| | Natalie Merchant Ophelia CD Natalie Merchant Discography of CDs
 (3 Customer Reviews)
Hammond B-3 organ); Karen Perris (vocals, acoustic guitar); N'Dea Davenport, Yungchen Lhamo (vocals); Karl Berger, Gavin Bryars (conductor); Craig Ross (acoustic & electric guitars); Lokua Kanza (acoustic guitar); Graham Maby (electric guitar, bass); Daniel Lanois, Don Perris (electric guitar); Krystof Witek, Hector Falcon (violin); Conroy Kuo, Ralph Farris (viola); Michelle Kinney, Garo Yellin (cello); Chris Botti (trumpet); Tom Varner (French horn); George Laks (piano, Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Jay Brunga (acoustic bass); Peter Yanowitz (drums).
After her departure from 10,000 Maniacs, Merchant declared her artistic independence with the enormously popular TIGERLILY, an album not entirely dissimilar in style to her former group. Her highly anticipated followup mines a somewhat more introspective vein, as Merchant pursues her muse at length (many cuts hover around the five minute mark). The bulk of the tunes here are ballads adorned by piano, organ and strings, often achieving an almost ecclesiastical tone, as on the title cut, an exploration of a mythical woman who appears in many guises throughout history.
Even relatively upbeat tunes like "Kind & Generous" and "Break Your Heart" retain the delicacy, sweetness and luxurious feel that have become Merchant's trademarks. The aforementioned spiritual element resurfaces in the bible-conscious lyrics of "Thick As Thieves" and the almost Carter Family-ish country spiritual "When They Ring The Golden Bells," a Merchant original that sounds like it could have been written 100 years ago. Presumably, that's just the kind of timelessness Merchant is aiming for on OPHELIA.
Live Recording
Recorded at Talking Dwarf Studios, Little Valley, New York; Air Studios, London, England.
Personnel includes: Natalie Merchant (vocals, piano, Wurlitzer piano,
Engineers include: Todd Vos, John Holbrook, Rupert Coulso.
Personnel includes: Natalie Merchant (vocals, piano, Wurlitzer, Hammond organ); Karl Berger, Gavin Bryars (conductor); Karen Perris (vocals, acoustic guitar); N'Dea Davenport, Yungchen Lhamo (vocals); Lokua Kanza (acoustic guitar); Graham Maby (electric guitar, bass); Daniel Lanois, Don Perris (electric guitar); Krystof Witek, Hector Falcon (violin); Wendy Gillespie (treble viol); Conroy Kuo, Ralph Farris (viola); Julia Hodgson, Richard Campbell (tenor viol); Susanna Pell (bass viol); Michelle Kinney, Garo Yellin (cello); William Hunt (great bass); Chris Botti (trumpet); Tom Varner (French Horn); George Laks (piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Hammond organ); Jay Brunga (acoustic bass); Peter Yanowitz (drums).
Engineers: Todd Vos, John Holbrook, Rupert Coulso.
Rolling Stone (6/11/98, p.116) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...replaces the skintight band of that solo breakthrough [TIGERLILY} with a shifting cast of players, reaching out to include brass and strings. Yet like the debut, OPHELIA devotes itself to...the unstructured luxury of Merchant's sound..."
Rolling Stone (6/11/98, p.116) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...replaces the skintight band of that solo breakthrough [TIGERLILY} with a shifting cast of players, reaching out to include brass and strings. Yet like the debut, OPHELIA devotes itself to...the unstructured luxury of Merchant's sound..."
Entertainment Weekly (5/29/98, pp.72-73) - "...OPHELIA is more affluently produced, her swoons and sighs accompanied by layers of church-service organs, dashes of world-music vocalizing and Daniel Lanois' guitar....Other than Bruce Springsteen's GHOST OF TOM JOAD, it's hard to recall a pop album in recent memory that's been so relentlessly somber..." - Rating: B
Entertainment Weekly (5/29/98, pp.72-73) - "...OPHELIA is more affluently produced, her swoons and sighs accompanied by layers of church-service organs, dashes of world-music vocalizing and Daniel Lanois' guitar....Other than Bruce Springsteen's GHOST OF TOM JOAD, it's hard to recall a pop album in recent memory that's been so relentlessly somber..." - Rating: B Natalie Merchant Ophelia Songs Ophelia Music Review Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)  I hated this album when it came out!!
However, 7 years later it is my favorite Merchant album. I love the somber tone it creates with "My Skin" and "The Living" to name a few. When this was first released I was only 22 and in a much different frame of mind. I thought the music was depressing and couln't listen to it. But now that I'm older I can fully appreciate that my life is nothing like what she descibes in these songs so I can listen to them objectively.
Submitted by Kyle (Atlanta, GA, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No natalie merchant has created her masterpiece
every artist and every group has that
one CD that stands above the rest--and
this one belongs to natalie merchant--
she has her own style--she is so cool
and sings with such ease. this CD is so
good to listen to--it is so relaxing and beautiful---it has become one of my
favorites---i just love it!
