New Releases: Neko Case Leads The Flood

Last week there was nothing to talk about. This week, there's just too much. We begin with a former indie queen who's about to take the crown back from reigning monarch Feist.

Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood is her first studio album in four years and, without spoiling too much, it's worth the tremendous wait. Not that Case has been quiet in the years between records. She has, of course, been busy with The New Pornographers, collaborations with The Sadies and Howe Gelb (who both appear on the new LP), and a live album. Let's just say that it's good to have the real Case back.

Speaking of long awaited, Goldfrapp finally return to the club scene this week with Supernature. This record has been pushed back more times than anyone in this office can even remember. Barring any last minute announcements (fingers crossed), long-suffering fans can finally get their hands on a hard copy this Tuesday.

One artist we've had no shortage of in the last few years is Stephen McBean, the leader of the Black Mountain army. Inconceivably, amidst non-stop touring and promotion for his other band in 2005, McBean found a few minutes to record a new Pink Mountaintops LP. Axis Of Evol is somewhat short (with only seven tracks), but isn't lacking anywhere else.

Another increasingly busy musician with a new release is John Crossingham. The singer/songwriter has been touring almost non-stop since last fall as a member of Broken Social Scene. His full-time band, Raising The Fawn, release their latest effort, The Maginot Line, this week.

Isobel Campbell hasn't had the most stellar run of luck since she left Belle And Sebastian. Her middling solo work hasn't allowed her to outdistance her old band in the least. Her latest attempt, however, is a little more unique. Ballad Of The Broken Seas is a full-on collaboration with ex-Screaming Tree Mark Lanegan. We'll see if the gimmick is a successful one in the coming weeks.

Other releases this week include The Rogers Sisters' The Invisible Deck, I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness' Fear Is On Our Side, Stereolab's Fab Four Suture, Half-Handed Clouds' Halos And Lassos and Kris Kristofferson's This Old Road.