Review for Nexus Magazine (www.nexusmag.co.nz)
To those who have not had the pleasure of listening to Neko Case, she is an American singer/guitarist and a member of indie-pop supergroup The New Pornographers. In stark contrast to the joyous power pop on such classic albums as Electric Version (2003) and Challengers (2007), her solo albums are often beautifully dark and brooding country records. She has received much acclaim for her previous albums Blacklisted and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, so anticipation was very high around the release of this record.
The overall tone on this album is lighter than the melancholic predecessors. People Got a Lotta Nerve, the first single from the album, could easily get a few electric guitars added and it would fit right in with a New Pornographers setlist. There are further moments of pop brilliance on the album, with a cover of Harry Nilsson’s Don’t Forget Me, accompanied by a piano orchestra (six pianos played simultaneously in an old barn). However, the dark Americana creeps back in with tracks like Prison Girls and The Pharaohs. The mix of the two styles creates an exciting blend of music that makes the album a lot more accessible to listen to fully.
Two tracks stood out for me on this album: the bookends to the album. Opening track This Tornado Loves You is a strikingly beautiful tale of destructive love (quite literally in the form of a tornado), and closing track Red Tide (reminiscent of Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black), a cinematic “good riddance” farewell to her former hometown Seattle.
Recommended for anyone who enjoys acoustic singer-songwriters or alt-country music. Even if you don’t usually enjoy these styles of music, check it out anyway and you might be pleasantly surprised.
Rating: 4.5/5
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