CD of The Week

"Nearly Midnight, Honolulu" hits just about midway through the latest Neko Case album -- her first in just over four years -- and to my ears, it's an odd, striking, and ultimately moving song, an apparent ode to a mistreated child. If it sounds like a familiar situation, then it should -- I'm sure most of us have seen similar things. But here, it's just another example of how Ms. Case can take the familiar and mundane, and infuse it with power and wonder.

Yes, the album is called The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You. For such a long title, it's a pretty memorable one, a title that promises a certain emotional weight. For Neko Case, this is nothing new. In fact, though the new album is said to be inspired by a recent period of intense grief and loss, it still feels universal and identifiable to all. Issues of identity are addressed in songs like "Man" and "Afraid." Love is the thrust of "Calling Cards" and that aforementioned grief forms the core of "Where Did I Leave That Fire."

Of course, the biggest question is how the album sounds, and the answer is, unsurprisingly, pretty great. First single "Man" hinted towards power pop thanks in part to M. Ward's guitar assist, but it's really the exception. Opening song "Wild Creatures" sets the tone with Ms. Case's confident declaration, "I'm not fighting for your freedom. I'm fighting to be wise." It's a somber country melody on an album dripping with them. And Case's voice is as strong and as fiery, yet tightly controlled, as it's ever been. The Worse Things Get... is a wonderful album, but at this point, we couldn't expect any less from Neko Case.

And expect nothing less than a great performance from Neko at The Electric Factoryon September 25th.