Submitted by nat--a music lover (hoover, alabama)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No Natalie does it again
Natalie Merchant has never failed to disappoint me. Her music and lyrics are always beautiful and emotional, not to mention her absolutely gorgeous voice. On "Ophelia", Natalie's production is a step up from "Tigerlily". Most of the songs are piano and string based and the results are beautiful. My favorites are "Frozen Charlotte", "My Skin" and "Thick as Thieves". Natalie Merchant is one of the most underrated songwriters today.
Submitted by a reviewer (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No | Have you heard this album? |  |
Purchase Ophelia CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Natalie Merchant Tigerlily CD (1995)
Ophelia
 $6.45   
Super-serious Natalie Merchant has loosened up since leaving 10,000 Maniacs. From the soulful march, "San Andreas Fault," that opens her solo debut, it is obvious she has found a freedom in going solo. It's evident in her less restrictive vocals and in a tighter, more expansive musical sound.
Her lyrics, no surprise, remain somber. But in finally recording a song as throbbingly funky as "Carnival," Merchant offers a glimpse of what she always had lurking inside when she flailed about onstage with the Maniacs. And "River," a tribute to the late River Phoenix, gives her a chance to belt a lyric out--a pleasant, surprising change from her usual folkie whisper.
TIGERLILY also includes some simple piano tracks that recall the earliest Maniacs records. The piano-voice duet has always been Merchant's forté, and her sweet, rich voice cuts through the heartbreaking loss of "Beloved Wife" and the unrequited love of "The Letter." And then, just when ...
| | Jewel Spirit CD (1998)
Ophelia
$6.85 
All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.
Aided by airy but sparkling production by Patrick Leonard, Jewel comforts one and all with this collection. On "Hands," she sings that if she could tell the world just one thing, "It would be that we're all OK." Outside of her multi-octave, crystalline voice, therein lies a large part of Jewel's true appeal--a seemingly boundless compassion. To the Beatles prescription "All You Need Is Love," she adds one more ingredient: "Fill your lives with love and bravery/And you shall lead a life uncommon." While much of her yearning is spiritual and utopian, Jewel is not immune to the call of the flesh. In "Do You" she wants to stay with a lover ...
| | Alanis Morissette Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie CD (1998)
Ophelia
$10.39
"Thank U" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Alanis has a lot to answer for; in the process of changing the face of '90s pop music, she opened the door to scores of inferior imitators who crowded the charts with their transparent careerist fury. What they missed was the renegade spirit that lurks beneath Morissette's statements off vengeance and dissatisfaction. It's that spirit that enlivens INFATUATION JUNKIE. From awkward title to the unconventional lyrical construction, it's ...
| | Sarah McLachlan Surfacing CD (1997) Enhanced CD
Ophelia
$9.59
SURFACING is an Enhanced CD containing both a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files.
SURFACING was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Pop album. "Building A Mystery" won the 1998 Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. "Last Dance" won the 1998 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
"Adia" was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
On her fifth album, Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan returns with a simpler collection of songs which quietly explore the darker aspects of human nature. SURFACING is a group of straightforward songs which get right to ...
| | Sarah McLachlan Mirrorball CD (1999)
Ophelia
$9.99
This is an enhanced audio CD which contains both regular audio tracks ...
| | Paddy Reynolds Atlantic Wave CD (1998)
Ophelia
$14.49
| | Insound Tour Support Collection, Vol. 1 CD (2003)
Ophelia
$10.29
| | Pepeu Gomes Ao Vivo CD (2005) (Import) Import
Ophelia
$18.39
| | Pigeon'S Milk Quilt CD (2005) (Import) Japan
$40.75 | | Damned Live Anthology CDs (2002)
Ophelia
$16.95
| | Blasters 4-11-44 CD (2004) Enhanced CD
Ophelia
$11.05
While the Blasters called it quits in 1986 after Hard Line failed to break through to the mass audience, it was only a few years later that lead singer Phil Alvin brought the band back, though without the participation of his kid brother, Dave Alvin, who played guitar with the Blasters and wrote their most memorable songs. For years, Phil Alvin promised to take the Blasters back to the studio, and in 2004 a new Blasters album finally appeared, 4-11-44. One spin confirms that this edition of the band can play up a storm, and that Phil's passionate roadhouse vocals are as exciting as they've ever been; Keith Wyatt is, if anything, a stronger picker than Dave Alvin, the rhythm section ...
| | OPM California Poppy CD (2006)
Ophelia
$11.79
| | Dave Mason Live/The Deluxe Edition CD (2007) Deluxe Edition
Ophelia
$13.59
| | Alfredo De Angelis Grandes Del Tango 42 CD (2007) (Import)
$15.75 |
|
|
474 
buttons below to play song samples
Adobe Flash
Email a Friend
