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Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
| Ew |
| Flame-haired chanteuse Neko Case has spent years building her reputation as the reigning boss lady of alt-country — a status predicated largely on her unimpeachably rich, expressive voice. It's only occasionally, though, that the material matches her gift; instead, a husky, atmospheric sort of placidity dominates. Middle Cyclone is the kind of record it's nearly impossible to hate: a pleasantly swirling strum and twang of guitars, gentle percussion, and That Voice. But few tracks here ignite great passion, either; even the highly sing-alongable ''People Got a Lotta Nerve'' is not — alas! — especially nervy. B...full text |
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| Spin |
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With the economy tanking, homes being lost, and folks switching to survival mode, America may need Neko Case's back-to-nature fantasias more than ever. On 2006's gothic classic Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, she belted out soaring country rock, Southern gospel, and power-pop hymns about lions, sparrows, and two-legged creatures living outside civilization. Middle Cyclone carries case's unique vision one step further: here, she truly embraces the beast within. Whether she's imagining herself as a killer whale or translating a magpie's song, the message is clear. "I'm an animal," she growls, "and you're an animal, too." With cameos by Calexico, M. Ward, and the New Pornographers, Middle Cyclone finds its haunted heart in the tension between rootsy twang and man-made squall. On the smoldering ballad "Polar Nettles," robins chirp just before Los Lobos' Steve Berlin wipes them out with a MIDI sax solo. And while "Fever" sways like a '50s- style slow dance at the VFW hall, its guitar outro warbles like a melting motherboard....full text |
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| Prefixmag |
| It's been almost 3 years since Neko Case's last release, 2006's excellent Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, and Middle Cyclone needs to make up for a 3-year drought of new Case material. To pick up the slack Case had to retreat to a creaky windblown barn in the middle of nowhere, enlist an orchestra of pianos, and recruit M. Ward, Calexico, and members of The New Pornographers. She also spent time with big thoughts, like what it would be like if a tornado was in love with you. Well at least it's good to know that she took her task seriously....full text |
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