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She Is Neko, Hear Her Roar
Artist showcases ever-maturing songwriting style at Nokia
Neko Case
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“People Got a Lotta Nerve”
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Neko Case on Middle Cyclone
Neko Case started her musical career in Vancouver as a girl in the band (The New Pornographers). Her solo efforts have garnered her recognition on her own terms, and her terms are very specific. In an industry that’s more flash-in-the-pan than slow build, Case’s success can be attributed to her force: the force behind her musicianship and her convictions.
Case’s most admired asset is her voice. It growls with the same guttural as Marianne Faithfull unhindered by Faithfull’s burnt-out sound; it has the ethereal majesty of Hope Sandoval’s voice without the emotionless, bored quality. When Case belts, all of her teeth show as if she is in the middle of a howl or about to take a huge bite of something. Most often, Case’s voice is compared to that of Patsy Cline’s, and the two women share a conviction in delivery that makes the story in lyrics come alive. Case is more than a voice. A true artist, she carries an arsenal of songs, from original tunes to covers (including one of the best Dylan do-overs ever). She has an encyclopedic knowledge of music, and homespun guitar playing and songwriting skills.
Perhaps Case’s second-most touted attribute is her looks. She turned down an invitation to pose for Playboy, telling Entertainment Weekly, “…I didn’t want to be the girl who posed in Playboy and then—by the way—made some music.” Never quiet about her beliefs, Case supports animal rights and has adopted three greyhounds from a racetrack. She says she never wants to become a stadium act, and she makes business decisions that keep things the way she likes them.
Case started releasing records on the Canadian label Mint, and she has stayed with them. But in the states, she started out on the small Americana label Bloodshot. Her sound outgrew the confines of country noir. As her popularity increased, Case moved to Anti-, a bigger indie label, turning down offers from major labels.
Case’s newest album, Middle Cyclone, might be the first example of her fully matured songwriting style, which has taken on a fairy tale quality. Already an earthy singer, she often writes about nature, the weather and animals. This newest album is looking like it will be her most successful.
In a recent New York Times article about Case, T Bone Burnett roundly praised her voice, saying, “I don’t know of another woman who has that same fullness and power.” Case could easily have become “the girl from that band,” working in a man’s world. But by building a career on her own standards, she is nothing short of a highly original musician.