Natalie Merchant Is Featured On The Cover Of 10,000 Manicas' MTV unplugged Disc

This live recording acted as the original Maniacs’ swan song. Natalie Merchant departed after its release, and launched a solo career that started very promisingly. The Maniacs were to continue with viola player Mary Ramsey stepping in for Natalie. The MTV Unplugged disc was to produce the band’s one big hit, namely a cover of “Because The Night” that effectively became their calling card as far as casual listeners were (and are) concerned.

As I think you already know, I usually look askance at live albums. I do love live music, but I don’t enjoy listening to songs recorded live on a disc. Live music entails a communion that is not translated into digital tape. To me, a live album is only any good if you were there that day. It gives you the chance to relive what went down and do it all over again. Others might enjoy it, but enjoying something and being touched by something are two different things. But this particular live disc by the Maniacs is incredible – it is as enjoyable as it is touching. Maybe that is owing to the fact that they were going through the motions when they recorded it. The impending sense of separation might have given them a special cohesiveness that night. The fact is that as the first notes are strummed you feel such a sense of sadness and such a sense of joy that words will never suffice. The first song is “These Are Days”, and Natalie’s voice hints at the power she will unleash all through the concert

The setlist includes many songs from “Our Time In Eden” (“Candy Everybody Wants” is done delectably, and this version of “I’m Not The Man” makes me appreciate the studio take best) and “In My Tribe”. These include a lively “Like The Weather” with the percussion shining like a crazy diamond, and an effective “What’s The Matter Here” – I did never like the song, but Natalie provides such a realized delivery (especially the “and don’t you think/that I won’t use it” part) that it wins me over time and again.

Conversely, I expected a lot more from “Jezebel”. I thought that an Unplugged disc would be the perfect framework for the song, but the performance is strangely insipid.

The tracks that I am yet to mention are all high points. “Eat For Two” and “Stockton Gala Days” benefit from different arrangements – the former is completely lush while the latter is very edgy. “Trouble Me” is as rotund as ever, and “Gold Rush Brides” keeps its evocative force intact.

I have learned to always ask a lot from the Maniacs. They can deliver it, time and again. I didn’t know if it would be acceptable to ask yet for more when it came to this album. They had done their job, and they had done it splendidly. With this album, they showed us that the only way to go is forwards. The first step might give us a little pain, but the rest of the journey brings solace. If you cry because you couldn’t see the sun, the tears won’t let you see the stars. And that is the true moral of the story.

Rating: 9/10

Their Final Studio Album With Natalie Merchant

Do you remember what Elton John sang at the end of the “Captain Fantastic” album, in the song named “Curtains” – “Just like us/you must have had/ a once upon a time”. If you don’t, there is not an album that will bring that to mind better (and worse, I am afraid) than “Our Time In Eden”. The Maniacs’ final studio album with Natalie is one of the most poignant farewells you can listen to.

Broken feelings litter the album. Lost friendships abound: “Noah’s Dove” is a final portrayal of lost innocence, and the same applies to “How You’ve Grown” and “Stockton Gala Days”, albeit from different vantage points. The former laments the way we often take innocence for granted in the younger ones, and the latter deals with the shame of hiding innocence lost to someone the singer still deems as pure.

“Stockton Gala Days”. Future singer Mary Ramsey is playing viola:

“These Are Days” is one of the few songs in my discography that truly moves me. I want to ask you, is it really a sad or an uplifting song? My point is, it describes so much joy (“These are days you’ll remember/never before or since I promise/ will the whole world be warm as this”) that the inevitable thought that arises in me is what comes after that? When you go that deep, when you feel as whole, is it not then you become more breakable? More brittle? The song after it (“Eden”) answers that question to me. “The clock is another demon/that devours our time in Eden”. You can treasure days, you can treasure what you want. But treasures are meant to be buried, and believe me that you are burying them someplace in your soul that not even yourself will be able to access later on.

On the other hand, there is a set of songs that give a view on society which complements the inner disillusionment the foregoing songs enshrined. “I’m Not The Man” is a masterful depiction of injustice and mass stupidity, while both “Candy Everybody Wants” and “Tolerance” show us that society measures relevance with the fist that is clenched tighter, and not with the hand that is stretched as far as possible.

Michael Stipe & Natalie Merchant sing “Candy Everybody Wants”:

A song that takes the mistrust for institutions expressed on previous compositions like “My Sister Rose” and “Gun Shy” (both from “In My Tribe”) is “Jezebel”, in which the character comes to the realization that no one is as damaging as the one who could show the most affection. I have read someplace that hatred is actually the deepest form of love. If we apply it to this specific case, emptiness becomes the most thorough form of completeness.

