Casey Neill’s telephone voice is calm and smooth, and he speaks about the subjects of some of his songs with an eloquence you might not expect from a practitioner of anything related to the word “punk.” His tone is even more surprising when compared to his singing voice, which sounds well-worn, especially as it weaves through Neill’s lively lyrics over the backdrop of folk instrumentation that makes his sound unique.
Accompanied on his upcoming spring tour by a band of old friends, Casey Neill and the Norway Rats will bring this blend of punk sensibilities and folk-styled melodies to Eugene on Saturday. Neill said he and his band have a different road dynamic than most, which has to do with their shared history. The band shares a name with the Norway rat, the brown rodent often found in dark corners of big cities.
“It just kind of seemed to sum up the band … we’ve all known each other for over a decade,” Neill said. “All of us have been in other bands with each other, and sometimes three or four, over the years, so at this point it’s kind of like a gang as much as it is a band.”
The gang includes flute and whistle player Hanz Araki, the Decemberists’ Jenny Conlee on keyboards and accordion, and even lists one Rat, Lewi Longmire, as occasionally playing “beard.”
These elements, although less than typical for a rock group, come together to create a wide range of sounds, from rollicking barroom singalongs to slow and meandering ballads, which Neill attributes in part to the variety of experiences the Rats bring to the stage.
“Some people come from more roots rock backgrounds, you know,” Neill said, “I have a great love of punk and post-punk, but a lot of the songs are steeped in the folk tradition of storytelling and having a deeper lyrical presence.”
Neill succeeds in communicating that lyrical depth on his most recent album, “Brooklyn Bridge,” from which he and the Rats will play selections when they come to the WOW Hall. Following the tour, Neill said, the band will continue work on an album composed as a full band. With this kind of gang chemistry, the results will be something to look forward to.
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