Merchant Readies Motherland
Former 10,000 Maniacs singer to release third studio album in fall

Natalie Merchant has been working on her fourth album, Motherland, the follow-up to Ophelia, scheduled for release in early November. Though the former 10,000 Maniacs frontwoman released Live in Concert in 1999, the album will be her first studio release in three years. Merchant enlisted T Bone Burnett -- who in addition to credits with the Wallflowers, Counting Crows and Sam Phillips, also scored a hit recently with the old time folk music soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou? -- to produce the album. The majority of Merchant's backing band will be familiar to fans who caught her on her 1999 tour, including Gabriel Gordon and Eric Della Penna on guitars, Graham Maby on bass and Elizabeth Steen on keys. Taking over the seat at the drum kit will be Matt Chamberlain, who has worked with Fiona Apple, Macy Gray and Tori Amos, among others.

ANDREW DANSBY
(July 11, 2001)

Merchant to Tour

Former 10,000 Maniacs singer to take new album on the road

Roaming the motherland

Natalie Merchant has lined up the first dates of a fall tour behind her upcoming fourth album, Motherland. The tour is scheduled to launch on October 27th in Minneapolis. The nine dates will keep the former 10,000 Maniacs singer on the road until mid-November. Motherland, due November 13th, was produced by T Bone Burnett and is Merchant's first album of new material since Ophelia three years ago. The album will feature most of Merchant's regular backing band, which was featured on her 1999 live album, Live in Concert: guitarists Gabriel Gordon and Eric Della Penna, bassist Graham Maby and keyboardist Elizabeth Steen. Matt Chamberlain, who has worked with Fiona Apple and Macy Gray, has taken over drumming duties.