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Critic Reviews
100
Fire may have robbed Neko Case of her home, but she’s emerged from the ashes even better than before.
8y
100
Yet another high-point in Case’s unstintingly stirring career.
8y
90
With Hell-On, Case has once again given herself an ideal showcase for her talents as a vocalist, songwriter, and producer; it's lush but intimate, and one of the strongest and most satisfying records she's delivered to date. Which, given her catalog, says a great deal.
7y
90
She doles out her anger in spoonfuls, washed down with humor and hooks. Like a modern siren, Case lures you in with her hypnotic voice until you become lost in the wreckage of her stories.
6y
90
Hell-On is incredibly dense and eclectic; each moment sonically plays up Case's lyrics and her inimitable delivery — which can turn from tough to vulnerable, to casually wry and to siren-esque within a few lines.
8y
87
This time around, Case looks inward to instill her most personal anecdotes and most sensitive nerves into her already acclaimed style of storytelling, and hits her musical sweet spot with her most eclectic and accessible album of her nearly 25 year career.
8y
86
She’s like no one else, with an artistic vision that’s deeply rooted and clearly focused, and an adventurous compositional spirit that runs laps around most of her contemporaries. As a result, her catalog overflows with interesting and unconventional songs that nonetheless feel comforting and familiar. That’s a catalog worth celebrating, and Hell-On is a wonderful new chapter of Case’s career.
8y
80
Neko Case's clarion pipes remain the calling card, but on her 8th studio LP, between lyrics and vocal arrangements, they've never channeled more imagination or sense of purpose.
7y
80
It shows that whatever life brings her, Case can turn it into something startling.
4y
80
Even with six solo albums under her belt, a few stone-cold classics and, of course, that whole New Pornographers thing, Hell-On is still Case’s most raging tempest yet. She doesn’t go big, she goes universal.
8y
80
Her lyricism is more on-point than ever and stands tall as the album’s driving force.
8y
80
Despite her life circumstances, Case’s longtime audience will find her latest project familiar and welcoming. Full of eccentric pop melodies and gothic country odes, Case’s first self-produced album remains fascinating and deeply creative.
8y
80
This is an album of disparate musical tones that together create an emotional journey.
7y
80
As ever, Case finds room for expansive manoeuvres in the gap between her lusty, orthodox pop choruses and droll, deadpan voice. Still a singer-songwriter like no other.
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3y
80
It’s a richly realised record and one that is as powerful a statement in support of Case’s measured musical expertise as it is her long-established prowess as a lyric writer.
8y
80
As Neko Case gets older, her songwriting and overall musicianship have no intention of plateauing. Instead, they grow with her, and the end result is always something organic and strangely beautiful.
8y
80
Hell-On is an impressive adventure through the mind and talents of one our most erstwhile and beloved musical treasures.
8y
80
On Hell-On, Case once again spins the roulette with a treasury of surprises, stimulating lessons that are complex, thoughtful and articulate. Fifteen years into her solo career, she continues to bring forth subjects that demand to not only be heard, but also applied, and yet it's always strictly tailored into the fabric of actual songs.
8y
80
Case is far more than an “effective manipulator”, she is in fact one of our most underrated songwriters. Hell-On is a good demonstration of just how great she’s become.
8y
77
Hell-On is a record that can feel equally fragile and impenetrable, its songs like complex universes connected only by proximity.
8y
75
Even when buried in the thick metaphors of Hell-On, she’s gracefully tuned in to her own music and not the world around it.
8y
70
With Hell-On, Case continues to cultivate fresh expressions of personal growth from familiar terrain.
8y
70
Regardless of some disconnect with Lanegan’s detached presence, Hell-On drafts a potent manifesto for women who speak their truth, sing their songs, and live by their word.
7y
70
If we're going to rank Neko Case albums, then Hell-On might not be at the very top of the list. But Case is always a fascinating singer and songwriter and that is still in effect here.
8y
60
Images both earthy and heavenly make repeated showings, but case's vexing concern is troubled humans.
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5y
60
Fans willing to follow these winding, often convoluted melodies and thoughts may enjoy the ride. But there is a chilly, somewhat detached vibe that often overtakes the material, making it a challenge to unpack each of these dense selections on an album that’s easier to appreciate and admire than enjoy.
8y
neko case always knows how to deliver sadly a bit more chill than usual but still good
yes mommy
UPDATE 5/15/18: really loving all three singles, especially "Curse of the I-5 Corridor" - she did that!
UPDATE 5/25/18: Will need to listen more but so far...... this is the album I wanted Fox Confessor Brings the Flood to Be. Really loving the dark direction the album takes almost immediately when you get into the second half with "Dirty Diamond" and "Oracle of the Maritimes."
The most standout moment for me is probably the ending of "Gumball ... read more
I already wrote all my thoughts in a notebook while listening so I will just name my favorite songs and my least favorite.
Best songs: Last Lion of Albion, Bad Luck, Gumball Blue, Sleep All Summer, Halls of Sarah, Winnie, Oracle of the Maritimes
Worst songs: Dirty Diamond mostly because it was too much of a riddle.
neko case always knows how to deliver sadly a bit more chill than usual but still good
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Track List
| 1 | Hell - On 4:09 | 70 |
| 2 | Last Lion of Albion 3:42 | 72 |
| 3 | Halls of Sarah 3:50 | 70 |
| 4 | Bad Luck 3:54 | 69 |
| 5 | Curse of the I-5 Corridor 6:57 | 68 |
| 6 | Gumball Blue 4:10 | 67 |
| 7 | Dirty Diamond 3:37 | 65 |
| 8 | Oracle of the Maritimes 4:24 | 66 |
| 9 | Winnie 3:50 | 67 |
| 10 | Sleep All Summer 5:11 | 70 |
| 11 | My Uncle's Navy 4:12 | 71 |
| 12 | Pitch or Honey 4:27 | 74 |
Total Length: 52 minutes
Year End Lists
| #2 | / | The A.V. Club |
| #9 | / | God Is In The TV |
| #12 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
| #12 | / | Uncut |
| #16 | / | Albumism |
| #25 | / | PopMatters |
| #28 | / | Q Magazine |
| #29 | / | Fopp |
| #31 | / | Double J |
| #31 | / | Paste |
| #33 | / | Rolling Stone |
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