Neko Case, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, 3rd November 2006
I have always had a difficult relationship with Country Music. The reason is probably down to the fact that for every Johnny Cash there were ten Kris Kristoferssons, Kenny Rogers’ or even Garth Brooks’. Asinine, charmless warblers who have about as much to say of any relevance as a Tory councillor. And the vast majority of Country music, churned out of the soulless, sparkle-toothed cheese factory that is Nashville, can stand up with the worst of it. Country music has always defined itself by its stars, their clothes and outfits, very rarely by its songs. Classics have come - I would hold up You Were Always on My Mind or Jolene as two of the greatest songs of the last thirty years - but on the whole we over here have viewed Country music as the perfect paradigm for why we just don’t get them over there.
But interesting things have happened on the edges over the last forty years. Every artist who has ever picked up a guitar has at some point deemed it necessary to flaunt their musical heritage by claiming an often baffling love for Hank Williams. But beyond that came Alt. Country, which is a sagaciously horribly term for those artists that decided to use Country music and all of it’s constraints but to put the music first. It is all about sounding raw, leaving in the mistakes and applying harmonies to what is trying hard to be soft acoustic punk. There is attitude, eccentrics, fuck ups, a conspicuous lack of middle aged perfectionists and not a mullet in sight. In fact, there is some really interesting music.
Bands such as Whiskeytown, Uncle Tupelo, Calexico and the Dream Syndicate are as important to the development of the music we have before us now as House and Rap. They liberated roots music from middle aged millionaires and gave it back to the boys in denim. Even so, it is very rare to be able to catch artists from this area over here until they become (if ever) knocking on the door to the mainstream, a la Ryan Adams. I have followed Neko Case for some years after catching an interview with her in a magazine. Her last few records have been precious to me because they are Country albums, and yet they are not. All the symbols are present, a wholesome twang, lyrics about loss and wet dogs, pedal steal and slightly out of focus pensive looking covers. Oh dear. And yet they add up to something quite thrilling. The reason is this is about the songs. On a small stage in the sweaty Ifor Bach she almost half-ironically hooks her thumbs in her jeans belt loops and sways as she sings to the air. Her voice is powerful and crisp, unmistakeably southern, but it is sharp and witty, sexy. No cheese here. This is a charming performer who knows the power of her material, slight simple songs that they are. Her delivery is teasing one moment, flooding the next, she manipulates the audience well.
Between songs Case tells stories that on the surface have a relaxed and eager audience laughing warmly, but there is mischief on that stage. Somewhere up there is soft acoustic punk trying to make itself be known.
Neko Case is certainly a captivating performer, dazzling red hair and wailing vocals, and furthered herself on this show to becoming the leading light in female Alt. Country. I just hope that everybody else doesn’t find out too soon and spoil her.