Neko Case - 'Fox Confessor Brings The Flood'

If you pre-order Neko Case's new album at Amazon, you can stream the entire record until the release date (March 7).

I've listened to it about five times. I'll keep it short - if you're a Neko Case fan, this is the album you've been waiting for. Take all of the disparate elements of her previous records, take all of her strengths, take the stuff you most love about her music. Now put it in a blender. The result is Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, her most fully realized piece of work yet.

There is nothing here that screams "sellout" or "breakthrough" - it's simply the best, most complete work from an already substantial artist. Her songwriting continues to defy normal (i.e. boring) conventions, and she retains that "country noir" vibe that has defined most of her studio records. Neko was already a brilliant singer, but this album catapults her into the echelon of truly elite artists. But simply put, this is the finest Neko Case album so far.

Here's to 20 more just like it!