The solo debut of the former frontwoman of the 10,000 Maniacs was an artistic as well as commercial success in 1995. Natalie Merchant had been touring the folk-rock scene for years before she created her own style with socially engaged folk-pop melodies that would catapult her to #13 on the Billboard charts.
Her voice, wavering between inner strength and vulnerability, draws the listener in deeply. The emotionally dense album builds a very special intimate atmosphere to the listener and hits like "Carnival" drill into the ear. However, the socially critical note is not neglected. Songs like "San Andreas Fault" about the fulfillment of dreams and the power of nature to bring us back from the glittering world.
There it is then said:
O promised land
what a wicked ground
build a dream
watch it fall down
The double album consists of two 45 LPs, because it simply would not have fit in good quality on a 33 LP. So Shawn Britton was able to cut with a lot of air and capture the inner peace of the tracks on vinyl. A multi-page lyric sheet with additional photos of the musicians is included.
Title
LP 1
1. San Andreas Fault
2. Wonder
3. Beloved Wife
4. River
5. Carnival
LP 2
1. I May Know the Word
2. The Letter
3. Cowboy Romance
4. Jealousy
5. Where I Go
6. Seven Years
