Back to the beginning for my favourite alt-country/indie-pop rockabilly cum torch chanteuse. I think that The Virginian was her solo debut, and it sees her really belting the songs out (she's a much more subtle, though no less powerful, singer these days, circa Blacklisted) - it's brassy and comes across as fairly unpolished, with her vocals riding high above the rest of the music and often, on cuts like "Karoline" and "Honky Tonk Hiccups", giving herself over to all kinds of idiosyncratic phrasings, growls and whoops. Some of the hooks, too, are a wee bit outrageous (and this from a boy who still numbers "Wuthering Heights" amongst his favourite songs!) - "Bowling Green" comes to mind, as does "Thanks A Lot" - but the exuberance and the strength of her singing make it work.
In general, too, the record's quite a bit more 'down home' and sorta old-time country, and more covers-oriented, than Case's more recent work. It also tends towards the upbeat end of her range, though there are some signs of the balladry that she'd later carry off with such aplomb, particularly on songs like the rather wonderful second half double punch of the title cut and "Duchess".
So I'm not quite sure what I think of The Virginian - a part of me thinks that it's ace, while another part just can't stop dwelling on the certainty that it can't hold a candle to Blacklisted...presumably the answer is that both are true.