There are two composition I haven’t mentioned yet: “Few And Far Between” (a minor hit – “These Are Days” was one, too), and “If You Intend”. These are sister tunes to me, even structurally-speaking. The same message is conveyed: “I am ready to go on, I am ready to be happy, I am ready to be something. And you?”. “Few And Far Between” posits that while the other does not drop its heavy baggage the ride won’t be something they both could undertake. But remember, time doesn’t last. And what time we have ends up gulping on what was once ours.

What do you do then? What solace is there as we grow older and apart from each other – our friends, relatives, those we thought we could love forever? Each individual must draw his or her own conclusions. Is the answer a circle dream? Or is that circle dream the question that should be broken? Think it over. But don’t look for every answer here. You can, however, look for a shoulder. The Maniacs have always been good for that. And even when one of the main members is saying goodbye, we know they will never leave us to our own devices. There is a difference between being with someone, and being part of someone. If you never learnt that, it is not too late. The Maniacs will show you. The rest is up to you. But from that point onwards you will have the power of showing others such a difference exists. And that is a gift. The gift Natalie gave them when she departed from the band, and the gift that she has given us all throughout her career.

Rating: 9/10

The Front Cover

Released in 1987, “In My Tribe” was the first album by the Maniacs to garner both praise and good sales at the same time. It was no coincidence, as they showed a maturity and a deft touch when it came to dealing with sensitive issues such as the environment, illiteracy, violence towards women and children and also the role some institutions like marriage play out in life.

In a certain sense it could be said that some of the songs are preachy, but this is handled in a conciliatory way, without pointing fingers at anybody. Rather than saying “it is their fault” or “you are to blame” the songs seem to say that what happens in society and in life as a whole is attributed to everybody, and the answer must be a collective one. Maybe (and probably) inspired by a single individual, but the message is that only when we move in unison we can make some progress.

Out of these “preachy” songs (hate to call them like that, but it is the right word) the most popular one is undoubtedly “What’s The Matter Here”. Personally, I never was too fond of it, but the “Unplugged” version has helped me to appreciate it best. “Campfire Song” deals with the environment and how avarice destroys the world we inhabit and transfixes values until rightness is discussed in terms of fairness. This song features no other than Michael Stipe backing Natalie, but he was misused – his contribution is over before you even notice, and Natalie sings over him. That composition is succeeded by “City Of Angels” a Mandolin-driven tune that I don’t like that much as (for once) the actual imagery is too prosaic to cause a lasting impact (I feel the same way about “What’s The Matter Here” quite frequently). Conversely, one of the first songs (“The Cherry Tree”) combines simple language with conventional imagery in a way that is attractive and moving without being as obvious as the parts taken separately would have implied, and which befits the theme of the song (the pursuit of literacy) marvelously.

On the other hand, we have an exquisite helping of songs which can be termed more personal. “Like The Weather” was a successful single, and something as mundane as staying in bed when it is dreadful outside becomes such a dilemma that one can but find himself smiling when the song has ended. The percussion is also ineluctable, and for an even better rendering pick up their posthumous “Unplugged” disc.

For its part, “The Painted Desert” studies themes of solitude that the character of the song deems as unwarranted, and that mostly any listener can relate to in some way or the other.

There are also two songs in which Natalie deals with family issues and relationships. The first is “Gun Shy” (a composition about a younger brother becoming a soldier), and “My Sister Rose” (about the marriage of that sibling). In both cases, the conclusion is that while family might be the most important institution of all (a natural institution, if you wish), it can nonetheless be damaged irretrievably by other institutions that sever natural bonds and create others which are actually more reminiscent of societal barriers that keep us apart from those that are a true part of us. “My Sister Rose” ends with the line “but you’re my sister Rose the same”, but there is something left unsaid that spells otherwise. The song has a certain humorous touch (mostly due to its narrative style), but that tone belies the pain of losing someone who shares your same blood. Of course, a sister is always a sister. A brother is a brother come what may. But society takes away certain parts of our relationships with others, and spaces we feel should be filled somehow do become filled along the way. But the consequences can be horrifying, as a song like “Jezebel” from “Our Time In Eden” showcases. At any rate, “In My Tribe” also has a hard-hitting number named “Don’t Talk” that exemplifies how nightmarish love can turn out to be when communication breaks down completely.

Before I finish, I must mention the brilliant “Hey Jack Kerouac”, Natalie’s elegy to the poet who defined an era, and which showcases an understanding of literature and the plight every true writer has to endure in a way that simply highlights Ms. Merchant often finds herself in a similar position.

