neko case

The year 2009 was, for me (as I’m sure it was for many people) a mixed bag. I’ve always found New Years Eve a fine time for reflection—or getting wasted, if you’re so inclined—and this year is no different. I don’t want to fixate on the fact that a new decade is arriving, and I’d rather just look at it through a lighthearted lens. In seriousness, though, the position that I’m finding myself in now is infinitely better than the position I left 2008 in.

As always, music plays pretty heavily into my life and my memories—and while I discovered some old classics this year (Boards of Canada and The Dreaming, thank fucking god), there were several albums released this year that really wowed me. Don’t take this as a “best of” list—it isn’t meant to be universal by any means. These are the new albums that affected me personally in 2009—though they would make fine traveling companions for just about anyone in this new decade. Happy New Year.

NOTE: I might be missing a few albums. If that’s the case I’ll update the list later. And, hey, there's INTERACTIVE TOOLTIPS on the images. Definitely advanced stuff for 2010.

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Yeah, it’s hipster bullshit. But that’s okay. On the third album by the Brooklyn plaid-aficionados, the gleefully ambient melodies from Yellow House have been surrendered to a cleaner, more accessible aesthetic. A good thing? Perhaps not entirely, but it’s difficult to argue with the choicer results, such as “Foreground”. Points for Grizzly Bear’s impeccable timing, however—the chilled, plaintive atmosphere of Veckatimest arrived at an advantageous moment, providing a perfect segue into summer. [Mp3] [CD]

Laura A and the Bad Grades - Lightnin' Bolt

It's a mighty shame, but it seems that a truly compelling release from a largely unknown artist has been ignored. Not that this sort of thing doesn't happen often in the music world--Christ, a look at Amie Street and one can't help the feeling that it seems a graveyard for great unknowns--but the offense against Laura A and her delinquent pals is clearly criminal here. With command reminiscent of Neko Case, Laura A achieves much the same mien as her more popular counterpart--only with less instruments, less fury, and a general feeling of coziness. Unfortunately, this EP is only five songs--another mighty shame given the command demonstrated on songs such as the title track. Not to be a douche, but--where's the full album? [Mp3]

HEALTH – Get Color

Depressing noise rock—with structure. Compared to the relatively helter-skelter feeling of their debut, HEALTH returned in the autumn with an album of uniform chaos. Nestled inside blistering melodies were disjointed vocals and ballistic experimentalism—a gloriously messy show. [Mp3] [CD]

Arthur and Martha – Navigation

The lasting power of this record I find a bit suspect—to be honest, I don’t think I’ve touched it since August. Even if I’m not entirely sold on the lifespan of this English debut, I remember quite well what forged the initial attraction: fuzzy and nostalgic electropop with heavy British flavour. Tear-jerking? Not quite, but it certainly has the capacity to rend emotion when the time is right. [Mp3] [CD]

Converge – Axe to Fall

Whereas Arthur and Martha can make the heart supple wax, Axe to Fall can melt
your entire fucking body into gelatin. Having seen several of the songs played live, I can confirm that Converge remains on the top of the metalcore/chaotic hardcore/whatever-the-fuck-it-is scrap heap—not that we would expect anything less from Jacob Bannon and friends. [Mp3] [CD]

Midaircondo – Curtain Call

Though I think I’ve explained enough the magnificence of this record, it has to be stated again: the ambient, jazzy duo have consistently proven their worth in the crowded arena of knob twiddlers and sample mashers. What’s next? [Mp3] [CD]

Lullatone – Songs that Spin in Circles

As blessedly cool as Midaircondo are, their album does not quite match Lullatone’s 2009 achievement. The latest album from the husband and wife pair—an album designed to be looped so as to put children to sleep—swaps some of the bittersweet electronics that guided their early releases for a more organic atmosphere. Make no mistake, the twinkly electric wonder of Lullatone’s music is ever-present; it’s just in a smaller amount. No need to get anxious about it—Songs that Spin in Circles is an effusively natural and reassuring piece of music. Some of the circuit-board wizardry may be lost, but the innocence and tranquility are intact—and they contribute to what is one of Lullatone’s best efforts yet. [Mp3] [CD]

Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

Hands down, hands up, hands fucking sideways—I don’t care where your hands are, or if you’re handless or, whatever. This is the best album of 2009. I was introduced to Case via—believe it or not—Spinner’s daily Mp3. The promo photo—one of Case wearing skimpy-looking dress wear while pulling at licorice with her teeth—had at first convinced me that Case was nothing more than another throwaway female vocalist. How fucking shamed I was upon hearing the entire record.

The days immediately preceding Middle Cyclone’s release were spent in Pennsylvania, at the home of my Dad’s best friend. My Dad had been hospitalized while on vacation, and I spent a few nights in a medium-sized Monaca, PA, apartment. Without going into further detail, let me say that it was not a cheery time in my life (aside from the stunning hospitality and generosity of my Dad’s friends).

I don’t want to imply that Case was some otherworldly, hunky-dorifying ray of light that dropped into my life—she wasn’t. But Middle Cyclone was released in what was arguably one of the most harrowing months of my life, and yet it continued to stay with me—through walks on the bike path in spring, summer afternoons, and, ultimately, at a refreshing concert given by Ms. Case in November.

One of my Christmas gifts? Why, Middle Cyclone. I had already paid for an Mp3 version, but I needed this album on disc. Why? This isn’t an album to just have sitting around on your computer. This in album to take with you—on car rides, to friend’s homes, wherever you find yourself. Middle Cyclone is an album that reaffirmed something I had been unwilling to admit to myself—when miserable, we tend to use any control we have to make ourselves even more miserable. Middle Cyclone reminds us that we each have the power, the control, to whip misery into something far more malleable, far more insightful—unrestrained, fulfilling hope. [Mp3] [CD]

Honorable Mentions (in no order)

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band – Self-titled
True hipsters would probably make fun of me for liking this. Eh. The Seattle-based outfit caught my attention with their unusually fun departures from ‘indie rock’ tropes—a promising band.

