Ending an almost seven-year absence from the world of music, former 10,000 Maniacs star and renowned singer/songwriter Natalie Merchant is stepping back into the music market with a 26-track double-disc album consisting of all new songs along with spoken-word poetry.
Merchant’s new album, Leave Your Sleep, was released Tuesday on Nonesuch Records and will be followed by a few television appearances and small CD release parties sprawled out across the country.
On her official website NatalieMerchant.com Natalie took some time to post her thoughts about the new record along with a ten minute interview where she discusses her views on the project.
“Leave You Sleep is an album that I’ve been researching, writing and recording, mixing, mastering, and preparing for the past five years. It’s the most elaborate project I ever could even conceived of and now it’s ready to leave my hands … It was very exciting to have the freedom to just work at my own pace,” said Merchant on her website.
Merchant is scheduled to appear on the Tonight Show on the 21st of April but has yet to release any dates for an upcoming tour that many fans will be expecting with the album.
Merchant stated that she drew upon all of her life experiences for inspirational material and named one of the tracks “The Land of Nod” which is a Biblical reference from the book of Genesis referring to the location Cain defected to after killing his brother Abel.
There is an eclectic mix of content due to the large number of different tracks that vary in theme. Some of the songs were written for Merchant’s daughter whom she gave birth to during her five-year absence from the music world. Others consist of her own thoughts on life.
Leave Your Sleep features some upbeat folk tunes and slower blues-like songs mixed together with revealing poetry creating a well rounded catalogue for those that are willing to purchase the 26 song collection. One of the highlights of the project is “Calico Pie” which is an upbeat song that has a fiddle line that could hold its own in any square dance hall.
Another solid performance on the album is the track “If No One Ever Marries Me” which is a very straightforward folk song with two guitars and a bass riding lightly under Merchant’s signature voice.
Merchant released her new album on Nonesuch Records to continue her goal of staying away from major record labels allowing her more time and freedom to express herself openly.
Her previous record was released on Myth America Records which she started on her own after an expired deal with Elektra Records.
Merchant’s new album, Leave Your Sleep, was released Tuesday on Nonesuch Records and will be followed by a few television appearances and small CD release parties sprawled out across the country.
On her official website NatalieMerchant.com Natalie took some time to post her thoughts about the new record along with a ten minute interview where she discusses her views on the project.
“Leave You Sleep is an album that I’ve been researching, writing and recording, mixing, mastering, and preparing for the past five years. It’s the most elaborate project I ever could even conceived of and now it’s ready to leave my hands … It was very exciting to have the freedom to just work at my own pace,” said Merchant on her website.
Merchant is scheduled to appear on the Tonight Show on the 21st of April but has yet to release any dates for an upcoming tour that many fans will be expecting with the album.
Merchant stated that she drew upon all of her life experiences for inspirational material and named one of the tracks “The Land of Nod” which is a Biblical reference from the book of Genesis referring to the location Cain defected to after killing his brother Abel.
There is an eclectic mix of content due to the large number of different tracks that vary in theme. Some of the songs were written for Merchant’s daughter whom she gave birth to during her five-year absence from the music world. Others consist of her own thoughts on life.
Leave Your Sleep features some upbeat folk tunes and slower blues-like songs mixed together with revealing poetry creating a well rounded catalogue for those that are willing to purchase the 26 song collection. One of the highlights of the project is “Calico Pie” which is an upbeat song that has a fiddle line that could hold its own in any square dance hall.
Another solid performance on the album is the track “If No One Ever Marries Me” which is a very straightforward folk song with two guitars and a bass riding lightly under Merchant’s signature voice.
Merchant released her new album on Nonesuch Records to continue her goal of staying away from major record labels allowing her more time and freedom to express herself openly.
Her previous record was released on Myth America Records which she started on her own after an expired deal with Elektra Records.
