Sunday, June 19, 2011

A song a day: Neko Case: I Wish I Was The Moon


It is long established that I have a thing for red heads and I think it’s ok to admit that up front and get it out of the way. We’re all attracted to particular types but the reason I say this is because the colour of Neko Case’s hair has nothing to do with my admiration of her (ok, maybe a little). If you needed proof that Neko Case possesses a voice that somehow captures the echoes of a the great American folk/country past while remaining timeless and otherworldly, I’d recommend listening to I Wish I Was The Moon. Somehow this song feels like it could have been written in either 1810 or 2010 and not sound out of place in either century (in fact, it was released in 2002). This song aches in a way that makes you hug your loved ones that little bit tighter as the loneliness that resonates through every line is devastating. Above it all, Case’s voice cuts through the music like a lighthouse cutting through fog – it is an instrument of such beauty, soul and gravity that every cliché I can think of falls flat, it is the singularly most beautiful female voice in modern music.

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1 comment:

  1. It's such a fresh, *bright* voice. Whether she sings solo or in tandem or with the New Pornographers, it is indeed a thing of beauty. And she hardly ever uses vibrato - interesting.

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