The problem with the Maniacs is that they are not very interesting without Natalie Merchant and the problem with Natalie Merchant is that she is very dull without the Maniacs. Clearly, both parties have faltered without one and other and provide live shows that reflect this condition.

This is a good but dull CD. Mary Ramsey is a fine singer but does not have any fan appeal.

With Rob Buck's passing (Maniacs guitarist) it's up in the air if the band will tour. Should they do so I would only recommend seeing them if Natalie was singing.

Let me be clear. I saw both Natalie and the Maniacs on their own and they are not worth seeing without one and other. Seperately, they release dull CD's and play dull concerts. Together they are fantastic!

Contrary to the opinions of many Maniacs' fans, Natalie Merchant did NOT write all the music, and she arranged very little of it. Her best time lyrically was probably the deeply personal era of the Wishing Chair, carrying over into the non-political songs on In My Tribe. Listening to those songs, I felt as though I was riffling through the notebooks of a particularly interesting, intelligent, literate young woman. A fascinating worldview. How annoying when all of the political silliness started to creep in. It was fine that she had viewpoints, but she got a little too much into telling rather than showing. The music on this album recaptures the sound of the band from the mid-eighties - and let there be no mistake, the Maniacs are a great folk-rock band, especially to hear live - and Ramsey's lyrics strike me as close to what Merchant would have come up with in maturity had she avoided the silly politically correct period. I don't think she sings as well as Natalie at her best, but the viola makes up for that. This band is splendid instrumentally. An improvement on "Love among the Ruins."

After a somewhat tentative first post Natalie album "Love Among The Ruins," 10KM roar back to life with "The Earth Pressed Flat," a delightful and solid album that allows them to forcefully, and confidently emerge from Ms. Merchant's very long shadow.

Songs like "Ellen," "Once a City," "Glow," "On and On (Mersey Song)" and "Time Turns" are just a few of the highlights on an album that the listener warms up to more decisively with each spin. After the band came in for some criticism for covering Roxy Music's "More Than This" on "Love Among The Ruins," it is nice to see that have not let that deter them from tacking a pair of covers this time out with Mimi Farina's "In The Quiet Morning," and Sandy Denny's still lovely "Who Knows Where The Time Goes."

In fact, so good is "The Earth Pressed Flat" that is upstages Natalie Merchant's most recent album "Ophelia" which, as much as it pains me to say, suffered from a serious lack of variety in its material.

So check out "The Earth Pressed Flat" and rediscover 10,000 Maniacs today!

After the somewhat disappointing "Love Among the Ruins" there were those who were seriously speculating whether or not 10KM should even be bothering to continue on without former lead singer Natalie Merchant. Thankfully they did because "The Earth Pressed Flat," along with subsequent solo albums by Natalie (read: the dreary "Ophelia") have raised the compelling question of "does Natalie need the Maniacs more than the Maniacs need Natalie?"

Gorgeously produced and beautifully sung, "The Earth Pressed Flat" finds the band moving on. Loved Natalie as 10KM's lead singer, and love Mary AS their new lead singer. Not so sure about Natalie without 10KM, though.

The Earth Pressed Flat will be looked back upon in 10 years as one of the best folk-rock releases in 1999. So why isn't it recieving that kind of attention in 2000? Simple... when 10km took on the indie label Bar-None Records, they gained a tremendous amount of artistic freedom (which is probably to credit for this album's excellence) but they sacraficed the widespread distibution that a larger label can offer. In any case, I highly recommend this record. Mary Ramsey comes into her own and begins to establish a trademark vocal style in songs such as Cabaret, Hidden in my Heart (arguably this album's best track) and the title track. The band remains as tight and inspired as always and doesn't suffer from the over-produced sound that proliferated on Our Time in Eden and Love Among the Ruins. The new 10km tours extensively... if you get a chance check them out live and you'll see that Natalie Merchant is missed only by those who haven't heard this new album.