There are many pros and cons to the digital music age we live in. I’m not going to turn this into a debate over the merits of iTunes over physical media, but one thing I miss is the album cover. The cover used to be an important aspect of the album, but lately it seems like an afterthought. The cover for Middle Cyclone is anything but, featuring Case on top of a 1968 Mercury Cougar brandishing a sword. Muscle cars are cool. Swords are cool. Neko Case is cool. Combine the three and it becomes a trifecta of awesome. The music within is great too.
Middle Cyclone may be Neko Case’s ticket out of the indie rock ghetto. This is the most accessible record she’s ever made. Accessibility is a dirty word in the snobbish world of indie rock, but Case hasn’t sold out. Her sound is the same, but the production is slightly more polished. Her voice is rich, beautiful and soulful. It’s reminiscent of Patsy Cline, but with a wider range. Case is able to hit some incredible notes, but she doesn’t use her range as a crutch. She uses it sparingly, so when she hits a note in the upper register, it means something.
Case’s sound is hard to describe. The base description would be alternative country, but there are elements of straight up rock n’ roll, pop and even punk. Her guitar never has a twang. It’s like a bell, weaving in and out of the other instruments. The opening track, “This Tornado Loves You,” is a great example. The guitar shuffling in the background is almost a throwback to the Les Paul and Mary Ford records of the late 1950s. It almost functions as a second set of drums, never rising above the steady melody. Pianos are another major element.
Not all of Case’s instruments are conventional. “Polar Nettles” features the combined sounds of robins and frogs, courtesy of her barn recording studio. “The Next Time You Say Forever” features a music box. Unlike her other experiments, the music box doesn’t work. This is a thematically heavy record, and the music box seems too cute and too contrived.
There are two prominent covers on Middle Cyclone. The first is Ron Mael’s “Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth.” The message of the song is great, but Case’s earnest delivery is melodramatic and preachy. We all need to reduce our carbon footprint, but how many times do we need to be reminded? Harry Nilsson’s “Don’t Forget About Me” is a much better fit. Case finds the perfect note of melancholy. It’s a great gateway to discovering Nilsson.
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood was one of the best records of 2006. Middle Cyclone is a worthy follow-up. Female singer songwriters are a dime a dozen. Most of them are indistinguishable from one another. With her gorgeous voice, quirky arrangements and ear for biting wordplay, Neko Case is the perfect antidote to the Colbie Caillats of the world.