Wild Creatures

Wild Creatures is a 2022 compilation album by American singer-songwriter Neko Case. The retrospective includes songs from her entire solo career—minus debut album The Virginian —as well as a new track and has received positive reviews from critics. Case has promoted the release with custom animations for each song, a series of live-streamed events, and a concert tour.

Reception
Editors at AllMusic chose this as one of their favorite archival releases of the year and rated this album 4.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Mark Deming writing that Case's "body of work that...never fails to impress with her silky but bold vocals, her inventive melodic sense, her atmospheric and evocative arrangements, and lyrics that are deeply personal and artful while also being powerfully direct and emotionally forceful" and he characterized this compilation as "a deeply satisfying sampling from her first 25 years, and it's hard not to believe (or hope) she has another 25 this good still in her". Justin Cober-Lake of PopMatters gave this collection a 7 out of 10, praising the songs, but stating that it "feels like a missed opportunity in a way" due to not displaying the shifts in Case's sound, although he still declared this "a fantastic listen".

Track listing
All songs written by Neko Case, except where noted. <!--
 * 1) "I'm an Animal" – 2:29
 * 2) "Lady Pilot" – 2:27
 * 3) "Halls of Sarah" (Case and Paul Rigby) – 3:52
 * 4) "Man" (Case and Rigby) – 3:29
 * 5) "Star Witness" – 5:18
 * 6) "I Wish I Was the Moon" – 3:34
 * 7) "The Next Time You Say "Forever"" – 1:47
 * 8) "Favorite" – 3:44
 * 9) "Hell-On" (Case and Rigby) – 4:01
 * 10) "Hold On, Hold On" (Case and The Sadies) – 2:44
 * 11) "Polar Nettles" – 2:33
 * 12) "Wild Creatures" – 2:40
 * 13) "Furnace Room Lullaby" (Case and Travis Good) – 2:56
 * 14) "A Widow's Toast" – 1:39
 * 15) "Deep Red Bells" – 4:04
 * 16) "This Tornado Loves You" – 3:19
 * 17) "Winnie" (Case and Rigby) – 3:52
 * 18) "Night Still Comes" – 3:48
 * 19) "Maybe Sparrow" – 2:37
 * 20) "Things That Scare Me" (Case and Tom V. Ray) – 2:36
 * 21) "The Tigers Have Spoken" (Case and The Sadies) – 2:58
 * 22) "Set Out Running" (Case, Peter Elkas, Ben Gunning, Ryan Myshrall, and Jason Tustin – 2:56
 * "Oh, Shadowless" (Case and Rigby) – 2:30

Personnel
A.C. Newman Vocals (Background) Andrew Hewson Assistant Engineer Anna DeWolf Violin Barbara Gruska Drums, Percussion Barry Mirochnick Drums Beth Ditto Vocals Björn Yttling Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Producer Bo Koster Keyboards, Mellotron, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer Brad Hutchinson Banjo Brian Connelly Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Baritone) Brian Lucey Assistant Engineer Bruno Soares Assistant Engineer Carl Newman Vocals (Background) Carolyn Mark Vocals, Vocals (Background) Chris Schultz Engineer, Soundscape Chris Testa Engineer Christine Ribero Assistant Engineer Craig Schumacher Engineer, Producer Dallas Good Guitar (12 String), Guitar (Baritone), Guitar (Electric), Vocals Darryl Neudorf Engineer, Guitar (Acoustic), Mixing, Producer Don Kerr Cello Doug Gillard Guitar, Harpsichord Doug McClement Engineer Evan Johns Guitar, Soloist Ford Pier Organ Frankie Pett Assistant Engineer, Engineer Garth Hudson Organ, Piano Gary Tompkins Assistant Engineer Howe Gelb Organ Jason Creps Photography Jeff Galegher Kalimba, Sample Loops Jennie Benford Mandolin, Vocals Jim Blackwood Engineer Jim James Vocals (Background) Jim Krewson Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals Joel Trueblood Drums Joey Burns Accordion, Bass, Bass (Electric), Bass (Upright), Bowed Bass, Cello, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Tenor), Piano, Pump Organ John Askew Engineer John Convertino Drums John Ramberg Guitar (Electric) Jon Rauhouse Banjo, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Steel), Hawaiian Guitar, Pedal Steel Kelly Hogan Tambourine, Train Whistle, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Kenny Siegal Engineer Kurt Dahle Drums Kurt Heasley Guitar, Vocals (Background) Lasse Mårtén Mixing Laura Plansker Artwork, Character Design Laura Veirs Vocals (Background) Lucy Wainwright Roche Vocals (Background) M. Ward Guitar (Electric) Matt Downing Vocals, Vocals (Background) Michael Finn Assistant Engineer Mike Belitsky Drums Mike Geier Vocals (Background) Neko Case Arranger, Composer, Electric 6-String Guitar, Guitar, Guitar (8 String), Guitar (Electric Tenor), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Tenor), Kalimba, Mixing, Photography, Primary Artist, Producer, Tambourine, Vocal Ad-Libs, Vocal Harmony, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Nick Luca Engineer Nora O'Connor Vocals, Vocals (Background) Paul Morstad Banjo Paul Rigby Arranger, Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar Loops Peter J. Moore Mastering Rachel Flotard Vocals (Background) Ryen Froggatt Mixing Scott Betts Bass Sean Dean Bass (Upright) Sebastian Steinberg Autoharp, Bass (Electric) Steve Berlin MIDI Sax, Sax (Baritone) Steve Turner Guitar (Electric) Tal Peer Assistant Engineer Tara Szczygielski Violin The Sadies Composer Tom Good Composer Tom V. Ray Arranger, Bass, Bass (Upright), Composer Travis Good Bass (Upright), Fiddle, Guitar (8 String), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Baritone), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Vocals Trevor Hermandez Layout Tucker Martine Engineer, Mixing

