Natalie Merchant - Retrospective 1995-2005
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Free Music Notes for Retrospective 1995-2005
Free Music Review: Strictly for the 'casual' Natalie Merchant fan (if there is such a thing)
Hit: 4 Stars
Since Natalie Merchant went solo 10 years ago, she has released only 5 albums, and that includes the "Live in Concert" album, so really only 4 studio albums.
"Retrospective 1995-2005" (13 tracks, 60 min.) brings a nice chronological overview of Natalie's greatest hits, and the use of that term is loose at best, as there really have been only a few mainstream hits on the first 2 albums. It makes sense then that the bulk of his collection centers around those songs: 8 of the 13 tracks are from the "Tigerlily" and "Ophelia" albums, including the true hits "Wonder", "Carnival" and "Kind and Generous". The last third of the album gives us the best tracks from "Motherland" and the independently released "The House Carpenter's Daughter". While these songs are not hits, they are mesmerizing nevertheless. Check out "Motherland" and "Sally Ann". At 60 min., they could easily have added a couple more songs, such as "Just Can't Last" (from "Motherland") and "Space Oddity" (from "Live in Concert")
If you are a casual Natalie Merchant fan (if there is such a thing), this collection will do the trick. Or you may want to stick with just "Tigerlily" if you are looking for the 10,000 Maniacs sound. But for the fanatical Natalie Merchant fans, who have all the albums already, it makes no sense to buy this collection. Instead, head on over to the "Limited Edition" of this set, which includes a second CD with covers, duets, rarities, and unreleased tracks. I rate that collection close to 5 stars.
Free Music Review: Great Introduction To Natalie Merchant
Hit: 4 Stars
This CD is a very good introduction to the solo works of Natalie Merchant. I am a bit more of a fan of 10,000 Maniacs and her earlier solo work, and while no CD retrospective meets everyone's desires, I think this set is good for the fan who is just starting to appreciate Natalie; fans who own all of her solo CDs would be advised to skip this CD entirely (as they already own all the material), or better yet pay a few dollars more for the limited edition of this set which contains a second CD of rarities and lesser known gems.
The CD is great in that it features the big hits (including my favorite, "Jealousy") as well as cuts which were largely ignored by the mainstream (though they shouldn't have been.)
In an age of popular music where the recording industry can't wait to get the newest augmented pop princess on the cover of "People" magazine, Natalie Merchant stands out: she is not flashy; rather she is graceful and humble. She also has one thing going for her which is so often sadly missing in the contemporary music world: genuine talent. If you are not familiar with Natalie Merchant, this is a great place to start. If you are familiar with her, then you probably own her CDs already.
I recommend this CD to any fan of thoughtful, original music.
Free Music Review: Her first 10 solo years.
Hit: 4 Stars
Well I hope this isn't a retirement statement. However, it's a nice collection, even if it's a bit short. We get 4 tracks from her most popular album "Tigerlily", 4 from "Ophelia", 3 from "Motherland", and 2 from "The House Carpenters Daughter". I would have liked a new or unreleased track, or something from her live album like her "After The Gold Rush" cover. I almost wonder if her first album is overall better than this collection is, and I know I'm slightly still more of a 10,000 Maniacs fan. There's a deluxe edition of "Greatest Hits" also, that comes with a bonus disc of extras for the mega-fan.Free Music Review: A Very Pleasant Surprise
Hit: 4 Stars
The only song of Natalie Merchant's that I heard before this was Carnival. I didn't expect the fabulous collection of songs that this package brings. I would recommend it to anyone that is a fan of singer/songwriters. Natalie is a gifted singer and lyricist. Standouts include:
Wonder
Carnival
San Andreas Fault
Kind & Generous
Life Is Sweet
Build A Levee
The Living
The rest of the collection is also outstanding. Fans of Carole King, Carly Simon-type music should buy this. You won't be disappointed.
Free Music Review: Tigerlily album is a better intro
Hit: 4 Stars
Let me just say first that I'm not fanatical about Natalie Merchant. I heard Tigerlily a few times at my friend's house and really liked the mellow sounds. I thought I'd treat myself and bought this greatest hits album. As an album, the tracks don't flow so well from one to the next, but this is a compilation I guess, and not a single 'work of art'. The non-Tigerlily tracks I like best are #9 and #13.