Product Description
Nonesuch Records will release Natalie Merchant's 2014 self-titled album.The recording is the multi-platinum singer's sixth solo collection, and her first of entirely original songs in 13 years.

This self-produced album is the work of a mature artist with a clear and distinctive voice. Long appreciated for the depth and substance of her writing, Merchant has never shied away from weighty themes or subjects for her lyrics. She describes the new release as informed "by experience and keen observation," dealing with issues of "love gained and lost, regret, denial, surrender, greed, destructiveness, defeat, and occasional triumph."

Combining three decades of experience in song writing and album making, Merchant's production style is nuanced and pure. Her voice is framed by a balanced blend of electric and acoustic sound throughout with musicianship of exceptional quality. String, brass, and woodwind arrangements mingle with Hammond organ and electric guitar improvisations. Players include John Medeski, Shawn Pelton, Clark Gayton, Uri Sharlin, Jesse Murphy, Erik Della Penna, Gabriel Gordon, and guest vocalists Simi Stone, Elizabeth Mitchell and gospel singer Corliss Stafford.

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

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IPGGEK6/?tag=imwan-20

Bump: Added release details to the first post. Natalie speaks at length about the album in this promo video ...

Also from her YouTube channel, here are some tracks in full:

I like it.

Finally, original tracks. I was beginning to think she forgot how to write a song.

I'm liking what I hear. Into the Amazon shopping cart it goes...

Been spending some time with this lately.

IMO, it's her best since Tigerlilly.

It also sounds superb in hi-res; excellent mastering.

I think so, too. It's a very mature record, in a good way. I don't have the hi-res, but the CD sounds really good.

I played this again earlier tonight after the Jackson Browne tribute. As much as I raved about the sound quality of he JB trib, the 88/24 version of this this has even better sound; with an analog like sense of ease. Thank God the loudness wars are only ruining 90% of rock albums, & not all of them!

Dang, wish I'd gotten news of this album/tour earlier; she's playing at the Tarrytown Music Hall on July 19, which is about 20 minutes away from me but which is also sold out

This does sound really, really good, and so does the JB tribute. There have been a few releases like this recently that have made me reevaluate the sound quality potential of standard rebook CDs. I've got a few now, including some AF, MFSL, and Iconoclassic remasters, that are amazingly analog-like -- smooth, warm, and with some real depth, but striking clarity. I'm starting to wonder if the format is really coming into its own just as other formats -- hi res download, BluRay audio, SACD -- are starting to replace it, at least with audiophiles.