Tigerlily

Amazon.com essential recording
Though the minor hits "Wonder" and "Jealousy" bore a reasonable resemblance to Merchant's work with 10,000 Maniacs, most of Tigerlily clearly established her as a solo artist apart from her former band. The record's first single, "Carnival," drove that point home, with a hook based more on rhythm than melody and the haunting voice of Katell Keineg adding an intriguing dimension to the chorus. Elsewhere, much of Tigerlily is remarkably solemn and subtle, from the low-key opener "San Andreas Fault" to the widower's lament "My Beloved Wife" to the eight-minute opus "I May Know the Word." Also of note is "River," an emotional ode to friend and fallen star River Phoenix. --Peter Blackstock

Tigerlily,Natalie Merchant,Elektra / Wea,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

Tigerlily

Average customer rating:

Stands my test of time
Natalie Merchant At Her Best...
Very poor sonic quality. A joke!!
Beauty and Wisdom
This cd should be in your collection

Tigerlily
Natalie Merchant
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Ophelia
MTV Unplugged
Motherland
Our Time in Eden
In My Tribe

ASIN: B000002HHB
Release Date: 1995-06-20

Tracks:

San Andreas Fault
Wonder
Beloved Wife
River
Carnival
I May Know The Word
The Letter
Cowboy Romance
Jealousy
Where I Go
Seven Years

Amazon.com essential recording

Though the minor hits "Wonder" and "Jealousy" bore a reasonable resemblance to Merchant's work with 10,000 Maniacs, most of Tigerlily clearly established her as a solo artist apart from her former band. The record's first single, "Carnival," drove that point home, with a hook based more on rhythm than melody and the haunting voice of Katell Keineg adding an intriguing dimension to the chorus. Elsewhere, much of Tigerlily is remarkably solemn and subtle, from the low-key opener "San Andreas Fault" to the widower's lament "My Beloved Wife" to the eight-minute opus "I May Know the Word." Also of note is "River," an emotional ode to friend and fallen star River Phoenix. --Peter Blackstock

Customer Reviews:

Stands my test of time.......2007-07-26

It has been more than 10 years since I first heard this album. It still sounds so refreshing. There is not a song that I would not like. I sill give it full 5 stars.

Natalie Merchant At Her Best..........2007-05-10

TigerLily (1995) used to be my favorite Natalie Merchant CD -- that is until she released The House Carpenter's Daughter. These records are polar opposites; there's a mellow West Coast pop sensibility underpinning TigerLily, but unmistakable countrified folk frames out The House Carpenter's Daughter. Merchant should try pop music again.

In my opinion, San Andreas Fault (Track One) is TigerLily's strongest cut. Miss Merchant's plaintive wail kicks off this languid track -- suggesting steam train whistles of bygone years -- and her glossy voice is backed by percussion, a vibraphone, and dueling guitars (John Holbrook & Matt Henderson.)

Gorgeous accompaniment from Barrie Maguire, Jennifer Turner, and Peter Yanowitz infuses Wonder (Track Two) with emotion. If any track here resembles Merchant's work on In My Tribe, I suppose Wonder fills the bill. Natalie warbles about faith, love, and patience, instilling belief in these desired timeless qualities.

Emotional songs like River (Track Four) will get to you. This song is about River Phoenix, the young actor who died from a drug overdose on October 31st, 1993. I briefly knew Joaquin Phoenix and River Phoenix in 1980, so I thank Miss Merchant for recording this tribute.

River is followed by Carnival (Track Five), which is the single that achieved dominant radio airplay. I loved Adrian Lopez Guevarra's percussion here; I likewise admired Katell Keineg's backing vocals. But I'm still ambivalent about that last snippet of ambient street noise that Natalie's voice recedes into.

Lyrically speaking, Cowboy Romance (Track Eight) does the best job of telling a connection story. Maguire, Turner, and Yanowitz enhance Miss Merchant's sensitively lilting and wavering voice, and Jay Unger's maudlin violin is a deftly added touch; this song is primarily about deception, promises made, and promises abandoned.

I adore Jealousy (Track Nine), which (in addition to Maguire, Turner, and Yanowitz) includes John Holbrook's noodling on the Electric Guitar and Organ, and Eric Schenkman's adroit strumming. This is Merchant's strongest vocal on TigerLily; I could listen to it repeatedly, savoring the last six words for hours.

