Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (03/03/2009)

[en480c4]

So, anyone else getting excited about this?

Admittedly I'm a fanboy to the nth degree. But Fox Confessor... remains one of my all-time favorite albums, her back catalog is incredibly strong, and that voice? There just aren't the words.

More and more is starting to come out...

The promo vid:

The label's site, with the free DL of the 1st single, "People Gotta Lot Of Nerve"

ANTI- Neko Case

The great NY Times magazine article from Friday:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15neko-t.html?_r=1

And probably what's gotten me the most excited about it... A first impressions blog:

First Listen: Neko Case ‘Middle Cyclone’ :: Seattle Sound Magazine

I love that the person who wrote the above live blog about their 1st listen feels as though it will take countless listens to take it all in. I think that was my favorite part of Fox Confessor.... It revealed itself to me slowly.

T-Minus 2 weeks and counting!

Edited February 15, 2009 by en480c4

[n_maher]

I too am pretty fired up for this.

[thrice]

March 3 can't come fast enough.

[thrice]

Also, some free live downloads from NPR:

Neko Case, Martha Wainwright in Concert : NPR Music

[Voltron]

This is going to be good stuff and the NYT magazine article today got me even more pumped.

[Dusty Chalk]

Bunch o' fanboys.

[n_maher]

Unashamedly.

[humanflyz]

Yup, looking forward to this as well, and bought the ticket to her show already.

[Dusty Chalk]

Is she any good live?

[en480c4]

So you can decide for yourself.

[Dusty Chalk]

Thanks. I actually thought of that about an hour later and looked up a couple of her Austin City Limits performances (on YouTube no less). Yeah, she's great -- the two I ran across made me think of Black Heart Procession.

[en480c4]

Well, my first listen was under less than ideal conditions... Driving to a job interview of sorts (a bit nervous and distracted) in a Jeep (loud). Having said that, it did not disappoint. I'm looking forward to giving it another listen this afternoon. While it doesn't sound totally different (I'd say it's evolutionary, not revolutionary), it does sound quite a bit more adventurous on all fronts... Songwriting, vocal work and instrumentation.

[n_maher]

I've gone twice through already and while neither was true critical listen I was very pleased with what I heard. It is quite a bit different than Fox Confessor but in my opinion it is in a good way. It's definitely more accessible and I hope it's commercially viable enough that she gets to make many more.

[thrice]

So far so good, on my second listen here at work, so not critical. Definitely an album that will take a little time to absorb.

[Dusty Chalk]

"absorb", you mean like through osmosis?

[thrice]

"absorb", you mean like through osmosis?

Something like that.

[deepak]

I think the songwriting is quite a step backward from Fox Confessor. Having so many collaborators and a bigger band this time around, there is a lot more going on in the songs.

And I do not understand the last track that is 30 minutes long.

[Dusty Chalk]

Neko Case posted a bulletin on her MySpace page today announcing that she will be featured on FabChannel.com for a live streamed concert from Amsterdam. The concert will be broadcast live on that website this Sunday morning, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific. According to the bulletin, "If you aren't able to catch the live stream, keep checking back to FabChannel as they'll be posting the entire performance for streaming next week!"

link

[en480c4]

I think the songwriting is quite a step backward from Fox Confessor. Having so many collaborators and a bigger band this time around, there is a lot more going on in the songs.

Really? I agree there's definitely a lot more going on, but I'd say in a good way... Many layers to sift through. While I'll admit there are some near-perfect songs of Fox Confessor..., I can't say that I felt that way after the first few listens and it took a little time to grow on me. I'm guessing that the more listens Middle Cyclone gets, the more I'll like it, too.

And she has a hell of a knack for ending a song just before I'm ready for it to end, leaving me wanting more... Probably why her albums have such longevity for me. It's tough to get sick of songs that always leave you wanting just one more verse, chorus or refrain.

And I do not understand the last track that is 30 minutes long.

I think it's kind of neat. Especially after hearing the tree frogs earilier in the album. I love her reaction in the little making of video when they end a take and she hears them and tells the rest of them to let the take run long to get them. And I think we can cut her some slack now that she's a fellow New Englander!

---

At this point I can't even begin to count the number of listens I've given this album. I love the varied instrumentation, her voice, the lyrics, changes in tempo. Pretty much everything. So far all but one of the songs are well into the "hit" side of "hit or miss" for me... "Prison Girls" is the only one that hasn't really conneted with me. And as the longest song on the album (by far), I'm thinking it may be because it's the only song that seems to overstay its welcome. The album kind of gets into a rhythm with songs between 2:00 and 3:30, and "Prison Girls" breaks that up. I think I need to listen to it out of context to get a feel for it because I can't seem to in the flow of the album.

I can't wait for March 3rd... I'll be there at midnight Monday night if they're open. If not, I'll take a coffee break when they open @ 9 to pick up the CD (and vinyl if they have it).

[n_maher]

At this point I can't even begin to count the number of listens I've given this album. I love the varied instrumentation, her voice, the lyrics, changes in tempo. Pretty much everything.

Yup, me too. I'm just about done with a 24hr forced hiatus and then I'm going to fire it up again. Between this and the new BFL album it's been a pretty repetitious week, and that's been great.

I can't wait for March 3rd... I'll be there at midnight Monday night if they're open. If not, I'll take a coffee break when they open @ 9 to pick up the CD (and vinyl if they have it).

I have it on good authority that Rain Man Records will be doing a needle drop of this as soon as they get their hands on the vinyl. But from what I'm seeing it isn't due to ship till 3/10 (according to Amazon).

[en480c4]

I'm just about done with a 24hr forced hiatus and then I'm going to fire it up again.

I'll likely be getting a 24 hr + hiatus with travelling this weekend, so I'm just getting listens while I can!

[guzziguy]

I'll likely be getting a 24 hr + hiatus with travelling this weekend, so I'm just getting listens while I can!

iPod? I get some of my best listening in when traveling as there is usually nothing else to do.

[jinp6301]

iPod? I get some of my best listening in when traveling as there is usually nothing else to do.

x2

I probably do 80%+ of my listening on the road.

[deepak]

After more listens I really like about half of the tracks and don't care one way or the other for the other half. I'm getting used to it sounding like a "big band" (some of the songs are in a similar vein to The New Pornagraphers, and I love everything they've put out) album

Another thing I realized is that Fox Confessor just goes by so quickly (and I looked up the time and Middle Cyclone is only ~ 6 minutes longer than Fox Confessor if you don't count the 30 minute track), whereas I find this drones on a bit

I can still see myself listening to it a few times a year like her pre FC albums.

Ian- I actually like Prison Girls (lyrically very interesting, and I like the song as well)

Edited February 20, 2009 by deepak

[Fungi]

I'm gonna go with deepak here; Fox Confessor was just really too good.