Neko Case Tigers falters about halfway through, as two older Case originals ("Blacklisted" and "Favorite") alternate with the album's weakest covers, the Nervous Eaters' growling "Loretta" and Loretta Lynn's "Rated X." The former are not radically different from their studio versions, and on the covers Case buries her most distinctive quality—the warm texture of her voice—beneath shouted melodies and a garble of words. She regains momentum with a boot-stomping cover of the traditional "This Little Light" and a version of "Wayfaring Stranger" that features a 300-person sing-along chorus. While it doesn't eclipse any of her stellar albums, Tigers nevertheless confirms that Case is as solid in concert as she is in the studio. -Catherine P. Lewis
.: Originally published: the Baltimore CityPaper: 24 November 2004
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