Regina Spektor – Far
Fond memories of searching for the Salvation Army thrift store, in comfortably undemanding summer heat, to this album.

Matt & Kim – Grand
Drums, strange manboy vocals, and summery fun--an album far from the damp sack of shit I've likely just described it as.

J Dilla – Jay Stay Paid
The final chapter in Jay Dee saga? Maybe—a fitting tribute to the late Detroit producer regardless.

Lady GaGa – The Fame Monster
Yeah. I know. It’s terribly, awfully, horrendously disposable in the end but for the five days that you do enjoy it: you, too, will succumb to GaGa’s derivative, sloppy, unoriginal bullshit. Or maybe you won’t. I bet this paragraph isn't even here tomorrow.

Holly Williams – Here With Me
I wrote a review of this one back in July—my opinion hasn’t changed; this is still an album of rough-and-tough grace.

Andrea Bocelli – My Christmas
Nothing intense here. Rather, Bocelli’s grand take on the Christmas tradition is surprisingly laid-back and fun.

Annie Lennox – "Shining Light" [Single]
Just found this song the other day. Released on Lennox’s greatest hits collection. An elegantly soulful remake of Ash’s Britpoppy original.

Blacklisted by Neko Case
2002, Bloodshot Records, 14 tracks at 39 min.
Listen Buy CD

RATING: 47 out of 50

Seeing Neko Case perform “Deep Red Bells” live was quite the treat. Following the concert, I bought some pastries and iced tea at the local CVS, wanting to fill my stomach. No cheese Danish, though, could be as satisfying as seeing someone with such command over the human voice. Case’s singing is anything but typical. Indeed, she assumed something of an extraordinary persona when she was on stage, aside from banter with the audience and her admittance to cutting one song a few seconds short.

Painting Case as superhuman is ridiculous, but it’s difficult to describe her vocal talents without resorting to some hyperbole. There’s something universal and dreamlike to her voice and lyrics; but one look at the person spitting these words and it’s hard not to feel a sense of detachment from someone who can sing so damned well.

Likely the second-best communicator of Case’s skills, Blacklisted is an alleged country album. More than anything it is a vocal album—Case’s voice often soars above the arrangements, drawing attention to itself without even trying. The arrangements themselves carry a vaguely American aroma; they are not so much specific as they are evocative. To take Blacklisted as a vocal album would be a grave mistake, however. Case needs (at minimum) a plain-colored backdrop against which to let loose her siren’s wail; otherwise, hers is a voice without any place or time.

Case’s sense of setting and mood is of special import to her music. The title track is profoundly grave, “I Wish I Was the Moon” is a humongous dose of the bittersweet, and “Lady Pilot” is suave, sly, comfort. Case maintains the same essential range throughout Blacklisted, and no one song varies wildly from another. Rather, it is Case’s ability to morph each track ever-so-slightly into something more magnificent, more wholesome than the last that stuns the listener.

Blacklisted? Hardly.

Dear Pitchfork/Stereogum/Gorilla Vs. Bear/Other crappy hipster blogs,

I dunno. I just dunno anymore. I mean, I was all excited when I heard Neko Case was going to be on Conan. I mean, Conan, and Neko? On the same stage? At the same time? Sounds good, right? I figured that she would be performing "This Tornado Loves You," since that's probably the strongest cut on the album, and I...I was just...happy, about the whole thing. And then when the song starts, it is "This Tornado Loves You". But something seemed amiss, even in the first few seconds. And then this happened:

Oh, what should I do? I mean, you see what happened here, right? Everything was mixed wrong and Neko just wasn't singing all that well. But, who should I confide in? A trusted adult? A teacher? A minister? Please, shitty hipster blogs, help me in my dilemma. I don't want to end up like Wavves. Crying on dat stage. In dat Barcelona. At dat 'raddest independent music festival.' So please, help me to restore my hope in Neko Case. I still believe in Neko, and I still believe in you!

Sincerely,
A concerned Neko Case fan

P.S. Pitchfork, thank you for finding this. Really.

Really. Who does Ms. Cyclone think she is, Grandma Moses? Case's video for "People Got a Lotta Nerve" came out today, and, to be honest, it's not quite what you might've imagined. But who cares. There's whales, paper-doll-primitive animation, primates of some sort (Gibbons? No clue.), elephants, cardigans, storks, domesticated hawks, and firearms. Glad to see Case is keeping the "country" in "alt-country."

Or something. Really, I'm scraping for wit here. Just watch this.

Download "People Got a Lotta Nerve" (via ANTI-Records)

Alt-country songster Neko Case has a new album out today, Middle Cyclone. You can get the album on Amazon Mp3 for $10---a bit high by Amazon standards; but if you can wait for a snail mail order, then it's only $7.99. Or, if you're hesitant to buy the album, test drive "People Got A Lotta Nerve" below Case's PSA. Case has offered this download for free and is giving a portion of its profits to the Best Friends Animal Society.

Also out today: new U2 (eh), the latest from the The Prodigy, the Watchmen Soundtrack (spanning a wide gamut from 'lol wut' (My Chemical Romance) to Nina Simone and Philip Glass), Hospice by The Antlers (dubbed as "gorgeous, haunting indie folk" by Amie Street), an EP from Missy Higgins, and a full-length from Angus and Julia Stone. 2009 is certainly shaping up to be a good year.

Download "People Got A Lotta Nerve"