Natalie Merchant Retrospective To Be Released

SONGS THE HOUSE CARPENTER’S DAUGHTER BUILT

After a successful fifteen-year solo career Natalie Merchant is releasing her first retrospective collection. On Tuesday September 27th 2005 Natalie’s fans will be able to purchase one of two retrospective packages. Both will include highlights from her four studio albums, Tigerlily, Ophelia, Motherland, and The House Carpenter’s Daughter. But the deluxe two-disc set will feature previously unreleased songs, duets with artist such as Billy Bragg and the Cheiftans, and newer versions of two previously released songs, “Tell Yourself” and “Thick as Thieves”.

Merchant herself has compiled both discs, and each will include her previous hits, “Carnival”, “Wonder”, “Jealously”, and “Kind and Generous”. Each one of these songs was top twenty-five hits on the Billboard charts when released.

On the deluxe version of the retrospective the second disc is included, along with track-by-track commentary by Natalie Merchant that reveal her memories of, and the inspiration behind, each song. According to Merchant her songs are her link to her past:

“I tend to remember the events in my life and the people who have participated in them through the context of album cycles: writing, recording and performing,” she writes. “They are my little epochs.” Natalie Merchant

The linen bound deluxe edition will feature songs recorded with R. E. M., Susan McKeown, as well as three with Billy Bragg and the aforementioned Chieftans track.

Rhino Records is providing fans the opportunity to listen to her album in advance through their listening party links, available in all sorts of options: Party Player, 100 kbs, 56kbs, and Real Audio.

If you find you just can’t wait for it to be in stores, or you want to make sure that you get your hands on the limited deluxe version you can pre-order either the Standard or Deluxe versions of Songs The House Carpenter’s Daughter Built simply by following either of the links above to the appropriate page at the Rhino web site.

If you want to find out a lot more about Natalie you can also check out her official site. There you’ll find lots of detailed information about her life, her music, her poetry and her visual art. It’s also chock full of information about her forthcoming musical plans.

Watch this site for a review of Natalie’s new release Songs The House Carpenter’s Daughter Built

Track List for Limited Deluxe Edition of Songs The House Carpenter’s Daughter Built (the regular edition will be the first disc only)

RETROSPECTIVE 1990-2005
Disc One
1. “Wonder” single version
2. “Carnival”
3. “Jealousy” single version
4. “San Andreas Fault”
5. “Kind & Generous”
6. “Break Your Heart”
7. “Life Is Sweet”
8. “The Living”
9. “Build A Levee”
10. “Not In This Life”
11. “Motherland”
12. “Owensboro”
13. “Sally Ann”

Disc Two
1. “She Devil” *
2. “Cowboy Romance” *
3. “Children Go Where I Send Thee”
4. “Birds And Ships” with Billy Bragg
5. “The Lowlands Of Holland” with The Chieftans
6. “One Fine Day”
7. “Photograph” with R.E.M.
8. “Party Of God” with Billy Bragg
9. “Thick As Thieves” 2005 version
10. “Bread And Circuses” with Billy Bragg
11. “Because I Could Not Stop For Death” with Susan McKeown
12. “Tell Yourself” 2005 version
13. “But Not For Me”
14. “I Know How To Do It”
15. “Come Take A Trip In My Airship”
* Previously unreleased

ED/PUB: LM