Along with an immense cast of contributors, Neko Case set out to follow up 2006’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood with an even more expansive effort. With passionate, haunting ballads and two covers throw into the mix, Middle Cyclone expands on the beauty of Fox Confessor… and unleashes the dark country heart so well expressed in Case’s trademark voice.
Once again blending elegance with a simple folk quality, Case reveals stories of vice and tragedy through her unmistakable delivery and noteworthy backing arrangements on Middle Cyclone. It’s perhaps her most poignant collection so far, with tracks stretching slower and deeper than ever before. The somber, drum roll-driven “Polar Nettles” features an ethereal mix of guitar, organ, and Case’s veiled vocals, and the biting “Vengeance Is Sleeping” rolls along a pattering acoustic guitar/piano combination.
At times, Case opts for more uptempo tracks, which ultimately give this and other albums such amazing balance. “People Got A Lotta Nerve” has one of her most memorable refrains to date, and the bouncing-off chorus on “Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth” possesses a mysteriously gorgeous 60’s pop vibe.
From the breadth found on this album, it’s clear that Neko Case is a master of her own domain. Beyond her voice, her lyrics and songwriting abilities are pure and time in and time out come together with a seemingly holy lack of effort. On Middle Cyclone, she’s assembled another collection of nothing less than magic.
