Neko Case is a powerhouse of song. Over twenty years she’s crafted some of my favourite lyrics as a solo artist dwelling in Americana, and as a soaring pop singer in The New Pornographers. On her own records, Neko’s songs often dwell in the outside; whether she’s singing of foxes, or wild weather, you can feel and see the atmosphere she creates in every story. But there’s a deeply human element to Neko Case’s music too, a compassion and heart. Neko is a vocal feminist and one of my favourite people to follow on Twitter. She calls bullshit on bullshit, but also lifts up those who need it, from the platform she has. And she is a huge music fan. I knew her own personal history with song would make this Take 5 special, and I wasn’t disappointed. While on paper, some of these songs were a mystery to me, when you hear Neko speak about the impact these artists had on her, as a little kid, as a teenager, and as a person finding their own way as an artist, it tells a story of where she’s come from. What has fuelled her life force. Take a moment with some troubadours, it’ll fill your soul.

Staple Singers - 'Slippery People'

Nina Hagen - 'Atomic Flash Deluxe'

Les Rita Mitsouko - 'Oum Kalsoum'

The Cramps - 'Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love'

Buffy Sainte Marie - 'Now that the Buffalo’s Gone'