Customer Reviews

Middle Cyclone [Vinyl]

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I'm going to start my review talking about the album art, which is spectacular. It has more of Neko's signature artwork than her other albums and expresses the concept of the album much like her drawings on "The Tigers Have Spoken" and "Fox Confessor"--if there were some kind of award for this, Neko would win it.

What is so great about Neko Case is that nobody captures the essence of nostalgia quite like her. Her nostalgia is not the sentimental kind--not a wistful longing for what once was--but a deep ache for what we have unthinkingly destroyed. Her voice itself has an organic reverb that is not created by a production mixer. For people who tuned into Neko as an indie rocker, I encourage you to download individual tracks that sound like her old work, like "This Tornado Loves You" and "The Pharoahs"--"Middle Cyclone" is kind of a departure from her previous work if you are looking for songs that use her voice as the main instrument to play darkness with sweet melodies.

"Middle Cyclone" uses experimental sounds like the "piano orchestra" made up of forsaken and abandoned pianos, music boxes, and the notorious 32 minute track of frogs being so panned by critics. I think these experimental instrumental changes make the album less "poppy" because they decenter Neko's vocals inside a wall of sound, a move that reflects her collaborations with the New Pornographers and The Sadies. I'm really curious how these arrangements will play live on tour. I think some fans are going to be disappointed with "Middle Cyclone," though there are a few catchy tunes on the album. Long-time fans will see this album as a constellation of her work with other musicians, a return to psychedelic instrumentation, and "get" the centerpiece--a rework of the 1974 "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth."

About the frogs. The 32 minutes of frogs, which play like a sleep-sound machine at the end of the album, had the same impact on me as the song "The Tigers Have Spoken." They're lovely, like the melody to "Tigers," but their message is wrenching. How many of us would give anything to fall asleep to the sound of real frogs rather than blasting a sound machine of "nature" to mask the noise pollution of subwoofer terrorists, the whine of freeways and traffic, and the hum of our own houses/heads? What we have damaged is irretrievable...completely razed. Like the found pianos that make up the piano orchestra on the album, the frogs are free to sing; Neko found some frogs outside of the barn-studio that make a wall of sound; it is a frog orchestra. For the "Mother Earth" we have turned our backs on, not a maudlin song about saving, but a long, dark goodbye.

As a singer-songwriter, Neko Case is streets ahead of many of her contemporaries but, on this album, some of her vocal phrasing and song melodies are beginning to have an all too familiar ring to them. A number of the supporting musicians have also played on her earlier albums but, despite this, their hitherto 'stripped back', semi-acoustic sound has been replaced, on many songs, with a more fashionable echo-laden jangling sound, and a distinct lack of groove - but there are times when her musicians manage to conjure up some quite interesting sounds. On a more positive note, NC doesn't disappoint with the power and clarity of her vocals; and her lyrics, whilst less opaque than those on 'Fox Confessor', still place the emphasis more on imagery and less on transparency; also, several of the songs are love songs with lyrics evoking a strong nostalgic-reflective mood.

The songs I enjoyed most were : 'Polar Nettles', 'Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth' and 'Red Tide'; but there are no songs that really 'jump out and grab me'. The final track (some 30 odd minutes long) is comprised entirely of a recording of highly repetitive frog noises; whilst this must have some personal significance for NC, I can't think what possessed her to include it on the album. Having said this, some listeners may find it therapeutic (especially insomniacs).

NC has been a force to be reckoned with but, in my opinion, 'Middle Cyclone' does not represent her best work in terms of originality. It isn't a poor album by any means - NC's vocals are well up to her usual high standard (she has perfect pitch), and her lyrics are a clear cut above those to be found on many mainstream pop songs - yet, I still feel that the song writing is less inspired than on earlier albums. If you are thinking of buying 'Middle Cyclone', I'd recommend that you listen to as many tracks as possible beforehand - particularly if 'Fox Confessor' was an album that 'fired you up'.

