don't go...". How beautiful is this song!!! Another stand-out track is "Build A Levee". Overall the album is a fine work of art and what I really call MUSIC. It's great to have such great artists around. I am sick and tired of R&B and teen-pops. Isn't it time to throw them all away and reconstruct our minds about musical depths??? Thank you Mrs. Merchant. Thumbs Up!Free Music Review: Thoughtful and tuneful
Hit: 5 Stars
This is probably Natalie Merchant's best album to date. It is very mature work with textured and layered arrangements, tight compositions and solid, albeit not extraordinary lyrics. This is a downbeat album consisting mostly of sad ballads and soulful tunes. This album is much more consistant than Tigerlilly, which I also liked a lot and it's much more musical than Ophelia, which I didn't really care for. Whereas Ms. Merchant explores various musical styles, the first track seems to be out of place in this album. Not to say that it's a bad song, but the Middle Eastern flavor of the song clashes like a leisure suit at a black tie affair, with the purely American influences of the other tracks.
Aside from the first track, which is a bit of an anomaly, the rest of the album really shines. No single track stands out as the defining song, rather the entire album is consistantly good, musically mature, well performed and produced. I highly recommend it.
Free Music Review: UP&UP
Hit: 5 Stars
As I have only heard glimpses of the new album, I can only state on what I have listened to and my judgement on other reviews, with the obvious exception of CDNow's reviewer. Stiking to the same formula of mid-tempo ballad pieces, this album would appear to be Ophelia V2, yet the expansiveness of the arrangements and instrumentation indicate that NAM has taken her concept to the next level, introducing ethnic trends with the Arabic-influenced "This House Is On Fire", to a wider range of musicians such as Mavis Staples, showing Natalie Merchant's eclectic taste in music and songwriting abilities. The production has also benefitted with a more contemporary feel with the inclusion of respected producer T-Bone Burnett, maximising the potential of Natalie Merchant's vocals, which lean towards a more open and soulful sound. Song content ranges from the informative, to social commentary. Overall a glowing and lush album, which may be many's album of the year.Free Music Review: Beautiful, mysterious,rich
Hit: 5 Stars
Motherland is the first CD I have bought from Ms. Merchant. And I must say, I adore it. Rich with rythym and smooth groove, it combines that richness with gorgeous, thought provoking lyrics delivered by her exquisite vocals.I would like to add that I am a fan of R&B, so the fact that I bought a Natalie Merchant CD may boggle the mind. But not really if you think about her wonderful, full-bodied use of instruments. (Mavis Staples makes a brief guest appearance on a track! Now THAT'S fantastic! Their voices melt into one another perfectly.) I definitely prefer this work to alot of the other CDs I have purchased high on sounds, but low on intellectual content. She is not pretentious in her lyrics (to some critics, anyone singing with substantial lyrics is considered "pretentious"), but poetic and clear. Each song stands solidly on its own, and yet the entire CD is an experience.
Beautiful.
Free Music Review: A beautiful ride
Hit: 5 Stars
As a devotee of Natalie Merchant's since hearing The Wishing Chair in high school, I was scratching my head initially when I heard this record, confused by the genre-hopping collection of songs and irritated by the gritty nature of the CD's production. Upon a few more listens, though, the melodies that initially weren't there began to slowly, seductively creep out. Was there a more comforting song this year than MOTHERLAND, or as uplifting as TELL YOURSELF? Like with her previous recordings, Merchant takes the listener on a ride through different moods with each song. Just like TIGERLILY will be known for its simple instrumentation and OPHELIA for its extravagant orchestration, MOTHERLAND will be remembered for Merchant's daring experimentation with everything from Indian influences to a successful flirtation with the Blues. I expected nothing less. Give this CD several listens, and enjoy the ride..