Neko Case: Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA 7/1/11

Neko Case’s last album, Middle Cyclone (2009), was a prime example of an artist pushing aesthetic boundaries in an attempt to make work that is wholly authentic, compelling and honest. It came on the heels of predecessor Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2006), a superlative record in and of itself, setting a benchmark for her indie country/folk contemporaries. Rife with introspection, Fox Confessor did more than wear its heart on its proverbial sleeve; it mined the depths of the human experience while embracing vulnerability in a way that collapsed the countless artifices employed in ostensibly “personal” records. Fans and critics alike wondered how Case would follow such a powerful effort, worrying that whatever came next would no doubt shrink in comparison to songs like “Star Witness,” “Maybe Sparrow” or “Hold On, Hold On.” However, in early 2009, Case delivered one of the most poignant, heart-wrenching and utterly stunning albums of the decade. Middle Cyclone proved that not only does Neko Case have the vocal chops and the ability to write engaging narratives, but that she is a defining voice for the millennial generation.

Case has been touring behind Middle Cyclone off and on since 2009, but surprisingly the material has neither weathered poorly nor fallen into the mundane, which can so often happen on long tours. It’s a testament to the original work, certainly, but just as important is Case’s stage presence. Her continual repartee with harmony singer Kelly Hogan is witty, entertaining and at times pleasantly sarcastic. They clearly enjoy being on stage, but more than that they convey an unaffected ease with performing, inviting the audience into their ninety-minute set as participants. And central to communicating such an casualness is the musical adeptness of her band, who all are skillful musicians interested in playing songs with full heart but stripped of cloying showmanship. It’s a wildly successful combination, and if anything Case and her band have solidified their strengths over this lengthy tour and are now not afraid to take some risks and shake things up– just enough to give returning fans something to be excited about, and not too much to alienate newcomers.

When Case and her band played Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA earlier this month, they really were on top of their game. They began with back catalog gem “Things That Scare Me” off of Blacklisted (2002), featuring a bluegrass aesthetic that was more characteristic of Case’s early work. Minor chords, banjos and sinister harmonies in tow, the up tempo number was beautifully counterpointed with Confessor highlight “Maybe Sparrow.” After a false start, Case’s voice exploded in tender crescendos, gliding vertically through the scale effortlessly, mirroring the sparrow’s catch and soar on a thermal. If there are ever any doubts about Case’s vocals, one must only listen to “Sparrow” to realize the visceral power of that instrument. Next, the band dug into Middle Cyclone territory for a three-song run, including lead single “People Gotta Lot of Nerve.”  Ensuing number “The Pharaohs” was particularly affecting, though. After chronicling the dissolution of a painful relationship, Case sings, “I want the Pharaohs, but there’s only men.” It’s not an indictment of the opposite sex by any means; rather, it’s both acknowledgment of her own expectations and the melancholy at being alone. Typical of a Neko Case song, it’s introspective without being nauseatingly overblown, for its economy of words allows for multiple interpretations and space for the listener to enter the song in their own way.

Neko and her band played three new songs at the Winery, road testing the work for a new album. The first, “City Swans,” is musically adventurous and novel, opening with a forceful and muted electric guitar strum, adding a traditional rock muscle echoed in few songs post-Blacklisted. It then opens into a pleasant second verse more attuned to Case’s sound, with Hogan providing subtle yet potent harmonies. “Swans” could have fit on either Fox Confessor or Cyclone, but at the same time it pushes that sound further by weaving in new directions with the melody vacillating between softness and brawny folk/rock.

But, it was the second song, “Calling Cards,” that was perhaps the main highlight of the entire evening. There’s been little fanfare around this new work, and that’s utterly regrettable. “Calling Cards” is arguably one of Case’s best. It opens with finger-picked acoustic guitar, sounding almost like a cousin to U2’s excellent ballad “Running to Stand Still.” This is by no means an adverse pairing; rather, it is meant to demonstrate the timelessness of “Calling Cards’” sound. It’s delicate in the introduction, announced only by the hushed guitar, and then Case enters with a haunting melody that is sung with such compassion and ache that it’s virtually impossible to avoid being wholly engrossed in the piece. While Case explained that the song was an homage and love letter to her band-mates scattered across North America (Case also plays with rock outfit The New Pornographers), “Cards” is open to interpretation and meaning. Two of Calexico’s horn players added a mournful trumpet line to the end, elegiac in its restrained cry.  And just as soon as it begins, “Cards” fades out after only a couple minutes. A fleeting moment of woeful admission, of deep affection and closeness, “Calling Cards” is one of Neko Case’s most direct song, but it’s downright radiant.

The rest of the set was fairly standard to the Cyclone tour, but in no way was it any less absorbing than the earlier parts. “This Tornado Loves You” was dynamic and energetic, an engaged the crowd as many sang along. “Middle Cyclone” was exquisite, as usual, with Hogan and Case vocally fitting in perfect harmony. And the older song “The Tigers Have Spoken” was received with warmth and zeal.

The encore wasn’t a mere formality, either. Instead, Case and the band came back on, intent to play as much material as they could before the strict curfew. “Vengeance is Sleeping” had Case audibly and visibly choked up, but never did the song falter under the emotional weight of the performance. “I Wish I Was the Moon” was elegant and winsome– a delightful slide-guitar laden  folk ballad. Case opens the song a cappella, unaccompanied by any instrument, letting her voice echo throughout the intimate amphitheater before the band kicks in. At this point, the temperature had dropped to a pleasant cool, the sky was a vivacious navy blue and the moon shone with a vibrancy that elevated the song’s delivery. A marvelous synchrony between music nature, it was a lovely way to taper down the show. For an evening teeming with humor, reflection and aesthetic exploration, Neko Case and her band kept the audience rapt with their superlative set. It’s further evidence that Case is unequivocally a significant voice in music today, deserving of her success, yet still looking to the future to investigate increasingly the depths of the human heart and mind.

Setlist: Things That Scare Me, Maybe Sparrow, Fever, People Gotta Lot of Nerve, The Pharaohs, Hold On, Hold On, City Swans [new song], Margaret vs. Pauline, I’m an Animal , Calling Cards [new song], Red Tide, Polar Nettles, The Tigers Have Spoken, Middle Cyclone, That Teenage Feeling, This Tornado Loves You, Star Witness

Encore:Vengeance is Sleeping, I Wish I Was the Moon, Bracing For Sunday [new song], Don’t Forget Me, Knock Loud

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