Yesterday, singer-songwriters Neko Case, k.d. lang, and Laura Viers announced a collaborative project, aptly titled case/lang/viers. I have to admit that my interest lies mostly in Case's participation, since I've been a fan of hers for years. That's not to discount the talent of the other two ladies, of course, but I have to admit that my excitement for the collaboration increased exponentially when I heard the first single, "Atomic Number," which is heavily in the vein of Case's (excellent) solo work - and possibly among the most beautiful songs she's put her name to yet.

It's fairly straightforward structurally, but Case has repeatedly proven she has the melodic and lyrical talent to make even the simplest compositions shine ("I Wish I Was the Moon," "At Last," "Middle Cyclone," etc., etc.). The lyrics pack impossible amounts of meaning and emotion into few words and hit on all of Case's signatures, from refreshing metaphor ("I am the spark of this machine, purring like a city bus") to philosophical introspection ("Why are the wholesome things the ones we make obscene?") to, finally, a pure expression of longing ("Latin words across my heart, symbols of infinity").

However, the musical chemistry between all three women raises the song to an aural peak. The cascading effect of their alternating vocals on the verses, set against a warm guitar-driven backdrop, builds powerfully into a lush, velvety chorus. Although Case's effortless powerhouse of a voice remains the center around which everything else pivots, lang and Viers' nuanced harmonies play an important grounding role and enrich the soundscape. So, too, does the robust violin line that comes in partway through, mirrored by impressionistic strands of wordless vocalization. What the song lacks in adventurousness, it makes up for ten times over in sheer beauty and mastery of sound: this trio sounds like they were born to make music together.

While "Atomic Number" is clearly Case's show, I imagine the album as a whole will be more balanced in allowing all three women to take their turn in the spotlight. At any rate, I'm definitely interested to hear more. The self-titled album releases on June 17th; hopefully, the long wait will be worth it.