The Hideout's Grammy Connection

Neko Case's Middle Cyclone was one of my favorite albums of last year, and not just for the stunning album art, which is absolutely outstanding on its own. Kathleen Judge, long-time Hideout bartender and design artist, designed the cover and is being recognized with a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package. It's also pretty well known that Case, who is up for Best Contemporary Folk Album as well, once upon a time tended the Hideout bar herself.

See more of the Hideout's Grammy connections on DeRo's Sun Times blog.

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards air this Sunday at 7pm CT on CBS.

The Obligatory "Best Of" Posting

These are my favorite albums of 2009. The ones that were on repeat nonstop for sometime throughout the year, the ones I came back to when I wanted to be in a good mood or sing along. I started this list in January in a simple Google Doc where I noted when I could tell an album was beginning to pull on me in some way or another. Is it like I couldn’t remember later which ones supposedly stood out to me throughout the year? Frankly, yes. It’s like when someone comes up and asks you what’s good that’s new, or what they should be listening to right now, or what’s my favorite album right now… my mind goes completely blank.

This sort of list requires some thought, and this list is important enough to me that I didn’t want to accidentally leave out a single one (you know how when you’re packing for a trip and you get there and you realize you left out something really important like your underwear…), hence the Google Doc. I almost didn’t even do a year end list, though. When all the magazine, blog, radio best of lists started coming out, I get tired of reading slightly different versions basically the same lists, but it’s nice to reference back to the year as a whole, and be able to start anew in 2010.

So here it is… and when any of you ask me what my favorite albums/songs of ’09 were (or any of the above questions) I’m going to tell you to read my blog.

I decided to just list them here, in no particular order, without descriptions or reasoning of why I loved them so much—I’m fairly sure I did a pretty good job gushing about each one at some point on my blog in the past year, so if you need backup, click on through to the other side.


Andrew Bird - Noble Beast


Neko Case - Middle Cyclone


Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix


Bad Veins - Bad Veins


The Flaming Lips - Embryonic


Amazing Baby - Rewild


Peter Bjorn & John - Living Thing


Metric - Fantasies


White Rabbits - It's Frightening


Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures


*PS* I'm thinking of putting up a Favorite Songs of '09 list as well (since I just realized I started a best songs Google Doc, too, and there were some good ones!).

I'm clearly loving the new Neko Case album...

Wrote it up for Transmission today...

Neko Case Is All Over The Place
In addition to having AWESOME album art, Neko Case's latest album Middle Cyclone is also an awesome piece of work. A collection of love songs (which she swore to herself that she would never write again...), Middle Cyclone is a beautiful follow up to Fox Confessor Brings The Flood.

The first time I heard a Neko Case song (it was "Star Witness" for good measure) I was completely struck by her entrancing voice and Fox Confessor became one of my favorite albums. Sometimes I wonder if an artist can match themselves after putting out such a great album, but I would say she's one-upped herself with this one. Middle Cyclone is typical Neko in all the right ways, yet new and different in all the right ways. The opening track "This Tornado Loves You" is an energizing, powerful entry into the album, while "People Got a Lotta Nerve" is the catchiest tune that will most likely get the most airplay.

The Sound Opinions boys talk with Neko about the new album in this week's episode available today via podcast and airing on Chicago Public Radio tonight at 8pm (and again tomorrow at 11am). She's joined by guitarist Paul Rigby and backing vocalist Kelly Hogan for a couple of live songs, too.

Middle Cyclone doesn't come out 'til next Tuesday, but until then, NPR is streaming the album in its entirety as part of their Exclusive First Listen series. Also, if you pre-order on iTunes, there are a couple of bonus live tracks recorded at her old stomping ground, The Hideout.

In case this wasn't enough NekoNews for you, she is also embarking on a tour this spring, and makes her stop in Chicago April 24th at Chicago Theatre. Tickets are $30 but are also available at the Chicago Theater box office with no service fees (take that Ticketmaster).

(Photo by Jason Creps)