#6: Neko Case - 'The Tigers Have Spoken'

Most artists put out live albums so they can steal money from fans. For Tigers, Neko Case chose instead to showcase some new tunes, rarities and covers (some pretty obscure) in anticipation of her debut for Anti Records in the spring. Furthermore, she recruited occasional collaborators The Sadies as her backing band to give fans a taste of a more rocking side (Case usually tours as a trio with just pedal steel, banjo and stand-up bass to back her up). If records can be measured in number of moments of pure musical bliss, this would be the album of the decade. With additional vocals from Carolyn Mark and Kelly Hogan, Case’s usual stellar live shows are amped up to ridiculously near-perfect. The one downside – the record is painfully short at 35 minutes or so, and the end feels like a cruel tease because you just can’t believe that in an age where the decrepit Rolling Stones put out four live DVD’s that we are only allowed to have half an hour of Neko Case. But I’ll take what I can get, and I’d pay $50 for any one of these performances so it’s really quite a bargain at $14.99 for the whole damned thing.

And just in case you were wondering, Neko Case was covering Loretta Lynn's "Rated X" before Jack White thought of it.