Another good one from Neko Case and her band. This CD has all that Neko's fans have come to expect from her, chapter 5 of her studio releases, if you will. The melodies resonate strongly with those on her earlier works. Her fans will recognize the instrumental invention here as a direct descendant of the previous albums. Where she breaks new ground is the subject matter of her lyrics: more love songs - with a twist. Neko still delivers the dark stuff, too, but just in smaller doses. Oh, yeah, let's don't forget the perfect backing vocals thoughout - but especially in "Prison Girls".

The trajectory of the album, overall, is remarkable. It starts out with high energy for 3 songs. Then, the good stuff, the middle songs, and here going on for 11 tracks strong. By the time you get to the last track, you're ready to wind down.

If you like Neko, you'll probably love this CD. Not revolutionary, just a nice evolution. And you can still count the animal references! Way to go y'all!!

Sadly, high expectations weren't met with this one. Often times an exceptional voice can elevate listless songs but unfortunately this isn't one of those cases. I'm not sure if it's the songwriting, the production or a combination of the two but after 4-5 listens this CD fails to grab my attention or at the very least fails to even interest me. My favorite track is the all-to-brief cover of 'Mother Earth.'

I don't think this is a poor record by any stretch, however, when I think back the the immediate "Wow" reaction I experienced after listening to 'Furnace Room' for the first few times I can't help the feeling of utter indifference that hits me every time I listen to 'Cyclone.'

I don't have an emotional or personal investment in Neko Case (I do enjoy much of her work. In fact the command over and purity of her voice cannot be overstated.) hence I'm able to objectively critique this CD without feelings of betrayal or guilt. That said it would not surprise me if this is the album that launches Case's career to new heights because that's generally the way the music industry operates; earlier, more artful and creative endeavors go relatively unnoticed while the less impressive and more mainstream releases reap the rewards. I wish her well.

Neko Case's new album Middle Cyclone, is well titled. A force of nature, it's a commanding collection of songs not only showcasing the beauty and strength of her voice, but it's also an intelligently conceived expression of a bold though suppressed anger of the overlooked feminine psyche. More overtly, the album is a warning not to overlook the force of mother nature herself; in the closing thirty minutes Case deliberately bends our ears toward the night music of the marsh, the crying of crickets and frogs. But more than that, Case alludes to the theme of the feminine being taken for granted, and the resulting cyclone in wait.

Be forewarned, the first half of the record starts with the "tiniest sparks" and the "tenderest sound", a lovely beginning to the showcase, as it were. Once the listener reaches "I'm an Animal", however, the cyclone becomes manifest, a darkening crescendo of turbulence. While all songs are fairly short and predictably impressive, the absolute masterpiece for me is the longer "Prison Girls"; it's a funeral dirge for those women eternally unimpressed, who've "traded more for cigarettes than I've managed to express".

Middle Cyclone is an hugely solid album with incredible accompaniment. The sound is awash with the drums, upright bass, piano, and guitars from eternal alt-country ambassadors Howe Gelb, Calexico, and M. Ward. Case's own band is impeccable as well, not only highlighting her voice but surrounding it with a fullness that nearly suffocating. As usual, the lyrics are as haunting as in any prior Neko Case release, too. Standing equal with Fox Confessor, Middle Cyclone is yet another jewel in Case's crown.

A review in The New Yorker claims "Middle Cyclone" is Neko Case's best album "by a generous margin." This at first seemed misleading because all of her albums are very good. I have given it over a month before writing this review and have to say that this album is so good that the New Yorker claim now doesn't seem so overblown. Last week, "The Pharaohs" was my favorite song, earlier, "Vengeance Is Sleeping." This album is tremendously strong throughout. I heard "Don't Forget Me" on UC Berkeley's college radio station and to me a song hasn't sounded so precious and perfect on the radio since probably the time that song was first written (the 70's). One cannot help but be somewhat surprised at how high Ms. Case has raised the bar. Bravo!

Anti- records is a great place to work. Neko Case has top flight musicians, elaborate packaging, and freedom to work in her own pace and vision.

When acts such as Neko Case, the Old 97's, and Wilco moved outside of their country influences, they have generally been met with unmitigated praise, as though the early twang was just a poseur's phase to evolve beyond.

