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Nov 01, 2018 Neko Case By Christopher Roberts

Neko Case released a new album, Hell-On, back in June via ANTI-. Now she has shared a video for “Last Lion of Albion.” Laura Plansker directed the stop-motion animated clip, which chronicles the journey of a lion. Watch it below, followed by Case’s upcoming tour dates.

Case had this to say about the video in a press release: “I’m very honored and excited to debut this video for ‘Last Lion of Albion’ by one of my very favorite artists, Laura Plansker. I’ve loved her work forever; she’s so skilled at using handmade figures and props to create surreal worlds. Her work perfectly balances humor and darkness in a way that breaks my heart. She has a way of making something so artificial so very alive. The turning of the lion’s head to look at the sky, or its own reflection makes me cry my eyes out. There is so much straight ahead compassion in Laura’s work, there’s no need to manipulate emotion of the viewer, it is the perfect balance. I’m so happy to share it here with you!”

Previously Case shared the album’s title track, “Hell-On” (which was one of our Songs of the Week), as well as a trailer for the album that featured her singing “Hell-On” while snakes slithered around her head. Then she shared another song from the album, “Bad Luck,” as well as a short “Bad Luck” visual featuring Case in a burning house with the crown of cigarettes she wears on the album cover. “Bad Luck” was also one of our Songs of the Week. She also performed “Bad Luck” on Conan. Case also shared “Curse of the I-5 Corridor,” a 7-minute long duet with Mark Lanegan that was our #1 Song of the Week, as well as a video clip for the song featuring Case and Lanegan in nude body suits with animated genitals.

While recording Hell-On in Stockholm, Case got a phone call at 3 a.m. that her house had burned down after her barn had caught on fire. A friend had saved her dogs, but not much else. The lyrics to “Bad Luck” were written prior to the fire, but took on new meaning when she recorded the song the day after the fire.

It’s been five years since Case’s last solo album, 2013’s lengthily titled The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You. Although she has also taken part in two New Pornographers albums since then and in 2016 she teamed up with k.d. lang, and Laura Veirs for the collaborative album case/lang/veirs.

Case self-produced Hell-On, although six tracks were co-produced with Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John in Stockholm, Sweden. Case mixed the album in Stockholm with Lasse Martin. The album features a slew of special guests, including Beth Ditto, Mark Lanegan, k.d. Lang, AC Newman, Eric Bachmann, Kelly Hogan, Doug Gillard, Laura Veirs, and Joey Burns.

Neko Case Tour Dates:

Europe 2018:

11/1 - Berlin, DE - Bi Nuu
11/2 - Cologne, DE - Stadtgarten Cologne
11/3 - Groningen, NL - Take Root Festival
11/4 - Brussels, BE - Rotonde - Botanique
11/6 - Dublin, IE - Vicar Street
11/7 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
11/8 - London, UK - Barbican

North America 2018:

11/27 - Missoula, MT - The Wilma^
11/28 - Bellingham, WA - Mt. Baker^
11/29 - Seattle, WA - Paramount^
11/30 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue^
12/1 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater^
12/3 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater^
12/4 - Chico, CA - Sierra Nevada^
12/5 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theater^
12/7 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre^
12/8 - San Diego, CA - Observatory North Park^

^ with Destroyer (solo)

North America 2019:

1/23 - Providence, RI - Columbus Theatre&
1/24 - Boston, MA - Royale&
1/25 - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theatre&
1/26 - Washington D.C. - Lincoln Theatre&
1/27 - Washington D.C. - Lincoln Theatre&
1/29 - Chapel Hill, NC - Memorial Hall#
1/30 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall#
1/31 - Ponte Vedra, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall#
2/1 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum#
2/2 - Orlando, FL - The Beacham Theater#
2/4 - Tallahassee, FL - The Moon#
2/5 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall#
2/7 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall#
2/8 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall#
2/9 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater#
2/12 - Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf#
2/13 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre#
2/14 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren#

& - with Margaret Glaspy
# - with Kimya Dawson

Australia 2019:

3/9 - Victoria, AUS - Port Fairy Folk Festival
3/10 - Victoria, AUS - Port Fairy Folk Festival
3/12 - Sydney, AUS - Metro Theatre
3/13 - Melbourne, AUS - Melbourne Recital Centre
3/14 - Melbourne, AUS - Melbourne Recital Centre
3/16 - Katoomba, AUS - Blue Mountains Music Festival
3/17 - Katoomba, AUS - Blue Mountains Music Festival
3/18 - Auckland, New Zealand - Auckland Arts Festival

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