While the spare and often haunted sound of Neko Case's home-recorded Canadian Amp EP seemed at the time like a late-night detour from alt-country's leading songbird of the North, listening to Case's first full-length album following Canadian Amp suggests it may have been the first step along a new and different path for her. Blacklisted is a considerably darker and more understated affair than The Virginian or Furnace Room Lullaby, and its sometimes stark, sometimes elegant 3 a.m. sound is informed as much by pop, jazz, and lues flavors as the country & western-slanted melodies of her first two solo albums. Which isn't to say Blacklisted is a total departure for Neko Case; her big, bold, but silky smooth voice is still a thing of beauty, and if anything, she's still learning more remarkable things she can do with it, with the result being some of her finest and most insightful performances to date. And Case continues to grow as a songwriter; penning most of the album all by herself, Case is a lyricist willing to answer to both her heart and her head, and she had a fine ear for a melody to boot. With Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand, Dallas Good of the Sadies, and Kelly Hogan all contributing to Blacklisted, Neko Case has crafted an album whose quiet drift only adds to its power; it's hard to say if hanging out with Nick Cave on tour had much of an influence on her, but this disc sounds a bit like Case's version of The Boatman's Call, a personal exploration of the heart and soul that proves sad and beautiful can often walk hand in hand. Highly recommended.
Excellent song. The cinematic feel of this is really intoxicating, evoking a scene of watching a steam locomotive in the distance, and being enticed to board it—wondering where it’s going—much in the Kerouac spirit of discovering one’s destiny of being alone on the road to a brand new identity.Slow down fast train…you look so enticing…to take me away from this dreadful life…
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I'm a death hag. I'm sure some of you know what I mean. I am a huge fan of "findadeath.com":http://findadeath.com. I am in love with this stuff. Call me morbid or....whatever. I chose this song as my tag because, for some odd reason, Neko's music seems to bring me closer to this side of me. Not a suicidal thing, just...nostalgic. Maybe in a former life I was a fixture in Hollywood's "Gol...
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..right now loving the late night jukebox feel.
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..right now loving the late night jukebox feel.
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Happy Saint Patty's Day to the MOG! Grab your pints and have some good times! Just remember where you left your green underwear tomorrow morning, k?Some songs for ya, one appropriate for the time......and one not, but if you can figure out why I included it, then you get a cookie!
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The other night when I was DJing I got in a conversation with the sound man about other great music. We were talking a lot about Bruce Springsteen, then about early Bob Seger, and then he was all like, have you heard Neko Case. I said no, and he said, well you should.And honestly? He was so right.Listening to Neko is a bit like "Oh, so that is what I really wish I sounded like when I sing."Yeah...
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I'm a death hag. I'm sure some of you know what I mean. I am a huge fan of "findadeath.com":http://findadeath.com. I am in love with this stuff. Call me morbid or....whatever. I chose this song as my tag because, for some odd reason, Neko's music seems to bring me closer to this side of me. Not a suicidal thing, just...nostalgic. Maybe in a former life I was a fixture in Hollywood's "Gol...
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Image: Film Still from In the mood for love. Columbine takes off her clothes looks at her body in the pool A charlatan out of the dusk praises the tricks to be performed The sky is colorless and set with constellations pale as milk - Guillaume Apollinaire. Twilight. Neko Case - Look for me (I'll be around) Blacklisted (Mint /2002) Max Roach - January V M'boom [...]~~
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Excellent song. The cinematic feel of this is really intoxicating, evoking a scene of watching a steam locomotive in the distance, and being enticed to board it—wondering where it’s going—much in the Kerouac spirit of discovering one’s destiny of being alone on the road to a brand new identity.Slow down fast train…you look so enticing…to take me away from this dreadful life…
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 "Blacklisted")