For me, that twang was what always made these folks interesting. Since 2002's "Blacklisted", the apex of Neko the singer and Neko the "country-noir" singer, Case has been moving steadily away from those hooks and those lyrics to something blander. A shame, with that force-of-nature voice.

"Middle Cyclone" supposedly has deep hooks. I'm not hearing them. Only "This Tornado Loves You" and "I'm An Animal" stuck with me. The remake of "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" (complete with inspirational choir) stuck too, but not in a good way. I admit, Neko has a way with words that keeps me from dismissing this as amateur PETA propaganda. She's clearly not an amateur. But minus the country flourishes and storytelling lyrics, she starts sounding...dare I say...like everyone else.

Thirty minutes of cricket's chirping follow the songs. Thanks Neko, but I'm just tethered enough to nature to prefer the real thing, in spite of the 6 months of winter silence we get up here in these parts.

There are few voices I love more than Neko's -- so I'd probably enjoy listening to her singing the words off a Chinese restaurant takeout menu. And I know that critics of all stripes and persuasions are calling this her best effort to date.

But for some reason, I just can't get into it, as our hippie forefathers used to say. Compared to "Fox Confessor Brings The Flood" -- her last album -- this seems bland and somewhat uninviting, to my ears. Her previous work has always had an emotional and sonic lushness that I just don't find here.

So, if you're a Case completist, by all means get this album. But if you haven't bought "Fox Confessor," that's the first place where you should spend your money....

just picked this up this afternoon and i almost couldn't wait to finish listening so i could start it all over again!

i read the reviews on the npr site (they were streaming the cd before it was released). there were many fans who were raving, but many were disappointed. i guess i feel blessed that i don't know neko's music so well that i had any expectations, because i'm so in love with this already.

fox confessor tops my most-played in i-tunes, so i did have a bar i was holding this one up to. while there are some similarities (how could you not have, with this killer vocalist?), the make-up of the songs is different. the instruments (both traditional and non) are rich and layered. there's a ton of stuff going on, but i don't feel overwhelmed or bombarded. it feels akin to being in a forest and slowly taking each new thing into focus.

many albums start out strong only to disappoint as each subsequent track is less and less inspired. not so with Middle Cyclone. each song brings new delights and surprises.

sorry this is so subjective, but really, what about music isn't subjective? just look at the wide range of reviews from hardcore fans. all i can say is that to me it feels fresh and creative and exciting. a bit leaning toward pop, yes, but still with enough edginess to blur the lines between country and indie-rock. awesome!

Not sure what other people are hearing here, but this is by far the best album Neko has ever made. This is the album I've always hoped she'd make from the time I first heard her voice. Listening to her skills (in instrumentation, vocals, and arrangements) progress from album to album, it is sufficient to say that this album is a serious step forward for her. This album is packed with some seriously challenging melodies and harmonies - and the song writing is top notch with no noticeable truly weak points anywhere in the first 14 songs. The final song is just an artsy 30+ minutes of crickets chirping - possibly a weak point in the album but very easy to simply ignore.

Lyrically she writes some of the best stuff she's ever created - in particular Magpie to the Morning, Fever, and The Pharoahs. Every song is full of imagery and allusions (something you've come to expect with any song she writes), but somehow every song on her seems a step above what she's done in the past. It's both more abstract and more concise at the same time - like she's saying more with less.

These are songs that will get stuck in your head and won't leave soon (and in this case, that is a good thing). Every song has an individual feel to it - each song takes on a life of it's own, but thematically everything fits together. This is not simply a collection of songs - there was some serious thought put into the arrangement of this album. The two cover choices (Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth - originally by the Sparks and Don't Forget Me - originally by Harry Nilsson) are simply superb. The backing vocals on Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth are particularly enchanting - the best recording and production she's ever done.

So simply put, this is a must buy album. This is the first album I've been truly ga-ga over in 2 years (and I listen to 100+ new releases a year). Well balanced, filled with irresistible hooks, and featuring the very mature, very skillful, powerhouse voice of Neko Case I don't honestly understand how anyone could be disappointed with this purchase.