Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (2009)

As far as I'm concerned, Neko Case shouldn't be new to anyone who has even a relatively loose grasp on what's "hot" in the world of female singer-songwriters, because she has one of the most astounding set of pipes in the business. Everything, from soft and soothing, to puissant and commanding, is within Case's vocal range, and she knows how to exploit her ability. Long before Starbucks peddled Fox Confessor Brings the Flood to the masses and made Neko Case an alt. country, indy-labeled chart buster, she was enhancing the sound of The New Pornographers, and cutting her own piece of immortality out of the music industry with her independent releases and intimate live performances. So, how does one follow up an album as excellent and acclaimed as Fox Confessor Brings the Flood? By conjuring up some of the most awesome album art I've seen in days, and by sticking to what works and featuring Ms. Case's most dynamic attribute—her powerful vocals. That is exactly what Middle Cyclone does, and what makes it so enchanting. Subtly and consistently Case continues to deliver tracks of quality and class that seem beyond the attainability of many pop-country divas and big label darlings. My favorites are "This Tornado Loves You," "Red Tide," "I'm An Animal," & "People Got A Lotta Nerve," but really, all the tracks are damn good (especially for those currently omnipresent rainy days), with the 31 minutes of birds chirping on "Marais La Nuit," being the non-song exception. Listen and love.