SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 52 Min.
Released in 1995 by Elektra Entertainment Group, Tigerlily represents Merchant’s solo debut after she parted ways as lead vocalist of 10,000 Maniacs. In addition to her demure vocals, she also plays piano, organ, and vibraphone on the album. All written by Merchant herself, the eleven tracks are:
Track: Running Time:
- San Andreas Fault 3:57
- Wonder 4:26
- Beloved Wife 5:03
- River 5:32
- Carnival 5:59
- I May Know the Word 8:07
- The Letter 2:12
- Cowboy Romance 4:39
- Jealousy 2:11
- Where I Go 3:59
- Seven Years 5:30
REVIEW:
One shouldn’t judge Merchant’s Tigerlily solely on its three radio hits (and heavily-rotated VH-1/MTV videos): Carnival; Wonder; and Jealousy. These three songs are indeed superb. Yet, it’s the other eight tracks that explore Merchant’s duality as vocalist and insightful songwriter/storyteller.
Imbued with poignancy (i.e. Track 4 honors late actor River Phoenix), the low-key Tigerlily is reminiscent of spoken word poetry, as its mixture of rock, pop, folk, and bluegrass is first-class. Merchant’s elegant and often folksy ballads convey a welcome sense of artistic unpredictability, whether it’s urban commentary (Carnival); the loneliness of old age (Beloved Wife); the birthright into womanhood (Wonder); or romantic heartache (Seven Years). Merchant’s down-to-earth voice really does bring Tigerlily to life. In impressive fashion, her heartfelt effort is definitely worth experiencing.
PACKAGING:
The tracks and running times are listed on the CD’s back cover. The booklet consists of: each song’s lyrics; technical credits; and black-and-white portraits of her three primary band members: Jennifer Turner; Peter Yanowitz; and Barrie Maguire. Also included is a black-and-white photo of Merchant (and the dog, Gracie) casually collaborating with the three musicians, as well as four black-and-white head shots of Merchant.
BRIAN’S 10-STAR RATING: 9 Stars
