Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
Rock, pop, folk, alt country – Neko Case fuses all of these things into her very own niche that can’t really be described any other way.
If you listen closely, you can pick each one of these out in her music, but they work so well together that you should probably leave it like it is.
With her latest release, Middle Cyclone, Case showcases her hauntingly unique vocals against the back drop of her beautiful and melancholy music. Far removed from the bright lights and twinkle of other female pop stars, Case proves that there’s no need for fancy mixes, Auto Tune, and over production.
Her sound is bare, naked and simple with a side of realism. There’s no point for her to over sing or overpower you with her voice…because it’s so crisp and pure.
It’s nostalgic of the good ol’ days of country music when Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn ruled the airwaves.
Her voice is strangely familiar, comforting and full of old soul.
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Yet, her sound is completely contemporary, only borrowing the very best of the past to incorporate and make it her own.
“This Tornado Loves You” makes you feel like you’re swirling about with its dizzying chorus.
There’s a definite Morrissey influence to “People Got A Lotta Nerve” that pulls more of the rock vibe out of her. And the country flavor makes its most noticeable appearance in “Don’t Forget About Me” with its standard old country structure and sound.
There is also a moody, darker side of Case that can be found in “Prison Girl.”
Lyrically, Case is smart and witty but still simple and clean: “I caught his words in my open mouth/I gagged and choked and spit them out/I heard him turn as he did hear/My tiny heartbeat in his ear.”
Her words are true, artistic poetry.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand what it all means because it just sounds so beautiful when embraced by her music.
Photo credit - Jason Creps
Regardless of where your musical tastes lie, there’s no doubt that your palate will be delighted with Middle Cyclone.
This sweet, refined album is a breath of fresh air in the smog that fills the radio airwaves now.
It’s different. It’s daring. But the more you listen to it, the more you’ll fall in love with it.
By Christine Spangler Wise
