Holy. This album is amazing. Neko Case is making a strong case for real feminism in music. As a singer and songwriter, she sounds like a real woman. There’s no way you’d ever see her dance like Lady Gaga, and I think that’s just the point. Wild Creatures, the opening track, really drives this home: “Hey little girl, would you like to be / The king’s pet or the king?” The album isn’t about strong women; it’s not nauseating, but you can tell Neko really believes in something.
Every track on this album is great, and I’d love to talk about each one individually, but in the interest of brevity, I want to let you know Man is the single. It’s clever, but not my favourite track on the record. When it comes to favourites, I dare you to listen to Nearly Midnight, Honolulu without your jaw dropping, with these lyrics delivered a cappella:
Hey, little kid that I saw at the bus stop one day. It was nearly midnight in Honolulu. We were waiting for the shuttle to take us to the aeroplane, when your mother said, like I couldn’t hear her, she said: “Get the fuck away from me! Why don’t you ever shut up? Get the fuck away from me!” … They won’t believe you when you say, “My mother, she did not love me.”
I could go on a little longer about this record, but there’s no point. It’s just amazing from start to finish. If you want more, check out City Swan and Where Did I Leave That Fire, but do yourself a favour and listen to the album all the way through. Simply remarkable.