NATALIE MERCHANT
Motherland
Elektra Records
www.nataliemerchant.com    

Dark and menacing, soft and hopeful, Natalie Merchant's first disc of originals since 1998 simmers with fields of strings gently stroked and banjos picked like dried stalks of wheat. Co-producer T Bone Burnett harnesses regional flavored arrangements to great effect, building strong soul kitchens for Natalie's mixture of grit and gentle reflection. Confessional stories of warning and redemption against smoldering electric steel, mandolins and pump organ conjure a rustic spirit of calico consciousness as exotic Spanish accents and gypsy Arabic dalliances suggest the worldly feminism of Toni Childs alongside the artistic convictions of Patti Smith. The ever-grieving widow of ghosts and premonitions, Natalie throws herself into each song, mastering drawn Delta drawls, lascivious blues, and bewitching torch song confidence.  "Motherland," births, bereaves, nurtures and renounces.       

John Noyd