Name: Motherland by Natalie Merchant
Brand: Natalie Merchant
SKU: 603497212668
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 4 (84 reviews)

ALBUM

Teaming up with T-Bone Burnett was a good, healthy move for Natalie Merchant. She had begun to sink into vaguely tuneless singer/songwriterisms with her second solo album, Ophelia, and the sag in artistic quality was notable -- which may have been why she bought time with a live album in 1999. Burnett helps restore some musical backbone to her music on Motherland, even if the record is hardly a gritty affair (apart from Merchant's voice, which seems to have deepened and grown tougher since the last time out). Still, there's some character within the sound -- atmospheric, blues post-folk-rock, music that breathes -- not nearly as precious as Tigerlily or any of the 10,000 Maniacs' records, for that matter, while retaining Merchant's signature sound. Upon first listen, none of the songs announce themselves, yet it all sticks together, and repeated plays reveal Motherland as a subtle grower that will satisfy her large cult. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

1. This House Is on Fire

by Natalie Merchant

Bass Guitar: Graham Maby; Performer
Bass Guitar: Graham Maby; Performer
Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Cello: Alan Stepansky; Performer
Drums: Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Flute: Sandra Church; Performer
Guitar: Gabriel Gordon; Performer
Organ: Elizabeth Steen; Performer
Percussion: Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Viola: Karen Dreyfus; Performer
Violin: Sharon Yamada
Sandra Park; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie; Performer
Arranger: Steven Barber; Composer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Producer: Merchant Natalie
T-bone Burnett; Production
Unknown Contributor Role: Erik Della Penna; Other

2. Motherland

by Natalie Merchant

Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Accordion: Van Dyke Parks; Performer
Acoustic Guitar: T-bone Burnett
Greg Leisz; Performer
Banjo: Greg Leisz; Performer
Bass Guitar: Mike Elizando; Performer
Bass Guitar: Mike Elizando; Performer
Mandolin: Greg Leisz; Performer
Organ: Patrick Warren; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie; Performer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Producer: T-bone Burnett
Merchant Natalie; Production

3. Saint Judas

by Natalie Merchant

Banjo: Erik Della Penna; Performer
Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Bass Guitar: Graham Maby; Performer
Bass Guitar: Graham Maby; Performer
Drums: Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Electric Guitar: Gabriel Gordon; Performer
Organ: Elizabeth Steen; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie
Mavis Staples; Performer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Producer: T-bone Burnett
Merchant Natalie; Production

4. Put the Law on You

by Natalie Merchant

Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Bass Guitar: Graham Maby; Performer
Bass Guitar: Graham Maby; Performer
Drums: Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Electric Guitar: Erik Della Penna
Gabriel Gordon; Performer
Organ: Elizabeth Steen; Performer
Piano: Keefus; Performer
Saxophone: David Ralicke; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie; Performer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Producer: Merchant Natalie; Production

5. Build a Levee

by Natalie Merchant

Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Acoustic Guitar: T-bone Burnett; Performer
Bass Guitar: Bob Glaub; Performer
Bass Guitar: Bob Glaub; Performer
Chamberlin: Patrick Warren; Performer
Drums: Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Electric Guitar: Greg Leisz; Performer
Organ: Elizabeth Steen
Keefus; Performer
Piano: Merchant Natalie; Performer
Saxophone: David Ralicke; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie
Mavis Staples; Performer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Producer: T-bone Burnett
Merchant Natalie; Production

6. Golden Boy

by Natalie Merchant

Bass Guitar: Mike Elizando; Performer
Bass Guitar: Mike Elizando; Performer
Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Chamberlin: Patrick Warren; Performer
Drums: Carla Azar
Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Guitar: T-bone Burnett
Gabriel Gordon
Erik Della Penna; Performer
Keyboard: Keefus; Performer
Percussion: Matt Chamberlain; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie; Performer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Producer: T-bone Burnett
Merchant Natalie; Production
Unknown Contributor Role: Elizabeth Steen; Other

7. The Ballad of Henry Darger

by Natalie Merchant

Primary Artist: Natalie Merchant; Main Performer
Cello: Alan Stepansky
Sarah Seiver
Elizabeth Dyson; Performer
Clarinet: Mitchell Estrin; Performer
French Horn: Philip Myers; Performer
Guitar: Erik Della Penna; Performer
Trumpet: Tony Kadleck; Performer
Viola: Nick Cords
Vivek Kamath
Karen Dreyfus; Performer
Violin: Lisa E. Kim
Robert T. Shaw
Soo Hyun Kwon
Ann S. Kim
Laura Seaton
Sandra Park
Bruno Eicher
Fiona Simon
Jung Sun Yoo
Karen Marx
Krystof Kuznik; Performer
Vocals: Merchant Natalie; Performer
Arranger: Steven Barber; Composer
Composer: Natalie Merchant; Composer
Conductor: Steven Barber; Conductor
Producer: Merchant Natalie; Production
Additional Vocals: Kate Daley; Other