Lovely numbers like Where I Go (Track Ten) never achieved heavy radio airplay, but it's certainly the most endearing of Merchant's `water as metaphor' efforts. Again, Adrian Lopez Guevarra adds distinct percussion that is perfectly matched to Merchant's gift for verbal phrasing, and Jennifer Turner's plucky Spanish-tinged guitar.

You'll also be blown away by Natalie Merchant's sanguine confessional Seven Years (Track Eleven), which calmly mimics Sinead O'Connor's piercing Nothing Compares 2 U. In this song the chanteuse speaks of devotion, and of being unable to see past a lover, while Michelle Kinney's low-pitched cello labors away dirge like.

Personal Aside: "Who ever thought the quiet girl in sixth grade would become a stunning singer known around the globe? What a blissful record too!"

Very poor sonic quality. A joke!!.......2006-12-02

The music N Merchant plays is beautiful! But that I knew before I bought this DVD-Audio.

The sound is dull, not transparent or detailed nor portrays a wide image. To make matters worse, the 5.1 mix adds nothing to the listening. Most of the mix is geared at the front central speaker. Shame on the engineer who called this an audiophile recording!

Beauty and Wisdom.......2006-04-20

River - If I lost this ablbum every day, I would buy it again every day if only for this one song. It slows down in the middle a bit and this loses many of the other critics, but if you stay to the finish, you will be glad it slows down, every time you listen to it again. A perfect song with perfect percussion and Marchants unique vocal flattened tops carry the message as few others can.

I May Know the Word - Like the other critics I wish it hadn't gone on so long, but by the time you get there, you are also knowing the word and wishing her to waste it.

My Beloved Wife - Like River, and many songs on this album, you have to stay to the finish for the payoff. This album is about moments both lyrical and musical.

Letter - Marchant takes many risks in this song. Her voice can be fragile. But this is her poem, well set in melody.

All in all a pleasant to very beautiful voice, lyrics to savor, and some magic.

This cd should be in your collection.......2006-02-27

This cd should be in your collection....
a masterpiece

Average customer rating:

Nice Upbeat Jazz with excellent vocals
Wonderful songwriting, Superb Musicians

Underneath a Brooklyn Moon
JC Hopkins Biggish Band , and Queen Esther
Manufacturer: Tigerlily Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Retro Swing | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Here's to Life
But Beautiful: The Best of Shirley Horn on Verve
Good Night, And Good Luck
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall
I've Got My Own Hell to Raise

ASIN: B000A3XYMI
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

Here Comes Love
One Never Knows
I've Got My Finger On A Star
Ice Cream Song
Underneath a Brooklyn Moon
Small Town
I Still Believe In Some Kind Of Love
Someday
Show Biz'ness
Settle Down

Album Description

JC Hopkins is a triple threat: writer, performer and producer. He does all three on Underneath a Brooklyn Moon. With original songs rooted in big band jazz, be-bop, and the classic American Songbook, Hopkins has drawn comparisons to the likes of Mose Allison and Van Dyke Parks for his clever turns of phrase and elegant - and at times eccentric - arrangements.

JC Hopkins' Biggish Band creates that special alchemy of Americana jazz - something akin to Irving Berlin conducting a Moondog street symphony - that sounds simultaneously bold and classic, sophisticated and searching.

Brooklyn Moon features the vocals of Queen Esther, plus a deeply pedigreed group of supporting players that includes Patience Higgins (Savion Glover) and on saxophone, Warren Smith (Miles Davis, Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin), on vibraphone, and Vincent Chancey (Sun Ra Arkestra) on French horn, among others.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Upbeat Jazz with excellent vocals.......2006-01-09

I listened to this album on one of those listening
stations at my favorite music store. I did not expect it
to be this good. The mid century style music and Queen Esther's
beautifully clear voice makes this an instant classic for me.
I rarely buy CDs anymore (all about itunes) but I fell in love with
this one.

Wonderful songwriting, Superb Musicians.......2005-08-10

Whether you're a hard-core jazz fan or someone in search of a little mood music, you'll really love this album.

Somehow this album delivers a nod to the best of the classic American songbook along with a thoroughly modern approach to jazz. The songwriting is absolutely wonderful and you'll find yourself humming these songs all day after one listen. And these seemingly simple tunes offer tremendously fertile ground for the musicians' improvisation - the mark of future jazz standards.

