It's easy to be captivated by Middle Cyclone, the new album from Neko Case. Those enchanting vocals have returned, striking a familiar balance between her alt-country tendencies and indie-pop sensibilities. And while Case's viability as a solo artist skyrocketed after the release of Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, it's fair to say that on Middle Cyclone the spotlight shines just as bright.

Bridging all kinds of musical syles effortlessly with her highly emotive, smoky voice, NEKO CASE has created a masterpiece with Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. This Virginian-born, Tacoma-raised alt-diva got her career started in a big way when she moved to Vancouver and joined THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS (with whom she still records and tours). Case brings an inherent understanding of country music an all of its' possible range of feelings to the table on this new disc, but it's in no way a country album (or even an alt-country album, for that matter...). Case is country like DUSTY SPRINGFIELD or TOWNES VAN ZANT was... she's actually more of a country-noir artist than anything else. It's an emotive starting point, but the music in no way stops or ends there.

Live at the World Cafe, Volume 29

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