[2017-07-14] Natalie Merchant "The Collection" 10CD box set including new and unreleased tracks (Nonesuch)

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14208

Description
Nonesuch Records releases The Natalie Merchant Collection—a deluxe ten-CD box set compiled by Natalie Merchant—on July 14, 2017. The Natalie Merchant Collection comprises ten discs, including all eight of her solo studio albums from the past three decades. A ninth disc, Butterfly, is a new studio set featuring four new songs and six reinterpreted selections from her catalog, all arranged for string quartet. The final disc is Rarities, a collection of fifteen rare and previously unreleased tracks recorded between 1998 and 2017, which offers a unique view of Merchant's creative experimentation through home studio demos, album outtakes, live tracks, and collaborations with diverse artists like Billy Bragg, David Byrne, The Chieftains, Cowboy Junkies, and Amy Helm. The package includes a 100-page lyric book and pictorial history of the singer-songwriter's solo career—an archival treasure box for collectors.

[tracklisting][CD1: Tigerlily]
1. San Andreas Fault
2. Wonder
3. Beloved Wife
4. River
5. Carnival
6. I May Know the Word
7. The Letter
8. Cowboy Romance
9. Jealousy
10. Where I Go
11. Seven Years

[CD2: Ophelia]
1. Ophelia
2. Life Is Sweet
3. Kind And Generous
4. Frozen Charlotte
5. My Skin
6. Break Your Heart
7. King Of May
8. Thick As Thieves
9. Effigy
10. The Living
11. When They Ring Them Golden Bells

[CD3: Motherland]
1. This House Is On Fire
2. Motherland
3. Saint Judas
4. Put The Law On You
5. Build A Levee
6. Golden Boy
7. Henry Darger
8. The Worst Thing
9. Tell Yourself
10. Just Can't Last
11. Not In This Life
12. I'm Not Gonna Beg

[CD4: The House Carpenter’s Daughter]
1. Sally Ann
2. Which Side Are You On?
3. Crazy Man Michael
4. Diver Boy
5. Weeping Pilgrim
6. Soldier, Soldier
7. Bury Me Under The Willow
8. House Carpenter
9. Owensboro
10. Down On Penny's Farm
11. Poor Wayfaring Stranger

[CD5: Leave Your Sleep]
1. Nursery Rhyme Of Innocence And Experience
2. Equestrienne
3. Calico Pie
4. Bleezer’s Ice-Cream
5. It Makes A Change
6. The King Of China’s Daughter
7. The Dancing Bear
8. Topsyturvey-World
9. The Janitor’s Boy
10. The Man In The Wilderness
11. Maggie And Milly And Molly And May
12. If No One Ever Marries Me
13. The Sleepy Giant

[CD6: Leave Your Sleep]
1. The Peppery Man
2. The Blind Men And The Elephant
3. Adventures Of Isabel
4. The Walloping Window Blind
5. Griselda
6. The Land Of Nod
7. Vain And Careless
8. Crying, My Little One
9. Sweet & A Lullaby
10. I Saw A Ship A-Sailing
11. Autumn Lullaby
12. Spring And Fall: To A Young Child
13. Indian Names

[CD7: 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

[CD8: Paradise Is There]
1. San Andreas Fault
2. Beloved Wife
3. Carnival
4. River
5. The Letter
6. Where I Go
7. I May Know the Word
8. Seven Years
9. Cowboy Romance
10. Jealousy
11. Wonder

[CD9: Butterfly]
1. Butterfly
2. She Devil
3. Baby Mine
4. Frozen Charlotte
5. Ophelia
6. The Worst Thing
7. The Man In The Wilderness
8. My Skin
9. Vain And Careless
10. Andalucia

[CD10: Rarities (1998-2017)]
1. The Village Green Preservation Society(Ray Davies)
2. Too Long At The Fair(Joel Zoss)
3. Order 1081(David Byrne)
4. To Love Is To Bury(Mike Timmins & Margo Timmins)
5. Saint Judas
6. Birds & Ships(Woody Guthrie)
7. The Lowlands Of Holland(Traditional Arr. Paddy Maloney)
8. Sonnet 73(William Shakespeare Arr. Natalie Merchant)
9. Learning The Game(Buddy Holly)
10. My Little Sweet Baby(Traditional)
11. Political Science(Randy Newman)
12. Build A Levee
13. Sit Down Sister(Traditional)
14. The Gulf Of Araby(Katell Keineg)
15. Portofino[/tracklisting]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07169WXCL/?tag=imwan-20

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14208

The first sample from this box set is a reworking of "Frozen Charlotte":

Walter P · 20 Sep 2006

I can't speak for everyone, but I kind of lost track/interest in Natalie Merchant. I enjoyed her time with 10,000 Maniacs and her first solo album or two, but after that, I just wasn't driven to follow. I'm wondering if there's a compelling reason to get this, but suspecting that I won't.

