10,000 Maniacs - In My Tribe (1987)

Dan:

As the 1980s progressed, the boundaries of classic prog expanded. Our entries may therefore be challenged by purist progheads. In particular, In My Tribe by 10,000 Maniacs should raise a few eyebrows because it seems to cross a lot of the supposed boundaries defining prog. It's led by a female singer, Natalie Merchant; the band received endless exposure during the heydays of MTV; there are no jamming or jazzy tunes; and no purely instrumental tracks were included on the album. Nonetheless, I can't help but include it because it's one of the best albums of the 1980s, regardless of genre or subgenre. I'm sure not everyone would agree with me, and many listeners grew tired of Merchant's later work and constant celebrity. I too spent hardly any time on the group's subsequent albums. But that's not grounds to devalue In My Tribe. 

The themes of In My Tribe's songs deal with contemporary social issues such as child abuse ("What's the Matter Here"), alcoholism ("Don't Talk"), military induction ("Gun Shy"), seasonal affective disorder ("Like the Weather") and generally reflect modern liberal values. (Suzanne Vega tackled some of these same issues on her album Solitude Standing from the same year.) I like the Maniacs' songs for their lyrics and messages but also for their musicianship and arrangements. "Gun Shy" deals with a sister's misgivings about her younger brother's choice to serve in the military, which seems to me like a reasonable worry. Not all are heavy. "My Sister Rose" is a joyful song about a wedding, and "The Painted Desert" is a great song about a hopeful reunion that may never come. All of the songs on the album are permanently stuck in my memory and retrievable on call (stereo system optional).

The final song, "Verdi Cries," is both the simplest and most moving. It deals with the innocent experience of overhearing opera every day from another apartment during a holiday. Merchant caresses the tune as the holiday ends and she has almost learned the entire score to Aida (Verdi's classic opera). 

Some may feel that these themes are too trifling or precious to be good rock 'n' roll, but I happen to appreciate music drawn from more feminine inspirations, and the 80s were a good time for aspiring female stars to stake their claim in the rock universe. In contrast to their more common role of background vocalists, women emerged as songwriters, lead singers, band leaders, and instrumentalists. Prog seems to benefit whenever female contributions are placed in (or near) the spotlight, however briefly. 

The following women are all represented in our blog. Can you find their groups?

Grace Slick, Amanda Parsons, Polly Samson, Toni Tennille, Gillian Gilbert, Christine McVie, Isabelle Fueillebois, Alice Coltrane, Tina Weymouth, Jessica Kion, Clare Torry, Kate Bush, Sophie Trudeau, Carla Diratz, Donna Jean Godchaux, Susan Hoover, Annie Haslam, Caroline Joy Clarke, Jasmine Veillette, Deborah Santana, Alfreda Benge, Deborah Workman, Julie Covington, Bridgett Wishart, Jenny Conlee, Isobel Sollenberger, Ann Odell, Courtney Swain, Annette Peacock, Stella Vander, and Carla Bley.

10,000 Maniacs took a political stance when they decided to exclude Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" from reissues of In My Tribe. Stevens had embraced Islam and was accused of making comments supporting radical Islamic politics. Stevens, then known as Yusuf Islam, was vilified in the US media, which influenced the Maniacs to remove the song while many radio stations banned all of Stevens' music. Unfortunately, "Peace Train" was one of the best songs on In My Tribe. I have the complete vinyl release and listen to it guilt free. 

Steve:

10,000 Maniacs were a band that was always in the background of my college life. Many of my friends had In My Tribe, who seemed to be a part of a movement of 60s-influenced jangle rock Americana (read: Byrds influenced) that was earning a lot of popularity in the late 1980s. R.E.M. were kings of this domain, but 10,000 Maniacs proved to be very popular as well (coincidentally, R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe guests on "A Campfire Song"). Once out of college, everyone I knew had a copy of Natalie Merchant's Tigerlily, so I heard that a lot as well.

Although I liked the sound (and specifically, Merchant's voice), I never really sat down and listened to a full album on my own before embarking on this blog. On the surface, it does seem a strange inclusion for a prog-inclined blog, but no stranger than R.E.M. or New Order or any number of bands we've included here. The important thing with music like this is that it gives you plenty to think about, if you so wish. The musical arrangements are eclectic ("Sister Rose" even has some mariachi elements) and the lyrics offer unique takes on a number of topics. Dan already mentioned the opener "What's the Matter Here?" and that lyric does stand out as a strong screed directed at an abusive parent. The aforementioned "Sister Rose" paints a clear portrait of real characters and real places to make a more general statement about the tradition of weddings and the sexist practices therein that are accepted as the status quo.

In My Tribe is a welcome re-entrant into my musical consciousness. I may go and grab a copy of Tigerlily too the next chance I get.