| Blacklisted | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Neko Case |
| Cover: | Neko Case - Blacklisted.jpg |
| Released: | August 20, 2002 |
| Recorded: | 2002 |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 37:18 |
| Producer: | Craig Schumacher |
| Prev Title: | Canadian Amp |
| Prev Year: | 2001 |
| Next Title: | The Tigers Have Spoken |
| Next Year: | 2004 |
Blacklisted is the third studio album by American musician Neko Case, released on August 20, 2002.
Blacklisted marked a departure from the alternative country sounds of Case's first two solo albums(?). Guest musicians on the album include Howe Gelb, Kelly Hogan, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Joey Burns, John Convertino, and Dallas Good.
As of 2009, sales in the United States have exceeded 113,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[2]
Upon original release, Blacklisted was met with critical applause, with particular praise towards Case's vocals. AllMusic's Mark Deming wrote that it contained "some of her finest and most insightful performances to date", as well as noting her progressions as a lyricist and composer. Eric Carr for Pitchfork echoed this, dubbing her vocals "dense with emotional heft and more richly expressive" than her previous work in power pop collective The New Pornographers. Carr also applauded the backing musicians, calling their contributions "roundly excellent and evocative".
Blacklisted has continually earned praise in recent years, with critics applauding the results that came from Case's then-newfound artistic control. In a 20th anniversary review, Spectrum Cultures Susan Darlington saw it show Case "at her sharpest and most fearless", writing that its songs' "confidence… [are] so great that it makes the listener wonder why it took her so long to take sole writing credits."[3] In another retrospective review, Stereogums Rachel Brodsky saw it announce Case "forging her own country-noir sound", noting its "then-new" qualities such as "pioneering" genre fusion and more. Brodsky wrote of "legions of younger artists" who would try to replicate Blacklisteds sound in the years since its release.[4]
In 2016, Exclaim!s Sarah Greene ranked the album second out of five essential Case records. She called its songs "decadently dark and beautifully scary, providing a sympathetic backdrop for [her] torchy performances."[5] In 2020, Consequence ranked it the best of Case's nine solo works.[6]
Online music magazine Pitchfork placed Blacklisted at number 141 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.[7]
All songs written by Case, except where noted.
Credits sourced from Blacklisteds liner notes.[9]