1	I'm an Animal 2:29 2	Lady Pilot 2:27 3	Halls of Sarah 3:52 4	Man 3:29 5	Star Witness 5:18 6	I Wish I Was the Moon 3:34 7	The Next Time You Say "Forever" 1:47 8	Favorite 3:44 9	Hell-On 4:01 10	Hold On, Hold On 2:44 11	Polar Nettles 2:33 12	Wild Creatures 2:40 13	Furnace Room Lullaby assistant recording engineer: Franky Pett (from 1999-01 until 1999-03) recording engineer: Darryl Neudorf (in 1999-01) acoustic guitar: Darryl Neudorf acoustic guitar [8-string guitar], double bass [upright bass] and electric guitar: Travis Good cello: Don Kerr background vocals: Mike Geier (in 1999-01) background vocals [harmony] and lead vocals: Neko Case background vocals [spooky ooh's]: Kelly Hogan (in 1999-01) recorded at: Uberstudio in Chicago, Illinois, United States (background vocals [Kelly and Mike's vocals]) and The Miller Block (aka Miller Block Media) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (from 1999-01 until 1999-03) recording of: Furnace Room Lullaby writer: Neko Case and Travis Good 2:56 14	A Widow's Toast 1:39 15	Deep Red Bells 4:04 16	This Tornado Loves You part of: Paste: Best Music of 2009 (So Far): Josh Jackson songs (number: 13) recording of: This Tornado Loves You lyricist: Neko Case composer: Neko Case and Paul Rigby 4 3:19 17	Winnie 3:52 18	Night Still Comes 3:48 19	Maybe Sparrow 2:37 20	Things That Scare Me mixer: Alf Annibalini, Neko Case, Mac McGill and Darryl Neudorf 12 string guitar: Dallas Good acoustic guitar and organ and tenor guitar: Joey Burns banjo: Jon Rauhouse drums (drum set): John Convertino (alt-rock drummer) vocals: Neko Case 5 2:36 21	The Tigers Have Spoken 2:58 22	Set Out Running assistant recording engineer: Franky Pett (from 1999-01 until 1999-03) recording engineer: Darryl Neudorf (in 1999-01) acoustic guitar and mandolin: Travis Good baritone guitar: Brian Connelly (Canadian guitarist) and Travis Good bass: Scott Betts drums (drum set): Joel Trueblood electric guitar: Travis Good and John Ramberg organ: Ford Pier solo electric guitar: Evan Johns (rockabilly guitarist) tambourine and lead vocals: Neko Case background vocals: Kelly Hogan (in 1999-01) recorded at: Uberstudio in Chicago, Illinois, United States (background vocals [Kelly's vocals]) and The Miller Block (aka Miller Block Media) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (from 1999-01 until 1999-03) recording of: Set Out Running writer: Neko Case, Peter Elkas, Ben Gunning, Ryan Myshrall and Jason Tustin 5 2:56 23	Oh, Shadowless 2:30

ESSAYS FROM SUSAN ORLEAN • ADRIENNE MAYOR • KATIE CRUTCHFIELD • SHIRLEY MANSON • A.C. NEWMAN GUEST COMMENTARY FROM DAVID BYRNE • DAN BEJAR • MARGO PRICE • M. WARD • DARRYL NEUDORF • ROSANNE CASH • MAYIM BIALIK • ANDREW BIRD • RONNIE BARNETT • JOEY BURNS (CALEXICO) • CAROLYN MARK • JASON ISBELL • JEFF TWEEDY • ALLISON RUSSELL • KEVIN MORBY • SASHA FRERE-JONES • CARMEL HOLT • JULIEN BAKER • PAUL RIGBY • ERIC BACHMANN • AMY RAY (INDIGO GIRLS) • THAO NGUYEN • ANDY KAULKIN -->