This girl is the finest country singer of all time, and just about one of the best songwriters too. She leaves it to you to make your own meaning from her words. She’s harder than granite.
I could say more, but I won’t right now. Anybody listened to this girl’s CD’s? They are better than anything else in the world. I will respond to your comments, if there are any.
Yay Neko! She’s really nice too. Also, she fronts a band called The New Pornographers, and you all have 24 hours to get their albums, Mass Romantic and Electric Version.
Also Toni Price, a necessity for all Neko Case fans. And everyone else.
No reply solicited there, so no reply. I will simply cite the country girl:
Who led you to this hiding place?
Who’s lightening thread spung silver tongues?
The red bells beckon you to ride.
A handprint on the driver’s side
It looks a lot like engine oil
And tastes like being poor and small
And popsicles in summer…
Deep red bells, deep as I’ve been done.
It always has to come to this.
The red bells ring this tragic hour.
You’ve lost sight of the overpass.
But daylight won’t remember that.
No speckled fawns range 'round your door.
Who took the time to fold your clothes,
And shook the valley of the shadows?
Deep red bells, deep as I’ve been done.
Where does this mean world cast its cold eye?
Who’s left to suffer long about you?
Does your soul cast about
Like an old paper bag
Past empty lots and graves
Of those like you who’ve lost their way?
Murdered on the interstate,
While the red bells rang like thunder.
Whew.
I have a healthy crush on Neko, but it seems a bit premature to call her the finest country singer of all time. Better than Patsy Cline, or Johnny Cash, or Loretta Lynn? For starters, she’s only kind of a country singer – Furnace Room Lullaby and Blacklisted have strong country influences, but I think they’re influenced a lot by torch song, pop standards and indie rock. And she’s only done three albums.
That said, I don’t think I’ve let a week go by since discovering her (shortly after FRL was released) without spinning one of her albums. FRL is probably still my favorite, but I loves me some New Pornographers, too. (The video for “The Laws Have Changed” is killer-diller.)
Still to acquire: the Maow record.
I adore Neko Case as well. She’s my latest musical discovery and major crush.
My brother and I randomly downloaded two New Pornographers songs, “The Laws Have Changed” and “All For Swinging You Around,” so he ran out and BOUGHT their album “Electric Version.” You see, who says downloading discourages people from buying CDs?
Then I found out lovely Neko is best known as an alt-country singer, so I ran out and ordered “Blacklisted” online. And I love it. Almost a month has passed, and I listen to it several times a week. I want to track down her other two albums (and eventually the more obscure stuff like Maow), but we don’t have any “indie-hipster-underground” record stores that carry them around Miami.
And she’s absolutely, ethereally gorgeous, on top of having that haunting-yet-playful voice and penning those beautiful lyrics. I could easily fall in love with her. As of now, I’m a fan for life, and totally transfixed. Go Neko!
I saw Neko with the New Pornographers down in Chapel Hill a few weeks ago. Her voice is stunning in person. A lot of people can sound good in the studio, but when someone’s voice makes you stop and go “damn” in a shitty little club, that’s something.
Dr. J
I’m wondering if there are others out there who discovered Neko Case through her connection with another, even more obscure female vocalist, who might have an even better voice: Kelly Hogan. There’s an interview with the two of them online at http://www.well-rounded.com/music/reviews/hogancase_intv.html that’s a lot of fun (WARNING: it’s at least R-rated, so if you’re easily offended, don’t click the link).
Anyway, Furnace Room Lullaby is one of the three or four CDs I listen to the most often these days.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit that I thought Kelly Hogan was the cat’s pajamas even before I heard her sing, in the days when she worked at the Turtles record store on Ponce de Leon here in Atlanta, a couple of blocks from the apartment I was in at the time.
I am required to reply. Neko Case’s voice kills Patsy Cline’s or Loretta Lynn’s. No comparison. As far as Johnny Cash goes, he was never really renowned for his VOCAL RANGE, was he? I worship Johnny Cash, but apples and oranges.
Oh, and she’s done four. The other is Canadian Amp, between FRL and Blackilisted.
I must say, I have a huge crush on her. She is without a doubt my favourite performer. Her voice is so haunting and perfect. It just reaches deep down, and gives you a swift kick in the emotional dangly bits.
I have both New Pornographers CD’s, but I must say I prefer Mass Romantic to Electric Version. The also did a cover of Toronto’s “Your Daddy Don’t Know” which is stellar.
Oh, and Canadian Amp is my favourite album, though it is on the short side. I can listen to the song “Andy” over and over, and it will get me every time.
It seems strange to read a thread about her, as she is completely unknown to everybody who I talk to. I don’t know why, because everybody who hears her is almost instantly hooked. but alas, it remains that one little unplucked gem in my music collection. Of course, I do my dangdest to get everybody I know to start listening to her. Heck, I even got my Dad hooked on her music. Go me!
Oh, and am I the only one hoping she takes up Playboy’s offer? Really, really hoping?
For more info, click here.
She’s already said she’s not doing the Playboy deal. She has no problem with Playboy, but I read an interview where she said that she could represent the musical ladies or the naked ladies, and that the naked ladies already had plenty of women representing them. She did do some vintage-style nudie pix for a magazine called Kutie. I’m pretty sure they’re online, but I’m not going to link to them from the board.
Also, while I love Canadian Amp, I didn’t count it as an album because it’s an EP. But that distinction is kinda moot, really, so yeah, 4 albums. Plus 2 with the NPs, one with Maow, one as part of the Corn Sisters, and some miscellaneous singles.
And Neko’s voice is better than Cash’s, but he was a better country singer, if that makes any sense. But I’ve never had a crush on him. (And I certainly wouldn’t argue that Neko could have the best-ever country voice, but a lot of new fans make the claim without having listened to much other country music. I’m sure that’s not what you’re doing, but it happens.)
Every Neko concert I’ve been to has been a blast, especially when she appears with Carolyn Mark and/or Kelly Hogan. (They both rule, as well. If you like Neko, check 'em out.)
(Mods please feel free to delete this if you think it’s spam: )
For Neko Case fans, the best radio station in the world, Seattle’s KEXP 90.3 (and the world’s kexp.org)–a non-profit, public radio station funded primarily by member donations–is currently having a pledge drive.
One of the premiums is a Tshirt that Neko Case designed for them. Wacky: she drew a picture of a razor shaving the pattern “KEXP” on somebody’s hairy back, with a big “Neko Case” signature. These are limited and are not for sale: only available to people who pledge this drive; every drive has a different Tshirt.
DISCLOSURE: KEXP hires me to run their pledge room during the fundraisers, but I don’t get commission or bonus or anything; in fact I lose money because A) it pays less than my regular job, from which I take a week off to do the drive, and B) I usually donate MORE than I’m paid, right back to the station.
There is one other release… with Carolyn Mark under the name The Corn Sisters called The Other Women. Unfortunately, the recording quality is so-so (it’s “live”), but it still sounds like great fun.
Just wanted to ring in here as another HUGE fan of The New Pornographers. Letter from an Occupant, To Wild Homes, * and * Miss Teen Wordpower are all incredible songs, featuring her incredible voice!