I first heard about Neko Case in the October 2004 issue of ChartAttack Magazine when there was a small mention of the CD release, Hard-Headed Woman: A Celebration Of Wanda Jackson, in which Neko performed Wanda Jackson's Brown Eyed Handsome Man. I haven't heard the song, unfortunately, so I can't tell you if it is good or not. But another page of the Oct '04 issue was an advertisement for Neko Case's album, The Tiger's Have Spoken. I wondered to myself if this was her debut album, and with a little research, I found that she had three previous recordings PLUS she is a member of the 'indie rock' group, The New Pornographers. Her debut The Virginian, Furnace Room Lullaby, and Blacklisted. It wasn't until Blacklisted that she begun to achieve true notariety. On the LP she completely changed genres; going from otherworldy blues into soul music with a dash of plain ol' rock n' roll. But whatever the genre, Neko's enormously bold and beautiful voice comes on like Loretta Lynn and a modern-day Patsy Cline. All this combined with great melodies and classic country heartbreak.
The Tigers Have Spoken is a facet of Case's versatile sound, though crammed into a very short (35) minutes. The album, which was recorded live in Toronto and Chicago, includes new original songs and classic covers including my favourite, Shangri-La's Train From Kansas City; a sad, bittersweet story about unexpected heartbreak. The album is full of the 
same grim and fragile pain demonstrated by Neko's Favorite; filled with beautiful and morbid imagery: Last night I dreamt that I hit a deer with my car/ Blood from his heart spilled out onto my dress and was warm/ He begged me to follow but legions of sorrow defied me. I was a little disappointed however with how short The Tigers Have Spoken is. I'm not surprised that my favorites are the longest tracks on the album; they last longer and are more full-bodied; like a good wine.
Now that I had sipped a little of this fine country aroma, I felt the need for more. Fortunately, Neko's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood was newly released and the opening track's lyrical empathy for imperfect individuals shows off Case's songstress abilities: Ancient strings set feet a light to speed to her such mild grace/ No monument of tacky gold/ They smoothed her hair with cinnamon waves and they placed an ingot in her breast to burn cool and collected/ Fate holds her firm in its cradle and rolls her for a tender/ Pause to savor/ Everything's so easy for Pauline…
These were the sorrowful and melodic words that filtered through my stereo into my eager ears; the song was Margaret vs Pauline. Neko Case is definitely bringing the flood on Fox Confessor and this is probably her strongest work to-date (in my opinion). It is so much more detailed than her previous albums. The lyrical wonder that echoed through my room, quenched my thirst for good country. I haven't liked country prior to listening to Case, but her version of alt country is to my tastes. I had been deprived of such excellence as I had soaked in the short album of The Tigers Have Spoken. Sorry for going off track, but I have been satisfied like a musical prostitute who can't get enough. All sexual references aside, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is something good to invest in and I suggest listening to tracks from Blacklist, The Tigers Have Spoken, and definitely Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.
Sleepy's Suggested Tracks:
Blacklist: Wish I Was the Moon, Pretty Girls, Ladypilot, and Runnin' Out of Fools (angry version of an Elvis Costello original).
The Tigers Have Spoken: Train From Kansas City, If You Knew, and Favorite.
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood: Hold On, Hold On, Star Witness, Dirty Knife, and Margaret vs. Pauline.
P.S. I suffer from a slight music Compact Disc-buying addiction and even if I haven't heard any prior music from a certain artist, I still find myself buying their album. Often, I am slightly disappointed and feel surges of regret, but investing in Neko has been a valuable purchase (to me anyway). I hope you agree 
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