Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Music That's Making Me Happy Today, vol 16

Neko Case at Bimbo's 365 Club

I used to think I hated country music. Then, three years ago Tom, Chris and I went to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, and I saw many artists I consider to be rock stars honored there. Once that experience opened my mind, I realized that I don't hate country music at all. I just hate bad music. Of any genre. So while I still happily disdain the likes of Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Martina McBride, there is plenty of country music I like: Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr., Mary Chapin Carpenter (a fellow Brown graduate, no less), The Knitters, Blood on the Saddle. And now I add Neko Case to that list.

I was first introduced to Case's talent when I saw the New Pornographers open for Belle and Sebastian in the spring. I was intrigued, but I have learned their music is nothing like Case's solo stuff. She plays true alt-country that engaged me even though I didn't know a single song prior to last night. Before the show began, Ann Marie and I had to giggle our way through a little junior high school drama involving a former friend of hers and acquaintance of mine. We sort of dragged my co-worker and new live music buddy, Tom, into our adolescent world, but he was a good sport about it. Once the short-lived drama passed, we could relax and let Case's music wash over us.

Talk about a good time. Imagine if we lived in world where there was no music? Hmmm... I think they call that Hell.

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