The cover of American singer-songwriter Neko Case’s latest album “Neon Grey Midnight Green” is shown. Released on Sept. 26 to all streaming platforms, the new album combined Case’s usual indie rock sound with more orchestral elements, creating interesting and complex songs. “Collaborating with conductor Sara Parkinson, a flurry of violins and violas emerges throughout Case’s album, from her title track “Neon Grey Midnight Green” to “Rusty Mountain,” creating a beautiful, stirring feel to her music,” News Editor Emlyn McKinney wrote. Photo fair use of Bandcamp
American singer-songwriter Neko Case released her album “Neon Grey Midnight Green” on Sept. 26, which may intrigue listeners with a new orchestral sound and vibrant lyrics.
“Hello, stranger.”
With the first words of her opening track, “Destination,” American singer-songwriter Neko Case welcomes listeners to her newest album, “Neon Grey Midnight Green,” released on Sept. 26 to all streaming platforms.
Self-produced, “Neon Grey Midnight Green” is Case’s eighth studio album and the long-awaited follow-up to her last original album, “Hell-On” in 2018. While listeners will enjoy Case’s powerful vocals, poetic lyrics and signature guitar melodies, Case takes a twist on her usual indie rock sound, incorporating jazz and orchestral elements.
Case collaborated with conductor Sara Parkinson to create a flurry of violins and violas throughout her album, from the title track “Neon Grey Midnight Green” to “Rusty Mountain,” creating a beautiful, stirring feel to her music. Accentuated by her trademark full-bodied guitar and bass chords, the album feels almost cinematic.
The song “Tomboy Gold,” where haunting singing and spoken word take center stage, deviates the most from Case’s complex melodies and instrumental backing. Switching between several different tempos, she repeats lyrics like “Hip-check through the crowd / To what you think is the center.”
While listeners will enjoy Case’s powerful vocals, poetic lyrics and signature guitar melodies, Case takes a twist on her usual indie rock sound, incorporating jazz and orchestral elements.
However, this variation feels harsh upon first listening, especially among the rest of the melodic album. Due to this, listeners, old and new, may be caught off guard and find the track more unsettling than interesting.
Despite this change in tone, Case still delivers heartfelt lyrics that tell a raw story about what it means to be truly alive, both the good and the bad. This is clearest in “Destination,” where Case crows the lyrics, “I wanna live a real life / With blood and dirt and the subway for dessert and more,” displaying a yearning she carries through the rest of her album.
Overall, while listeners may be apprehensive about Case’s change in music style or unexpected lyrics, her experimentation, sweeping strings and intriguing storytelling make “Neon Grey Midnight Green” an album to remember.
