Our look at the closing lines of the week’s biggest new-music reviews continues with a roundup of reactions to Middle Cyclone, the new album by Neko Case:
• “This is Case’s sixth studio release, and it affirms her continued growth not just as a singer and songwriter but as someone who creates her own world out of sound.” [Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune]
• “Perhaps that’s the allure of Neko Case. Even in the midst of a fight, she’s looking inward. And this time she’s letting her battle scars show.” [James Reed, Boston Globe]
• “Her own songs melt down structures. Instead of fixed verses or choruses there are two-chord patterns that run as long as Ms. Case wants, or as short; they might add or subtract a beat, suddenly switch chords or support an entirely new tune in mid-song. Subliminally that rhapsodic approach keeps the songs off balance and suspenseful, ready for every possibility of disaster or exaltation.” [Jon Pareles, New York Times]
• “Middle Cyclone ends with ‘Marais la Nuit,’ which translates to ‘The Night Marsh.’ True to its title, it is 30 minutes of frog noises that Case recorded at her farm in Vermont, just outside the barn where most of these sessions were held. It’s not surprising that her animal lyrics would break down into real animal sounds, and as chill-out music for any domesticated wildlife in your home, it’s not unpleasant. It is, however, nearly as long as the album proper. Its inclusion shows just how thoroughly Case has imagined her own little world on these three albums and how thoroughly she rules that realm.” [Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork]
I think it would be interesting if Sound Opinions invited a musician that Kot and Dero despised to perform. I can only imagine what would happen if Ryan Adams showed up.
@OokieDookie: Or Darius Rucker.
Really looking forward to getting this in the mail later today. Amazon Prime FTW …
I got a leak of Middle Cyclone a couple of weeks ago and have been playing it in bits and pieces. I like it quite a bit.
I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to Case: I loved Blacklisted but was so-so on Fox Confessor. This new one is very much in the Blacklisted vein — the barn recording seems to bring her back to that spacey, churchy vibe I loved on the older stuff.
i’ve had the leak for a while now, and aside from noticing that she really deviates from form on it, nothing about it really stands out to me. there are a few songs that have strong performances, but i think i need to spend some more time with it, or else i just don’t like it very much.
@Maura Johnston: Hell, let’s have a panel of Adams, Rucker, and Stephan Jenkins, and see if Jenkins still claims he’s as DIY as Ian MacKaye.
@Maura Johnston: Or Vampire Weekend, or Ra Ra Riot. My main complaint about Dero is that is mocks bands by calling them pretentious, then plays some fucking Yes song as his Desert Island Jukebox pick.
Hey…no knocking of Yes…
The first thing I noticed was that she is on the hood of a classic Mercury Cougar…my old man had a 1970 model when I was a kid…How I wish I had that car now…
not sure that that adds a damn thing to the conversation but is that what the internet is for?!?!
@sydbarrett05: well no knocking of the FRAGILE, CLOSE TO THE EDGE version…the TORMATO version? knock away!
@Chris Molanphy: Yeah, Fox Confessor was exactly the kind of ponderous record that I liked N.C. for not making before; the songs I’ve heard from the new one sound really appetizingly straightforward. Can’t wait to hear it.
Picked the album up this afternoon and proceeded to listen to it in the car whilst running errands. I was a big fan of Fox Confessor and notice her grip on dark melancholy has lessened this time around. Her lyrics are rich and fun as ever and I enjoy the meandering structure of her tunes. She makes it all sound so easy when you know it’s not. I loved listening to Middle Cyclone today and look forward to many subsequent spins. Neko is the shit!
I was disappointed in it. It started out pretty strong but by the end of it I was really annoyed. It doesn’t matter though. She’ll be hyped to death in all the trades and blogs. This year’s Fleet Foxes. Groan.
@antistar2000: Bit early for all that, doncha think?
@sydbarrett05: There will be no Yes-bashing in this house!
I really like that Pareles actually talks song and chord structure, two of the most basic and foundational aspects of songwriting that I rarely read about. It’s always lyrics, lyrics, lyrics. Structure is so key, and Case has made a career of being very freeform with it, which is part of her appeal to me.
@Lucas Jensen: Hey, I own “Fragile” too. I wasn’t as much bashing Yes as Dero. You can enjoy Yes, but even the most ardent fan will admit that they’re pretentious.