10,000 Maniacs - These Are Days

Natalie Merchant is one of my great favourite artists, but has a strange dichotomy. In interviews she seems shy and demure, and her solo albums exquisite. However when I saw her in concert she was a whirling dervish, stamping her feet, tossing her hair and throwing her body manically - probably the most passionate performer I have seen.

I first heard her when a friend lent me a tape of her first group 10,000 Maniacs' excellent "In My Tribe" album, and I loved her voice. College radio favourites like R.EM., but never really (deliberately?) made the leap to mainstream success. 

As lead vocalist and lyric writer, Merchant was the focus, but after ten years, felt constrained, so gave the band two years notice of her departure (very honourable). Their final studio album together "Our Time in Eden", was typically attractive folk-rock, containing two upbeat and catchy singles, that failed to crack the US top 60.

A pity because "These Are Days" deserves to be heard more, an uplifting and  jubilant celebration of a moment in time. She asserts that this is the perfect time ("Never before and never since, I promise") in euphoric tone - her voice is always wonderful.

On closer inspection, it could be gentle advice to a teen to take their time ("When May is rushing over you with desire") or an expectant mother ("touched by something / That will grow in you,"). She had already tackled the stress of an unwanted pregnancy in "Eat for Two" so this would be a nice counterpoint.

With so much focus on Merchant, it is easy to overlook the great soft rock backing. Led by co-writer Robert Buck's jangling guitar and an swirling organ, they supply the effervescent environment to match her words.  

There was a farewell with an MTV Unplugged and headlining a Bill Clinton inauguration ball (opening with the appropriate "These Are Days"), before they went their separate ways. 10,000 Maniacs released four more albums, but with little success. Merchant pursued a critically acclaimed solo career with her debut "Tigerlily" selling over five

 million copies.

"These Are Days" is a feelgood classic from a dazzling singer and a memorable group.

Hear Now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-HLxpWGCzc

Hear Next -  "In My Tribe" is the best 10,000 Maniacs album and "Tigerlily" the best Natalie Merchant solo album.