The last number features Natalie backed by strings and a piano, and it closes the album in the strongest way of all. The song is named “Verdi Cries”, and it finds Natalie recollecting her younger days while vacationing by the sea. In the song, she makes the small seem grandiose, and she explores the way in which some memories gain prominence and become remembered forever, even at the expense of other recollections. In the end, it seems that small moments like the ones described in the song (a time when the world never bothered her at all) are those we treasure the most. Some poet once said that the only place where something truly belongs to us is our memory. Natalie is making the same point, but as the song concludes she gives an indication that reality is more important than those treasured figments within our mind. She was maturing. They all were maturing. And they would invite us for the ride, no matter what the final destination would be, and no matter if our time in Eden was not going to be paradisiacal at all when the day ended.

Rating: 8.5/10

The Front Cover Of The CD

Released in 1990, this CD gathers together the first two EPs that this delicious American band released. The first one was entitled “Human Conflict Number 5” (1982) whereas the second went by the name of “Secrets Of The I Ching” (1983).

“Human Conflict Number 5” features a studio drummer named Jim Foti, whilst “Secrets Of The I Ching” marks Jerry’s debut as the Maniacs drummer, and his contribution does not go unnoticed. Both EPs also featured founding member John Lombardo, who set to music two poems from the doomed World War I poet Wilfred Owen. He even takes the lead in one of these (“Anthem For Doomed Youth”, one of Owen’s most anthologized pieces, and one of the album’s highlights as well).

The tracks from the two EPs are interspersed, and they do feel like an item. The songs that feature Jerome on drums do stand out a little, though – he works some fantastic grooves, and his drum kit is the instrument that opens fire in several occasions.

Natalie has yet to come with her defining voice, and I must admit that the first two times I listened to the album I was a little grated in certain spots. However, her writing skills are already in evidence – she displays not only enthusiasm but also panache, two characteristics of her entire tenure with the band.

When these elements coalesce into a song, we have the one truly memorable cut of the album: “My Mother The War”. In fact, that was the song that got them “discovered” and as such it has immense value for fans (note that it is included on the “Campfire Songs” anthology as well, and deservedly so).

There are also a couple of tracks such as “Grey Victory” and “Orange” that denote the Maniacs’ sound was already manifesting itself. On a side note, there are three reggae (!!!) numbers that are actually quite enjoyable. The best one to me is the aforementioned song/poem where John Lombardo assumes vocal duties.

The album should be taken as a document chronicling their first steps as recording musicians. It is meant for fans, and for completist ones at that – if you are new to the band do not get near this album. And if you are already acquainted with their work, do not buy it expecting another “In My Tribe” – you will be sorely disappointed. I can not give it a high rating because it is not really something anybody would listen to frequently, not even die-hards (I know because I am one). But I feel we should be thankful we have access to such a document officially, and that it has been assembled so caringly.

Rating: 5.5/10

The Classic Line-up

The Maniacs are not the best band I know. Not by a long stretch. They are, however, the band that moves me the most from my whole collection. As you know, they were an American band that was active in the 80’s, and they were very popular among College audiences. The band comprised Natalie Merchant (vocals), Rob Buck (guitars), Steven Gustafson (bass), Dennis Drew (keyboards) and Jerome Augustyniak (drums).
They eventually scored a big hit with their cover of “Because The Night” in the early 90’s, at which point Natalie Merchant left the band to pursue a solo career of note in her home soil.

Natalie was replaced by Mary Ramsey (who played viola as well as assuming vocal duties) and John Lombardo, a guitar player that was actually involved in the band at the very beginning, way back in 1981.

There is a phrase from a REM song that always brings the Maniacs to my mind: “Loaded with beautiful vulnerability”. That is the essence of their best work. In actuality, I dare say that their entire oeuvre is their best work.

They are not superhuman. They do not make you feel invincible. They remind us that life is a struggle, but if we don’t wipe the tears that come at night these tears will not let us witness a new sunrise. Remember what Bruce Springsteen once sang – “The world came charging up the hill and we were women and men”? If we apply it to these folks, it would become “The world came charging up the hill and we were women and men. And we made a stand. Sometimes we fell. Sometimes we stood. But we always believed in life.” That is the message conveyed by their albums.

I have all their albums minus “The Wishing Chair” and “Blind Man’s Zoo”. I am actively looking for them, but they are a bit hard to find here in Uruguay. I am also missing their final album with Mary. I will review the ones I have in these pages. Your comments are more than welcome, I’d love to know your feelings on this band that means so much to me.