Middle Cyclone

Performer: Neko Case
Engineer: Ryan Boyles; Chris Shreenan-Dyck
Producer: Neko Case
Distributor: Alternative Dis. Alliance

Notes: Personnel: Ryan Boyles, Garth Hudson, Jon Rauhouse, Kelly Hogan, John Collins, Barry Mirochnick, Paul Rigby, Kathryn Calder, Blaine Thurier, Tom V. Ray. Audio Mixer: Darryl Neudorf. Recording information: Operation Northwoods, Ontario. Indie/alt-country songwriter-goddess Neko Case is nothing if not a chameleon, capable of wrapping herself around soulful twang, snotty 'tude, or bouyant teen energy. But if there's a thread running through her work, it's her undeniable magnetism as a poet. And on CYCLONE, by fully embracing the theme of love for the first time in her career, she transforms herself into an almost mystically insightful weaver of romantic imagery. On "Polar Nettles" in particular, Case effortlessly unravels the tale of a woman so powerful that she acts as a centrifuge spinning out the sun's rays. Guests range from M. Ward to her co-members from the New Pornographers, but like Dolly Parton during her early-'70s heyday, there is no mistaking who the moment belongs to. Whether it's the title track's subdued, folky rumination on the fears of facing happiness or the dramatic, Stevie Nicks gypsy-pop of penultimate track "Red Tide," Case's musical presence is, in fact, a CYCLONE OF unforgettable emotion.

Rolling Stone (p.74) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[H]ypnotic alt-country twang, with reverb-slathered guitars ringing out over music box plinks and moaning cellos." Entertainment Weekly (p.73) - "[A] pleasantly swirling strum and twang of guitars, gentle percussion, and That Voice." -- Grade: B Alternative Press (p.134) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "'People Got A Lotta Nerve' is all animal magnetism with a big, chirping chorus, exercising her bright range. 'Marais La Nuit' ends the record with 40 minutes of the sounds of a marsh at night." Mojo (Publisher) (p.110) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Case is an intriguing writer and coolly commanding singer who delivers every syllable without flaw in pitch, timbre and phrasing." Blender (Magazine) (p.59) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "With the help of a frog chorus and an 'orchestra' of six derelict pianos, plus melodic populism, spaghetti-Western riffs and jokes, she's made a record about ecology and love..." Pitchfork (Website) - "Her voice can knock you over -- it's one of the strongest in any genre....MIDDLE CYCLONE is another strong entry....A culmination of some of the lyrical and musical concerns she's been exploring since BLACKLISTED..." Clash (magazine) (p.110) - "These songs are stronger, better conceived and even more impressively performed. Once again, Case's trademark countrified pipes define each song..."

Armed with one of the most lush and disarming voices in pop music, Neko Case brought the DIY approach of her punk past to bear on the country singer-songwriter tradition. Releasing her first album in 1997 under the moniker Neko Case & Her Boyfriends, Case has proven herself to be both an adventurous interpreter (with unlikely renditions of Queen and Scott Walker songs) as well as a skilled songwriter. By faithfully covering standards by Loretta Lynn and Ernest Tubb, Case declared her allegiance to country's proud heritage, but collaborations with the likes of Giant Sand and indie-popsters The New Pornographers point to a restless creative spirit.

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