A.C. Newman is about to release his second solo album Get Guilty, which means it's just about time for fellow multi-tasking New Pornographer Neko Case to (try to) show (him) up with her own extracurricular record. Middle Cyclone is her first collection of new material in three years (following 2006's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood). She recorded the 15 songs -- originals plus covers of Sparks' "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" and "Don't Forget Me" by Harry Nilsson (which we witnessed live with some other new tracks) -- in Tucson, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Vermont. The instrumentation is Case backed by a five-piece band plus guest spots by M. Ward, Sarah Harmer, Garth Hudson and members of Los Lobos, Calexico, Lilys, Giant Sand, New Pornos, the Sadies, etc. The album cover, though, is Case by her lonesome, surfing her muscle car.