Nellie McKay, who plays a single show at The Shedd Saturday night, gets great reviews everywhere she goes.
The Washington Post said of her early on that “this supremely gifted, charming, and darkly funny New York oddball has all the makings of the first great singer-songwriter of the young century.” The New York Times said last year of McKay that “gifts that others spend years refining seem to come naturally to her…. she can write and sing in any style.”
That kind of broad energy can be antithetical to traditional career development. Unable to pigeonhole her as a pop singer, a jazz singer or an art singer, the world moves on to the next big arena rock show.
As a result, a great many people have never heard of her. That’s too bad.
McKay, now 33, makes this situation even worse by being talented even outside the world of music. Her writing has appeared in such outlets as The New York Times Book Review, Interview magazine and The Onion. She’s a long-time activist working for feminism, for civil rights and for the rights of animals. She’s performed on Late Night with David Letterman; her music has been on such shows as Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Weeds, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS and Nurse Jackie.
She’ll be here this weekend promoting her brand-new sixth album, My Weekly Reader. It’s a compilation of her covers of songs from the wild and wooly 1960s – but not necessarily the huge anthems that we all think of when we think ’60s music. In place of Gimme Shelter, think Itchykoo Park. Instead of White Room, think Red Rubber Ball. (Yes, the Cyrkle.)
I talked with her yesterday about her upcoming appearance in Eugene, her fifth time performing here.
It’s been a bit of a while since you’ve been here.
I love playing Eugene.
I’ve been listening to My Weekly Reader. All that music appeared before you were born. Was it your mother’s idea to do the album? (Her mother, actress Robin Pappas, is a regular artistic collaborator with McKay)
She picked most of the songs. But I had the idea for the ’60s.
I had the ’60s all wrong. I think there is a square in me dying to get out.
Some of your selections are not just unusual, they are guilty pleasures, like Red Rubber Ball. I have always loved that song, but would never admit it to anybody.
I kind of think so, too. That song is so happy it makes me cry.
And your version of Quicksilver Girl is just wonderful.
Thank you so much.
You worked on the album with producer Geoff Emerick (who also produced, among other things, The Beatles’ Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, their White Album and Abbey Road, as well as McKay’s first album, 2004’s Get Away From Me.) How did that come about?
We are amiable eating companions. He eats so little. I eat a lot.
You’re my favorite kind of date.
I have a rat in my kitchen and he takes after me in eating, I’m afraid.
You guys have been talking about this for some time?
We’ve wanted to work together again for 10 years now. Finally the opportunity presented itself.
In listening to Weekly Reader, what do you hear that’s Geoff, as opposed to you?
All the beauty of sound. He can make Auto-Tune sound like the real thing.
Not long ago the Chicago Tribune quoted you as saying, “I am not sure I know how to make music anymore.” That was in response to a question about where your career was going.
Oh, yeah. I’m just jealous.
Jealous of what?
Everybody. I also feel sorry for everybody. That comes in handy.
Do you wish you had a more coherent career?
I thought you said, do I wish I had more cocaine?
A more coherent career.
All you need is enthusiasm. That’s my answer. You know, wow. Sometimes I like to take my dog for a walk and look at all the go-getters.
What do you see when you see all the go-getters?
I am exhausted just looking at them.
What’s your dog’s name?
Bessie.
You know they’ve got the Queen Latifah movie Bessie coming out. She thinks I put her name on all the buses. Just for her.
Why did you name the album My Weekly Reader?
Oh, that was a sweet little newsmagazine for kids.
Yes, it was.
I think it really launched the counterculture. Looking back, it was also part of the counterculture. You would never find anything that truthful and beautiful, the issues I’ve seen, in today’s world.
We are always relying partly on the culture to raise the next generation. Culture is always sensitive. And the culture for the most part has gone to hell.
I was a Weekly Reader kid. And I have amazing, incoherent but warm memories of it.
It feels like for every one thing that changes for the better two things change for the worse. We should launch the magazine again internationally and just rewrite the same exact issues they used to have.
That’s a fine idea. Do you have other projects in the offing?
I’m dying to. Ah, ah, yeah. You have all your little hopes and dreams.
The first time I talked with you, you were coming here with the musical show (“I Want to to Live!”) on convicted killer Barbara Graham. That was an amazing experience. A serious musical.
We loved playing Eugene. We probably did a better show in Eugene than we did anywhere else. You could feel the energy, feel that warmth.
Have you pursued other themed projects like that, or have you done more with Barbara?
We have done more with Barbara and we have also done a show about Rachel Carson.
Will you be playing with a band here?
It will be just me.
What instruments?
Piano and the ukelele. And, you know, a little harmonica. Maybe I shouldn’t mention that, maybe it should be … oh, it doesn’t matter. It’s not that big a surprise.
Anything else?
I want to go back to this vegetarian restaurant I’ve been to in the past. Greek. Local art for sale. Water in an old jar. It’s just a charming restaurant. I can’t remember what it was called, but I hope I find it again.
Nellie McKay performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday May 10 at The Shedd Institute. More at TheShedd.org