The Days of Lore

Neko Case discovers the great outdoors

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 | musiX

We’ve all gazed adoringly at the cover art for Middle Cyclone for more than a year. Now we get to listen.

Neko Case brings all of the things I love from singer-songwriters like Barbara Manning and Jenny Lewis—strong women who have equally strong and natural voices. Not to mention these voices are paired with each singer’s near-perfect pop songs and clever wordplay.

Middle Cyclone is Case’s sixth solo album and first in three years. Like its title suggests, the record is filled with lyrical themes having to do with weather and nature. There’s even a song from the standpoint of a tornado fer gawd’s sake. Most of Cyclone was recorded in a converted barn in Vermont. Case is joined throughout by some regulars including M. Ward, members of Calexico (also a Manning backing band at one time) and Garth Hudson of The Band. Three of the songs are accompanied by eight pianos, wrangled for free through Craigslist ads and then loaded into the barn.

As I mentioned, Middle Cyclone is filled with imagery of Mother Nature. The final song—”Marais La Nuit”—isn’t really a song, but 30 minutes of croaking frogs that were recorded outside Case’s barn. For the ultimate head-scratching, brow-furrowing experience, try listening the track all the way through while staring directly at the album cover.

“People Got a Lotta Nerve” - Neko Case

Tags: Barbara Manning, Calexico, Garth Hudson, Jenny Lewis, M. Ward, Middle Cyclone, Neko Case

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