Neko Case’s New Album Due March 3rd, Ya’ll
December 5th, 2008
Neko Case is local, right? I mean, she lived here for a time (although I read somewhere that she moved to Chicago because she felt Seattle didn’t support its local artists very well—gah!), and she’s notably embellished the records of Vancouver, B.C. power poppers the New Pornographers, not to mention her repeated appearances at Sasquatch. But who cares, really. You don’t have to local to be awesome (though it helps), and Ms. Case is certainly that. It’s been three long years since we had the luscious alt-country musings of Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (“Hold On, Hold On” still wafts through my brain on frequent occasion, pleading with my hands to place the goddam disc in the player, already!), and now there’s word that Anti- will be releasing her latest, the nominally severe Middle Cyclone, March 3rd, 2009. They’ve described it as “bold” and “elemental”. Uh, ok.
.
I haven’t heard any of the tracks yet, but hopefully I’ll be able to come up with something better than that. I for sure won’t be able to come up with something better than that album cover she’s got goin’ on. Hell yeah, I wanna be the fearless, sword-wielding firehead atop the hood of a vintage cherry muscle car. Who says I can’t dream?
.
.
“‘Middle Cyclone ‘was produced by Case with Darryl Neudorf and recorded in Tucson, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Vermont. It features Case backed by her core band – guitarist Paul Rigby, bassist Tom V. Ray, backing vocalist Kelly Hogan, multi-instrumentalist Jon Rauhouse, and drummer Barry Mirochnick – along with numerous guests including M. Ward, Garth Hudson, Sarah Harmer, and members of The New Pornographers, Los Lobos, Calexico, The Sadies, Visqueen, The Lilys, and Giant Sand, among others. In addition to twelve new songs written by Case, ‘Middle Cyclone’ includes covers of ‘Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth’ by Sparks, and “Don’t Forget Me” by Harry Nilsson.”
.
Middle Cyclone tracklisting:
.
1. This Tornado Loves You
2. The Next Time You Say Forever
3. People Got A Lotta Nerve
4. Polar Nettles
5. Vengeance Is Sleeping
6. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth
7. Middle Cyclone
8. Fever
9. Magpie To The Morning
10. I’m An Animal
11. Prison Girls
12. Don’t Forget Me
13. The Pharaohs
14. Red Tide
15. Marais La Nuit
March 24th, 2009 at 12:14 am
Orchester said:
Neko’s albums are always characterized by proficient musicianship, but this album is even more in the pocket than her usual stuff. Her voice is, of course, utterly unique in its beauty and power. Sometimes she slips into a lower register, and even though she’s singing, she also sounds like she’s reading a story — a fairy tale by the fire.
March 24th, 2009 at 7:17 am
LB said:
I’ve only listened to it once through, but I didn’t dislike anything. The 30-minute loop of crickets chirping kinda caught me by surprise, though.