With four studio albums and several more as part of The New Pornographers, Neko Case is not one for sitting idly, watching the wheels go round. FasterLouder caught up with Neko a week or so before Christmas, as she packed her van in Arizona and headed east to her new farm in Vermont.

During our chat, she checks the mail, makes sure the place is locked and instructs someone to water the plants. In between the running around (and her heavy breathing), I’m able to get her to answer some questions about songwriting and her upcoming shows as part of the 2010 Sydney Festival.

I find it hard to believe that Neko has been to Australia at least three times and I have missed all of those opportunities. While doing some research, I find it even harder to believe that her vocals and songwriting have been bouncing around for over 12 years.

Neko has gone through transformational change through the years and that revolution was realised on her 2002 Blacklisted release. “When I wrote and recorded Blacklisted, that is when I really figured out how to do – œit’; the song writing part,” she explains. “I don’t know; it is so hard to say when you are talking about yourself. It is difficult. You feel like it is dumb-shit when you try and explain it. Well, some writers just go for it and they want to sound really important and it is really not that big of a deal.”

I wanted to ask her more about why she thought songwriting was not such a – œbig deal’?

“I just figured out how to be a songwriter around the time of Blacklisted,” Neko continues. “It was helped out by teaching myself how to play guitar and I found it easier to express myself in that way. My songwriting does not happen in any one way; it sort of happens when my sub-conscious is freed up, like when I am doing the dishes or having a shower or something. When your body is busy, your subconscious has an easier time getting out.

“Sometimes it is lyrics first, sometimes it is music first, and it is a mystery how it happens. It is a lot of work too; I mean you know how many musicians say, – œIt is the musssssse. I don’t know.’ That’s total bullshit. They just are not thinking about songwriting very hard,” Neko laughs.

Blacklisted was followed by The Tigers Have Spoken; a live album recorded with The Sadies, and then Fox Confessor Brings The Flood in 2007. That album was critically-acclaimed, bringing her voice to a larger audience. The structures of the songs and her vocal prowess make it a very special recording.

As Neko runs around packing the van, I ask her whom she will be bringing to Australia as her band in 2010.

“Damn, I spilled iced tea in my lap! I am bringing my full touring band with me, every single one of them. My touring band is the same as the band on the record [ Middle Cyclone ] which is Kelly Hogan (vocals), Paul Rigby (guitar), Barry Mirochnick (drums) ,Tom Ray (bass) and Jon Rauhouse (pedal steel).”

Middle Cyclone is yet another dazzling record. Joined by her touring band and members of The New Pornographers, Calexico, Los Lobos, Garth Hudson and The Sadies, we find Neko wrapped up in the weather and wondering about the love of a tornado. Middle Cyclone is nominated for two Grammy Awards, one for best Folk Album and one for Best Recording Package.

The cover of the album is stunning, with Neko riding the hood of a classic Mercury Cougar; a sword or a spear in her hand and red hair flowing like a modern day Viking.

“The Mercury Cougar is mine; as a matter of fact,” Neko reveals. “I am looking at it right now under a tarp in front of my house. Angie Dickinson is its name and we are auctioning it off for a children’s educational charity here in the States. I never get to drive it, so I thought that was a great idea. It will raise money for 826 National, the charity started by that amazing, amazing writer Dave Eggers.”

On top of a busy touring schedule, 2010 will see the recording of yet another New Pornographers record and other projects, including a guitar pull on Elvis Costello’s television programme Spectacle. She played with Costello, Ron Sexsmith, Jesse Winchester and Sheryl Crow on that show.

“It was terrifying, absolutely terrifying. They could not have been nicer to me though, I tell ya. They were so nice because I was the only person in that group who had never done that sort of thing before. They were utterly, utterly kind. Ron Sexsmith – love that man, he was very sweet.”

So as Neko and her buddy pulled off into the Arizona desert and headed east to El Paso with New England on their mind, I wished her well. Whatever the journey she takes and no matter the shape of the road, Neko’s creativity is sure to keep flowing like a river.

Neko Case is in Australia this month for a national tour, including a two-night stand at Sydney Festival.

Sunday 10 January 10 – The Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba
Monday 11 & Tuesday 12 January – City Recital Hall, Sydney
Thursday 14 & Friday 15 January – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne
Saturday 16 January – Fowlers Live, Adelaide
Sunday 17 January – The Rosemount, Perth