Rating:
* * *
Neko Case's fifth solo studio album is near perfection. Or it should be.
Her voice is at its rich, raspy best. Her lyrics are steeped with poignant and precise metaphors. Every track has its own distinct sound, yet the album remains cohesive and retains Case's relaxed country pop flavour.
And yet, somehow the record is less than the sum of its parts. Listening to it begins to feel like a chore as the record painstakingly ticks all the boxes.