The Corn Sisters, The Other Women (Mint Records, 2000)

The Corn Sisters were a short-lived country/folk duo in the late nineties, featuring Canadian Carolyn Mark and American Neko Case. The Other Women is a live album that was recorded at a small club in Seattle in 1998. Mark continues to have a respectable career as a folksinger in Canada, but Case was one of the very best artists of this past decade. The album is noteworthy for capturing Neko Case well before her career took off.

The Other Women mixes original songs (mostly by Mark) with covers of people like Loretta Lynn and Lucinda Williams and folk standards like "This Little Light of Mine." The instrumentation is sparse, consisting of an acoustic guitar and very light percussion. Mark comes across as being the more experienced and polished performer at the time, but Case's voice predictably takes the spotlight. Her lead vocals on Dave Lang's "She's Laving Town" and the country ballad "Long Black Veil," and her mournful wailing in the background on Mark's "Matinéed," are simply breathtaking; the recording equipment may not have been state-of-the-art, but the power in Case's voice comes through as clear as crystal. Case has moved a little bit away from her country roots in recent years, but The Other Women nicely reflects the foundations of Case's style. The snippets of between-song banter and songs like the upbeat but goofy "Corn on the Cob" (from which I'm guessing the duo took their name) reflect the quirky sense of humor that has come to characterize Case's live performances -- although to be fair, Mark was an equal participant in this.

Indeed, the problem with looking back on an album like this where one of the performers has become a star (at least in the indie and alternative sense of the word), and the other continues to perform at similar small venues, is that it's hard to be fair to the lesser-known performer. Carolyn Mark comes across as a likable singer, with a fun sense of humor, good taste in covers, and at least a decent songwriting ability. Neko Case has proven to be more than that, though, and while they may have been on equal footing at the time, the pronounced difference in raw talent is impossible to miss.

On its own terms, The Other Women is a pretty good no-frills country/folk recording from a pair of capable young artists. Fans of the subsequent work of either performer should like this recording, and people interested in Neko Case's history will find it well worth their while.

Overall grade: B

reviewed by Scott

A photo montage set to "Corn on the Cob"

The New Pornographers, Together (Matador Records, 2010)

With their quirky power-pop style, The New Pornographers were one of the most intriguing bands of the last decade. Comprised of an all-star selection from the Vancouver indie scene of the late 90's, the octet feature a top-notch singer/songwriter in A. C. Newman, and as good a backup/change-of-pace vocalist as you're ever going to find in Neko Case. They brought their music into the new decade this past May with the release of their fifth album Together.

Together follows a similar format to the previous New Pornographers albums. Newman writes the bulk of the songs, singing lead a bit more than half the time and giving several songs to Case. Dan Bejar writes and sings two or three songs on each album as well. Other than the addition of keyboardist/vocalist Kathryn Calder during the tour for their 2005 album Twin Cinema, the supporting cast of Blaine Thurier (keyboards), John Collins (bass), Todd Fancey (guitar), and Kurt Dahle (drums) has remained constant since the beginning. The band's sound hasn't changed much over the years, featuring catchy guitar rock with cerebral lyrics. I think the predictability has hurt the band somewhat on their recent albums, but there are some good songs on Together regardless. My favorite song on the new album is a particularly energetic rocker called "Your Hands (Together)." "Up in the Dark" and "We End Up Together" are strong upbeat tracks as well, and the curiously title "Valkyrie in the Roller Disco" is a good ballad as well.

While I wouldn't recommend Together as highly as I would Twin Cinema, there is enough quality on the new record to justify the purchase. The New Pornographers have built up an impressive catalog of songs over the past ten years, and they do not appear to be done just yet.

Overall grade: B+

reviewed by Scott

"Your Hands (Together)"

Top 10 CDs of 2009

So finally, after only a month of procrastination, I've reviewed all the albums I listened to in 2009 and can present to you my annual list of favorites.

10. Dan Auerbach, Keep it Hid: Some solid old-school rock from Ohio.

9. Captain Bogg & Salty, Emphatical Piratical: Aargh! Move up a few spots if you have kids. Move up a few more spots if your kids are into pirates.

8. The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Communion: If they put the best half of this on a single disc, it would have gotten an A.

7. Neko Case, Middle Cyclone: Still cryptic, still alluring, still a killer voice.

6. Týr, By the Light of the Northern Star: A fun mix of history, Norse legend, and hard rock.

5. White Rabbits, It's Frightening: Drum roll, please!

4. Kris Delmhorst, Shotgun Singer: A really artistic record that kept growing on me.

3. Rupa & The April Fishes, Este Mundo: Wildly eclectic, globally conscious, and fun.

2. Boot, Soot: The best Nordic CD since 2000.

1. Warsaw Village Band, Infinity: Superior musicianship combined with brazen experimentation.

I've discovered, among other things, that I really need to rework my grading system, especially where the B+ albums are concerned -- a few of them made the list, and a few might not have even deserved a B. Oh well, back to the drawing board in 2010...

Neko Case, Middle Cyclone (Anti-, 2009)

You could argue that, given her solo career and her contributions to The New Pornographers, nobody has been part of more good music over the past decade than Neko Case. Certainly her 2002 CD Blacklisted will figure prominently when I make my top 10 list for the decade, and if I make a similar list of concerts, her performance at the Bowery Ballroom on Valentine's Day 2005 would rank at or near the top. Her new album Middle Cyclone is flawed in places, but Case still expands on her reputation for alluringly cryptic lyrics and haunting melodies with a number of excellent songs.

While most of her early solo work would qualify as country, Case has incorporated more straightforward folk and mellow alternative rock into her sound over the years. Middle Cyclone continues this progression. The one intriguing instrumental addition is the "piano orchestra." Case filled a barn on her Vermont property with pianos, and together with a bunch of friends (including two New Pornographers and Garth Hudson of The Band) had all of the pianos playing simultaneously on several of the songs. In general it's more of a curiosity than an enhancement, but it does work to great effect on her cover of Harry Nilsson's "Don't Forget Me."

Case has generally done a good job of balancing the faster and slower songs on her previous albums, but on Middle Cyclone there is a marked difference in quality between them. The more upbeat songs here, other than the closing song "Red Tide," don't do all that much for me. The opening song "This Tornado Loves You" and the single "People Got a Lotta Nerve" both suffer from choruses that sound forced, and the attempted environmental anthem "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" certainly means well but comes across as preachy. By contrast, a number of the quieter, moodier songs are simply superb, and rank among Case's best work. Songs like "The Next Time You Say Forever," "Polar Nettles," "Vengeance Is Sleeping," "Middle Cyclone," and "Don't Forget Me" would each by themselves justify the purchase of the album. A full album of that would have been truly special.

Curiosly, Case appends a half hour of outdoor sounds, mostly consisting of croaking frogs, to the end of the album. A minute or two might have been interesting, but there is such a thing as overkill.

Middle Cyclone may be uneven, but the good parts of it are exceptional and more than outweigh the weaker material. Neko Case can be extraordinarily good when the spirit moves her, and this album has more than enough examples of that to make it worth multiple listenings.

Overall grade: A-

reviewed by Scott

Neko Case gives an overview of the songs on her new album.

The New Pornographers, Challengers (Matador Records, 2007)

The New Pornographers began life in the late nineties as a side project of a number of performers involved in the Vancouver music scene. By the time their first CD Mass Romantic came out in 2000, though, most of the band members' other musical projects had fallen by the wayside. Only vocalist Neko Case, who has had a superb career as a solo artist, has matched separately what the New Pornographers have accomplished collectively. Last month they followed up their excellent 2005 CD Twin Cinema with the release of their fourth album, titled Challengers.

Challengers largely follows the same formula established on the first three New Pornographers albums. Guitarist A. C. Newman writes most of the songs, giving a few to Case to sing and singing the rest himself. The remaining songs are contributed by Danny Bejar, whose quirky stream-of-consciousness lyrics have always provided a welcome counterpoint to Newman's more conventional approach. Musically, the band haven't strayed too far from the power pop that defined their sound initially, although the new album does include a bit of orchestration. Some of Newman's lyrics on the new record take a fairly serious tone as well; on the opener "My Rights Versus Yours," he sings about not wanting to fall under the wheels of "the new empire in rags."

I felt that the New Pornographers took a big step forward the previous time around with Twin Cinema, especially Newman as a songwriter. Challengers, while still good on the whole and certainly worth getting if you're a fan, didn't make quite the same impression on me. It has some fun songs like "All Of The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth" and "Mutiny, I Promise You," but I feel that the band covers mostly familiar territory here. Still, it's a respectable effort from one of the better bands out there right now.

Overall grade: B

reviewed by Scott

Top 10 CD's of 2006

Hello and Happy New Year. As promised, it's time for the annual Top 10 CD list. Given the predominance of iTunes and iPods and single-song downloads, it's easy to be concerned that the album is becoming a lost art. Commercially there may be an element of truth to that, but I've reviewed plenty of albums this past year that are worth enjoying as a whole, not piecemeal. And as always, I have much more respect for artists who can impress me for forty minutes at a time, rather than just four.

I've reviewed nine of these albums already, and the tenth was reviewed here by Jim Lynch, so I don't have to go into any lengthy descriptions.

1. The Ditty Bops, Moon Over The Freeway. They're clever, they're funny, and they have to many good songs to ignore.



2. Johnny Clegg, One Life. I'm always happy when an old stand-by returns to form in a big way.




3. Dion, Bronx In Blue. He's always been a great singer, but I was really impressed with his guitar-playing on this one.



4. Värttinä, Miero. They're doing some U.S. shows this month, so keep your eyes open. The review was posted in Green Man Review.



5. Merrie Amsterburg, Clementine and Other Stories. Like Bronx in Blue, this album brings the musical traditions of America's past into the 21st century.


6. Loreena McKennitt, An Ancient Muse. Another unique artist makes a fine return.




7. Weird Al Yankovic, Straight Outta Lynwood. His biggest hit, only twenty-five years after his first album. Even people like me who loved his first record assumed at the time that he was just a novelty act. I guess we were wrong.

8. Maria Kalaniemi, Bellow Poetry. To really hear this one, turn the lights out and shut off all sound.




9. Amy Speace, Songs For Bright Street. A sharp wit and some good melodies should have gotten her more attention than she has to this point.



10. Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood. Eerie and Cryptic, but also compelling.

Digg This
Del.icio.us

Related Post:

The Top 10 CD's of 2005

Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (Anti, 2006)

Over the past five years, Neko Case has built a strong following among fans of alternative country and folk rock, due to her powerfully alluring voice and her intriguing, often cryptic songs. With her latest effort Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, Case aims for even more mystery and a deeper ambiance. Most of the album floats along on a sea of echo and reverb; the surface may seem tranquil, but some dangerous, disturbing undercurrents lurk beneath. Even the album's artwork conveys the same dark mystery that the songs do. Only the rousing traditional gospel song "John Saw That Number" breaks from the overall feel of the disc. The moodiness of the album will definitely please some more than others, but songs like the title track and "Dirty Knife" have an undeniable potency to them, and the layers of complexity in the lyrics and melodies reward repeated listenings.

Liking Fox Confessor Brings The Flood requires both an attention span and a willingness to let your mind venture through some dark places. The journey is made easier, at least, by some great performances on the disc. Case's voice remains superlatively strong, and her greatest selling point. She also has suurounded herself with a small group of close friends who also happen to be great musicians, including guitarist Paul Rigby, backing vocalist Kelly Hogan, the members of the Canadian retro-rock band The Sadies, and The Band's legendary keyboardist Garth Hudson. The dark feel that permeates Fox Confessor Brings The Flood makes it hard for me to recommend it to everybody, but those who find beauty in darkness will find much to like about it.

Overall grade: A-