Academik

Although it was released in March this album has just found its way into my iPod, thankfully. Neko Case is an American singer/songwriter who was born in Virginia, but has spent much of her life in the Pacific Northwest (Tacoma, WA and Vancouver, BC to be specific). I’ve listened to some of her other work and it just didn’t grab me the way that Fox Confessor did, but I have to say that sometimes music has to sink in before I can really appreciate it.

The album, which has been in my iPod for a little over a week, lends itself to wandering journeys across the city. Case has a voice you’d want to read you to sleep at night, but she would be reading macabre stories that end in ellipsis. She’s been compared to Patsy Cline, a very easy comparison to make ignoring Case’s broad range of styles. Case’s words read less like songs and more like poetry on the page. Lines like:
“I am every bell that tolls me”
“the look on your face yanks my neck on the chain“…
“Margaret is the fragments of a name, her love pulls like a fountain, her love steams like rain” draw her listener in. The words leave meanings for all of us to find.

“Margaret Vs. Pauline”, has an ethereal downtrodden country story feel; the story of two women – one leading a life of privilege, the other of poverty.
“Star Witness”, the second track, is the song I find myself listening to on repeat the most. The melody and poetic use of words along with Case’s airy vocals make it a pleasure to lose yourself in.
“Maybe Sparrow” gives Case the opportunity to wale – belting out tears about the loss of a friend who wouldn’t listen – while also giving her a chance to reconcile the sorrow into beautiful hopefulness.

The rest of the album is good at worst. A former punk singer, Neko can change the tone of her voice to match most any mood – melancholy & melodic. She varies between country, alt country, and rock equally well across the entire album.

There’s a reason why this made it into most critics lists as one of the Top 10 albums of the year – check it out.

Neko Case – Margaret Vs. Pauline

Neko Case – Star Witness

One of the nicest parts about living in SF is access. I’ve got access to music,arts,words,images,and people that are extra-ordinary. Tonight was one of those nights – Mouth Off is one of those events. Like Artist’ Night Out in DTX it is a place where I find friends, friendly faces, food for my frontal lobe and intellectual pabulum. I met Amir Sulaiman tonight at Mouth Off. One of the best spoken word poets in the country – he does this for a living folks – he pays his rent with money he earns from speaking and performing and selling his CDs. And as angry as his words are, as soon as he steps off the mic, he seems more like a teddy bear than a man with a mean mouthful of troof.

Tonight I had the opportunity to get up and speak some troof. ‘Say Yes’ by Andrea Gibson which is posted on her page and here under the ‘words’ page. It is only the second time that I have performed spoken word poetry – and the first time that I performed Say Yes.

My legs shake uncontrollably, my voice quivers, and my heart pounds as if it has grown to fill my entire torso. I misspeak and then I close my eyes – how can I not know this poem? These are the words I have said hundreds of times, the words I speak every night before I go to bed to remind me that ‘the purpose of life is to give ourselves away.’ And yet the words take their time escaping my throat at times. I close my eyes and pull the covers up to keep my vocal cords warm and the fear goes away.

The words crescendo and I open my eyes to connect with the gaze of my peers and the words splatter from my mouth as if I was pouring a bucket of lessons onto the walls. I have no fear. I know what I must do. I am simply nervous. This too shall pass. I continue the words that give me such power every day; I’m happy to give, to share these words and ideas in the hopes that it will move people to action. To be engaged. To be interested.

If you’ve never been to a spoken word event you should. You will connect and it will open your eyes. Let me know if you have any questions about spoken word/slam poetry and I’d love to help you find an event in your area.

-academik