the top of my list (best CD of 2002)

Any time I put this CD in the stereo, it stays for weeks. Any CD by Neko Case, really. It takes hold of my life and I'm unable to listen to anything else until I've gotten it out of my system for the hundredth time. But this one especially. With backing from such alt-folk/country luminaries as Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino, the Sadies' Dallas Good, and Giant Sand man Howe Gelb, there's just something special about Blacklisted.

gorgeous record

i LOVE THIS RECORD!! at first, i wasn't sure how i felt about it. i listened, and it didn't grab me right away. i put it down, picked it up a few months later, and i thought, 'what the hell is wrong is with me? why didn't i love this? i could've been loving this for the past couple months!' then, i thought, 'maybe it just wasn't the right time.' so if you get the album (which you most definitely should), and it doesn't grab you first listen, don't fret my pet, it will. the record evokes late 40's/early 50's to me. just the time, the imagery of the music, lyrics, they do that to me. i will concede that there is a little too much reverb on her voice, but then i thought it's probably intentional. or perhaps it's just where she recorded it. maybe the acoustics weren't the best, and that again, adds to the feel of the record. if you love faith hill, and think she's god's gift to country music, you're a fool (just kidding). this record doesn't sound like faith hill, and thank god for that and neko case.

Dusty bells dusty moon

boy, i was excited when this first came out. i first got hooked on Neko Case after hearing her song "Twist the Knife" on a sampler cd that came with a magazine. after that one fateful listen, i ran to the store and purchased "Furnace Room Lullabye." that album owned me for months and months and still brings a chill to my bones when i hear it years later. i was lucky to see her live performance many times and it only confirmed my deep love and respect for Neko. she writes great songs, she has an amazing voice and a rare talent that some might even call "unearthly." she can belt out the scorching hot songs and leave you weeping with her tales of broken hearts and lovelorn nights. well, when "Blacklisted" came out, i had high expectations. Since "Furnace Room Lullabye" was sooooo good, i was hoping this would be as good if not better. well, at first listen, i was a bit underwhelmed. their is a dustier, more road weary feel to this album. probably due to the fact that members of Calexico contributed alot to this record. and that small subtle shift took just a few listens to get used to. but once it set in....the status of this album was undeniably classic. "Tightly", "Deep Red Bells" and "I Wish I Was The Moon" are standout cuts and rank up there with neko's absolute best material. other songs like "Outro With Bees", "I Missed the Point", & "Ghost Wiring" are good little tunes, but are frustrating in the fact that they feel like a good idea left unfinished. by the time you feel the song is leading somewhere, it suddenly ends. a little dissapointing in some regards, but overall it adds a unique and kind of mysterious feel to the album as a whole. it took me a little bit of time to wrap my ears around "Blacklisted", but once i did, i fell in love with it. you will too. enjoy. neko forever! heehee. :)