There is an epidemic in America, and it is spreading. Infecting our ears and minds, it threatens our very existence as we know it. What is this phenomenon, you ask? This bane on society, which plagues our very livelihood, is found in the unfortunate existence of country-pop music. With every play of Faith Hill’s “Bringing Out the Elvis,” listeners lose more hope for salvation from the cheesy pop lyrics and annoying pop beats common in this subgenre.
With every “hopeless” situation, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. In this case, it’s a 36-year-old, country-singing redhead from Virginia named Neko Case. Although the use of the word “country” often brings to mind the annoying tune of Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman,” Neko Case is no Shania. Her former stint as a percussionist in a punk band and her banishment from the Grand Ole Opry due to a shirtless incident have made Case into the new anti-country country singer.
In spite of her earlier work, Case’s raw talent boosted her success and gained her subsequent fame. Her vocals, commonly likened to those of Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline, have lent themselves to multiple tracks by Canadian rock outfit the New Pornographers, while Case’s sorrowful love songs, reminiscent of Hank Williams-era country, have landed Case numerous live performances, including 2003’s performance at Austin City Limits, Austin, Texas’ annual music festival. Because of the location of this event, it is difficult for many fans to attend the performance. For these adoring supporters, Case has released Live from Austin, TX, a 14-track feature of this rising star’s set at the Austin City Limits music festival.
Case’s lilting vocals, in accordance with her other solo albums Blacklisted and The Tigers Have Spoken, take the forefront during her live performance in Austin. Case expertly uses her husky lower register on the track “Deep Red Bells” from Blacklisted to exude the eeriness of her life in Seattle during the time of the Green River Killer. Her piercing, Stevie Nicks-laced upper register is also featured on the never-before-released track “Behind the House,” revealing her ability to perform the twangy swoops and vocal slides of a genuine country star.
Although Case’s vocals are breathtaking in the spotlight on this latest album, they also overpower nearly every other element of her performance. On her haunting set-opener “Favorite,” featured on 2004’s The Tigers Have Spoken, Case displays powerful lyrical mastery when she sings “But I never felt sorry/ For those shimmering lies/ When I laid down and cried,” but the volume of her vocals prevents the audience from understanding this powerful statement. Case’s backup vocalist and band are also overshadowed by her powerful lilt. On “Ghost Writing” from 2002’s Blacklisted, no other instruments can be heard, save for the pulsing beat from bassist Tom V. Ray.
Unfortunately for fans of her unique lyrics and powerful vocals, Case chooses to perform several borrowed hits on Live from Austin, TX — half of the 14 tracks come from the hearts of other musicians. With her dark vocals contrasting with Jon Rauhouse’s plucky banjo playing on an updated rendition of the folk song “Wayfaring Stranger” as well as her stretching vocal work on the Bob Dylan hit “Buckets of Rain,” Case undoubtedly does justice to the artists’ songs. It is a shame, however, that more of Case’s genuine compositions were not showcased on this album.
Unlike country-pop superstars Shania Twain and Faith Hill, Neko Case is a rare find among country artists today, creating emotive vocals and solid instrumental compositions, contributing to her increasing fame. Although Case’s pitch-perfect, powerful, Loretta Lynn-reminiscent vocals and melancholy love songs have undoubtedly garnered her a high amount of critical acclaim, Case’s unique lyrics are masked by the sheer power and volume of her vocals on her most recent album, Live from Austin, TX. Despite the negative aspects of her latest release, Neko Case and her revival of old-school country present modern audiences with the antidote to the country-pop disease that seems to be plaguing modern airwaves.
Grade: 3.5 out of 5
