Tigerlily doesn't win awards for originality or innovation, but in its own quiet way it's an excellent album. No surprises here: it's basically the record 10,000 Maniacs would have come out with about now if Natalie had stayed with the band, minus a little bit of guitar. Musically most of the songs are very mellow -- the only ones approaching upbeat are "San Andreas Fault" and "Carnival". Lyrically there are no outward social commentaries, but quite a few stories and a fair bit of introspectiveness: Natalie ponders her lot in life and wonders if it's all really been worth it. From "Carnival":
"I've walked these streets
a virtual stage
it seemed to me
makeup on their faces
actors took their
places next to me
...
have I been blind
have I been lost
inside myself and
my own mind
hypnotized
mesmerized
by what my eyes have seen?"
Then there is "River", a song that is not as much for the late River Phoenix as about him, specifically about the media feeding frenzy that ensued after his death.
"he was one of ours
one of ours
why don't you let him be?
he's gone
we know
give his mother and his father peace
your vulture's candor
your casual slander
you murder his memory
he's gone
we know
it's nothing but a tragedy"
Like many of the words on this album, it has a decided "why don't people just leave people alone" tone.
If you didn't like Natalie when she was with 10,000 Maniacs this album probably won't convert you, but if you enjoyed 10KM's last 2 or 3 albums, you'll probably like this one as much as I do. As always, your mileage may vary. :)
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