Rick Grubbs · 03 Oct 2006

Same thing with me. I want a reason to buy this but can't find one (yet).

Greg Carrier · 25 Nov 2006

My opinion of her catalog, if you haven't been following along:

Paradise is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings (2015) is much better than I expected, given it's re-recordings of the Tigerlilly songs. She brings something new to them. Really enjoyed this a lot.

Natalie Merchant (self-titled, 2014) is quite good. Excellent songwriting. Her style is more mature and restrained than earlier recordings, but I find it very enjoyable. Extremely tasteful, and the songwriting is very strong.

Leave Your Sleep (2010) I found to be just a little dull. Good, but not as compelling as her best work.

The House Carpenter's Daughter (2003) is excellent, on par with her best work.

Motherland (2001) might be my favorite album of hers. Great stuff.

Live in Concert (1999) is one that I didn't pick up until a couple years ago. It's a brilliant live album that also sounds incredible -- the recording is insanely good. Audiophile stuff. One of the best-sounding CDs I own. And the performances are first-rate. Her cover of Bowie's Space Oddity is not to be missed.

Ophelia (1998) is not one of my favorites, but it's a pretty solid follow-up to Tigerlilly.

Tigerlilly (1995) was an excellent first solo album, still one of her best recordings. Very strong songs throughout.

Note: Live in Concert is apparently not included in this box set. Leave Your Sleep is a 2-CD set. Buy Live in Concert. You will thank me later.

I may need to spring for this new box, given the new and unreleased material. Dang.

Tricky Kid · **Joined:** 23 Sep 2007 **Posts:** 8297

At 10 discs for $60 it's hard to quibble value... I might pick this up at some point.

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

I'd be interested in cd #10. Man, she's gotten old!

JoeP · **Joined:** 20 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 542

I thought that her 2014 album was good. If one likes her music, then they should like it. I never picked up the live album, but am curious.

I would add that the Tigerlily cd is not only a good album, but a pretty good sounding cd.

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

Tigerlilly is my favorite. I've never heard one I didn't like; but TL is the only one where the songs really stayed with me.

pobbard · 18 Jun 2007

This cover haunts me. (It's true what they say about songwriting royalties: Not even enough to buy sunscreen!)

Jay · 12 Jul 2006

I think that is just Natali's choice of how to present herself, sans makeup or hair coloring.

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Not a fan of her music or 10,000 Maniacs.

Never cared for any of it.

But if you're a fan, this is reasonably priced.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

Jay wrote:

I think that is just Natali's choice of how to present herself, sans makeup or hair coloring.

But how will she look good enough to qualify for a music forum avatar? :ohno:

I have about half of the material, if it is offered for a decent price here in Canada I may spring for it.

JohnG · 03 Aug 2006

She is a true late 80s early 90s artist that hasn't aged well (musically I mean) but she was once a powerhouse (saw her at Jones Beach).

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

Her solo debut was superb.While I have a few others, I could probably happily live with just the first album.

Greg Carrier · 25 Nov 2006

pobbard wrote:

This cover haunts me. (It's true what they say about songwriting royalties: Not even enough to buy sunscreen!)

I think she looks great, and it's a beautiful photo.

Jay · 12 Jul 2006

Greg Carrier wrote:

pobbard wrote:

This cover haunts me. (It's true what they say about songwriting royalties: Not even enough to buy sunscreen!)

I think she looks great, and it's a beautiful photo.

Greg,

I agree. Intentionally minimalistic.

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14208

The pre-order price of this 10CD box set has dropped $11 and is now $48.99:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07169WXCL/?tag=imwan-20

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14208

Charlie wrote:

The pre-order price of this 10CD box set has dropped $11 and is now $48.99:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07169WXCL/?tag=imwan-20

Now $43.89.

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14208

Bump: This has been pushed back to July 7th.

eelkiller · **Joined:** 10 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 1681

That is a good price for 10 CD's, I am in and will donate the discs I have to our book and music sale at work, proceeds to United Way.

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14208

Charlie wrote:

Bump: This has been pushed back to July 7th.

Another delay, now scheduled for July 14th.

[2017-07-14] Natalie Merchant "The Collection" 10CD box set including new and unreleased tracks (Nonesuch)

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