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About Ophelia
Amazon.com Miss Natalie needs to lighten up. Ophelia's a pretty heavy record, in terms of both the thick, string-heavy production and in terms of her protracted, pretentious songs. Merchant has a beautiful voice but she bogs it down with weighty themes that walk around in flashy clothes without going anywhere. She's even got, gulp, Tibetan lyric translations on "Effigy." It's telling that the best track here is the simplest--a lovely reading of an 1887 parlour hymn, "When They Ring The Golden Bells." Its genteel acoustic backdrop perfectly sets off Merchant's voice--and its the only time she sings with a passion that doesn't feel pretended. Guests include Daniel Lanois and The Innocence Mission. --Michael Ruby Product Description After a brilliant career with 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant made a dramatic statement of independence with her triple platinum 1995 solo debut, Tigerlily. In contrast to Tigerlily's stark simplicity, Ophelia features lush arrangements and a rich instrumental backing for Natalie's radiant lilt. The songs are Natalie's most personal to date, venturing into surprising new territory that exposes a sultry, soulful edge. Review ... Ophelia devotes itself to one quality above all else: the unstructured luxury of Merhcant's sound...[A] deliberate, depressed aural landscape--underlaid with acute singer/songwriter rhythms.... -- Rolling Stone At a time when many pop stars seem unnervingly normal or bland, she remains a genuine oddball, determinedly idiosyncratic.... At its most elegantly dour, which is about half the record, Ophelia conjures images of stately mansion living rooms with their curtains drawn, its forlorn narrators sobbing on couches. -- Entertainment Weekly Though she can be matronly, pretentious and strident ... [Natalie] Merchant keeps those tendencies in check on most of Ophelia's ambitious tunes. Pianos, strings and Daniel Lanois' haunting guitar distortions (especially effective in the lulling "Frozen Charlotte") bolster catchy melodies without cluttering them.... Despite the window dressing, it's the bold simplicity and undiluted melancholy that distinguish standouts like "Life Is Sweet," "Break Your Heart"and the cello-kissed "My Skin." -- USA Today