The musicians really are superb and their talent shines throughout this recording. I particularly enjoy Warren Smith's work on the vibes, Patience Higgens on the tenor sax, and J. Walter Hawkes on the trombone. However, all the musicians play wonderfully together and you just feel the joy in their music. And Queen Esther fronts it all with strength and style.

In addition to the title track, my particular favorites are "I've Got My Finger on a Star," "Someday," and the "Small Town," but there is a lot to love on this record.

Average customer rating:

A must have for Natalie fans!
5 songs
Interesting take on ýSympathy for the Devilý
Her Studio Voice is Excellent...Her Live Voice is Awesome!
A great CD, with a great bonus!

Tigerlily
Natalie Merchant
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Pop | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000I7LJ
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

Sam Anreas Fault
Wonder
Beloved Wife
River
Carnival
I May Know The Word
The Letter
Cowboy Romance
Jealousy
Where I Go
Seven Years
Jealousy(Remix Edit)
Sympathy For The Devil(Live)
Baby I Love You/Son Of A Preacher Man(Live
Take A Look(Live)
The Work Song(Live)

Album Description

Limited edition two disc version of the former 10,000 Maniacs vocalist's 1995 solo debut with a five track bonus CD featuring 'Jealousy' (Remix Edit) and live cover versions of 'Sympathy For The Devil', 'Baby I Love You/ Son Of A Preacher Man', 'Take A Lo

Customer Reviews:

A must have for Natalie fans!.......2001-12-24

If you're a casual Natalie fan or are just getting into her music, stick with the original Tigerlily. If you are a huge fan of the woman with one of the most beautiful voices in popular music today, get this! In my opinion, Tigerlily is Natalie's weakest album (I love Ophelia and Motherland equally) but it's still an amazing piece of work and the bonus songs are a great addition to this great album! The original version of Tigerlily rates a 4 out of 5 but this special bonus edition rates a perfect 5.

5 songs.......2000-02-04

This set has the origional Tigerlilly cd and a second cd with 5 songs:

1. Jealousy (REMIX EDIT)

2. Sympathy for The Devil (live)[the same as the B-side on the Jealousy single]

3. Baby I Love You/Son Of A Preacher Man (live)[NOT the same as the 'Baby I Love You' on the Wonder single]

4. Take a Look (live)

5. The Work Song (live)

As a devouted Natalie fan, I had to have it even though it only has two songs I don't already own. The booklet containing the lyrics has the lyrics written in several languages, although the actual cd is in English. The actual cd is completely green, instead of green and orange like the original.

For devoted Natalie fans, it is a must have, still, for those just becoming interested in her, save yourselves the money and buy the original Tigerlilly.

Interesting take on ýSympathy for the Devilý.......1999-09-03

This 2-CD set is a real bargain, costing about as much as a domestic single CD; imports are usually exorbitantly priced.

Anyway, regarding the topic of this comment, I really liked Nat's rendition of the famous Stones song, though, I had to listen twice to really appreciate it. It's a tad annoying that she sort of slurs the lyrics, seems to skip one verse altogether and, by the sound of it, ad lib some lines, but Natalie sounds so sultry and smooth, you can't help but overlook it. I tell ya, damnation never sounded so sexy.

Her Studio Voice is Excellent...Her Live Voice is Awesome!.......1999-08-08

This CD is a double CD set, the first including the full length album of Tigerlily, the second CD releases her spellbinding voice live in concert performing songs like Sympathy for the Devil, Baby I Love You/Son of a Preacher Man, Take a Look, and The Work Song. No Natalie fan can be without it. Even if you aren't a full Natalie fan, THIS IS A NECESSITY! Her smooth voice sets the mood, sometimes rock, sometimes blues, but every song is excellent. If you buy any CD this summer, MAKE IT THIS ONE!

A great CD, with a great bonus!.......1999-06-30

If you're wondering whether to buy this CD, go for it! Whether you already have Tigerlily or not, this CD is worth it! It is a double set, with the beautiful, amazing album Tigerlily on the first disc and a bonus disc that features the radio edit of Jealousy, plus live covers of Sympathy for the Devil, Baby I Love You, Son of a Preacher Man, Take a Look, and The Work Song. This disc is great for showing off Miss Merchant's live charisma, and her voice is perfect for the blues-y, rocky songs she sings!

Average customer rating: