The Tigers Have Spoken is definitely a Neko Case album, whether you would call her music 'country' or 'alt-country' or 'country noir' or 'cross country' or 'Lucky Charms'. It's country, I suppose, but not really being much of a country listener myself, I wouldn't know what to compare it to, exactly.
This album is something of a pot luck, as it contains mostly Neko songs, and a couple covers. Some of the Neko songs are new on this album, and a couple also appear on Blacklisted. There's also a surprise, but I would hate to spoil it for anyone who might have even a little interest in listening to this album.
This is a pretty great album! It's a little twangy, which I owe to the presence of the covers of the old-timey country songs, but Neko certainly does them justice. I am partial to Neko's original songs, though; the title track and "Hex" are probably my favorites, though "Train From Kansas City" and "Blacklisted" are strong as well. Even the tracks with a stronger country feel to them ("Loretta", "This Little Light") are eminently listenable, largely due to Neko's voice. (This much, I could go on and on about.)
So, in short: this is a pretty great album, and particularly interesting to any Neko fan who can see the transition here between Blacklisted and 2006's excellent Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. Also, I would be remiss not to mention the marvelous album art, which is almost worth buying the CD for alone (oh, to have this album on vinyl - I would probably just hang it up somwhere). This is just the cover art. Maybe I just like tigers more than most people.
Please, Neko, don't sue me for linking to this album cover.
In Other News:
I'm still not sure what this weekend holds. Hopefully less snow than is forecasted, though.
I am happy that this Saturday is Valentine's Day. Not so much for the day itself, as I think it's a Hallmark holiday and kind of despicable (I suppose it's easy to be single and bitter, though), but because it means Easter candy will be available soon. Creme Eggs!
