With "Kind and Generous" still a staple of adult contemporary playlists everywhere, veteran songwriter Natalie Merchant is preparing to issue her first album of entirely original songs in 13 years. The self-titled Natalie Merchant is due out on May 6 through Nonesuch.
Merchant self-produced the album, and a press release promises a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in which "string, brass, and woodwind arrangements mingle with Hammond organ and electric guitar improvisations."
The former 10,000 Maniacs member said in a statement that the songs address "love gained and lost, regret, denial, surrender, greed, destructiveness, defeat, and occasional triumph."
Players on the album include John Medeski, Shawn Pelton, Clark Gayton, Uri Sharlin, Jesse Murphy, Erik Della Penna and Gabriel Gordon, as well as guest vocalists Simi Stone, Elizabeth Mitchell and gospel singer Corliss Stafford.
See the tracklist below.
The album is available to pre-order here along with a signed print.
Merchant's output in the past decade has shied away from mainstream accessibility. In 2003, she released the folk covers album The House Carpenter's Daughter, and her 2010 double album Leave Your Sleep — her first for Nonesuch — was based on classic children's poetry.
The press release promises that tour dates will be announced soon.
Natalie Merchant:
1. Ladybird
2. Maggie Said
3. Texas
4. Go Down, Moses
5. Seven Deadly Sins
6. Giving Up Everything
7. Black Sheep
8. It's A-Coming
9. Lulu (Introduction)
10. Lulu
11. The End
Merchant self-produced the album, and a press release promises a mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation in which "string, brass, and woodwind arrangements mingle with Hammond organ and electric guitar improvisations."
The former 10,000 Maniacs member said in a statement that the songs address "love gained and lost, regret, denial, surrender, greed, destructiveness, defeat, and occasional triumph."
Players on the album include John Medeski, Shawn Pelton, Clark Gayton, Uri Sharlin, Jesse Murphy, Erik Della Penna and Gabriel Gordon, as well as guest vocalists Simi Stone, Elizabeth Mitchell and gospel singer Corliss Stafford.
See the tracklist below.
The album is available to pre-order here along with a signed print.
Merchant's output in the past decade has shied away from mainstream accessibility. In 2003, she released the folk covers album The House Carpenter's Daughter, and her 2010 double album Leave Your Sleep — her first for Nonesuch — was based on classic children's poetry.
The press release promises that tour dates will be announced soon.
Natalie Merchant:
1. Ladybird
2. Maggie Said
3. Texas
4. Go Down, Moses
5. Seven Deadly Sins
6. Giving Up Everything
7. Black Sheep
8. It's A-Coming
9. Lulu (Introduction)
10. Lulu
11. The End