Seasoned singer-songwriter and talented vocalist of the early 00s alt-country scene, Neko Case returned after 6 years with Neon Grey Midnight Green, written with guitarist Paul Rigby and supported by lavish arrangements courtesy of the Denver-based PlainsSong Chamber Orchestra. They style remains typically whimsical and reminiscent of the theatrical philharmonic pop of the 50s but this is the most heavily arranged music of her career. Notably, several tracks circumvent choruses, opting for looser song structures and depending more on the chemistry between the strings and Case’s powerful tenor voice.
Destination harnesses said chemistry in a grandiose linear ode to resilience with turbulent lyrics (“Closing time never comes”). The ebullient Wreck boasts a clever ending where her vocal acrobatics intermingle with the string crescendo. The whimsical ballad Winchester Mansion of Sound is embellished by harpsichord – once again linear and which all of a sudden speeds up into a ‘Surf’ nursery rhyme at the end. An Ice Age starts as acapella jazz-pop. The baroque party is interrupted briefly by the suspenseful title track, with a Morriconean atmosphere and an outro of Celtic folk-rock with Case’s voice escalation to Grace Slick-styled scream. Her vocals excel also on the sparse piano-led, Louise. Oh, Neglect, Baby I Am Not (A Werewolf) and particularly, Rusty Mountain recall the tragic country ballad but maintain the ornate style. The swaying Little Gears, which lyrically tells the story of a spider web, uses the orchestra more sparingly and innovatively switches to a straight rhythm for the last leg. The unsettling ‘kammerspiel’ of Tomboy is in contrast a true surprise and incomparable to the rest of her discography. (More Tilt than Scott Walker 3).
The album is unusual in how it eschews straight-forward song structures. It certainly lacks the impeccable choruses of the previous album which caps the potential of the more straight-forward tracks. Nonetheless, Case is one of the few songwriters who can tell a powerful story solely through her voice and at least a few songs boast entertaining arrangements and atmospheres to match.
Label: Anti-
Released: September 26, 2025
Losing My Edge Rating: 6/10
Best Tracks: Neon Grey Midnight Green, Rusty Mountain, Destination