>In My Tribe [Elektra, 1987]>Natalie Merchant's nasal art-folk drawl isn't altogether intolerable, and her "Peace Train" cover sets up dippier expectations than her new lyrics deserve. Signalling her professionalism by deprivatizing her metaphors, she actually says something about illiteracy, today's army, and cruelty to children. In private, however, she remains a Cat Stevens fan with a nasal art-folk drawl. B-
Classic case of a mediocre talent who was hyped up by dumbass Gen Xers because she looked cute without makeup.
>>128889251funny that after the Cat Stevens incident where he supported the Salman Rushdie fatwa 10,000 maniacs removed their cover of Peace Train from subsequent pressings of their album