Cat Power
http://www.catpowerthegreatest.com

styles: indie rock, singer/songwriter
others: Kristin Hersh, Cynthia Dall, Elliott Smith, Tegan & Sara

The Greatest
Matador, 2006
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: filmore mescalito holmes


2006 is shaping up to be a weird year already for music, here in January. With the exception of "Hate" and "Love And Communication," the two closing tracks, the greatest Cat Power album yet is also, by far, her most hopeful, often approaching cheery. I had no idea her voice could sound so much like Dido's if she ever decided to take it a bit easier, which she obviously does here in what is surreal fashion for me. In doing so, she enlisted the aid of Al Green guitarist "Teenie" Hodges and Booker T & The MG's replacement drummer Steve Potts, among other mentionable Memphis musicians, and booked time in an alternative Stax studio. That's something of a switch from the aging grunge gurus (Dave Grohl, Eddie Vedder) who appeared on her critically praised last release. The resulting effect of steady 'dragging horseshoes on the trail' basslines and more of an ease in her lyricism and delivery made me light-headed for almost my entire first listening. I asked myself, "What is she doing? Did she quit drinking? Am I dead?" I had listened to Chan Marshall play the piano and sing for some 40-minutes straight... yet I wasn't yearning the sweet embrace of death with quiet desperation the majority of the time. Insanity, I tell you, chaos: trees raking leaves, dogs and cats living together, madness.

After generating more of a buzz with 2003's You Are Free than with anything else she's put out, I can see this album heavily impacting the 30-something part-time New York native's future. The Greatest is a bold statement for someone whose alcohol-fuelled stage antics have become lore, passed down from fan to fan, all of which paint a picture of the young woman as a very fragile personality, to say the least. I suppose Björk still manages to release albums that satisfy her fans well enough, so it might all work out. I just hope Chan knows what she's getting into. This will be on most of the indie-ish year end tops charts this year, guaranteed.

1. The Greatest
2. Could We
3. Lived In Bars
4. Islands
5. After It All
6. The Moon
7. Living Proof
8. Empty Shell
9. Willie
10. Where Is My Love
11. Hate
12. Love & Communication

You Are Free
Matador, 2003
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: matt price


In 1998, Cat Power (Chan Marshall) released Moon Pix, a personal favorite of mine. Now it's 2003 and You Are Free has just been released, the first proper Cat Power album since Moon Pix. (The Covers Record precedes this release, but I've written that off due to its novelty.) This new album starts off with what showed to be my favorite track of the album, "I Don't Blame You." With a piano part that could have come straight out of any Black Heart Procession album, she softly utters "You were swinging your guitar around/because they wanted to hear that sound/But you didn't want to play/and I don't blame you." Hearing these lyrics brings me back to the opening track of Moon Pix, "American Flag", because of its similar lyrical content. Both tracks about musicians, both stunning beginnings to albums. With this first track in mind, I was expecting an album that will come to par or perhaps exceed Moon Pix. Expectations in mind, the rest of the album flows effortlessly through Neko Case-esque alt-country gems, such as "Good Woman"and "Half of You", and through songs with a bit more rock, such as "Shaking Paper" and "Free". The only place where this album really falters is in its finale, a brooding duet with Eddie Vedder. This last track hit a sour note with me, as it felt somewhat out of place and left me unfulfilled. All in all, Chan Marshall's womanly rasp flows effortlessly over piano chords, guitar riffs, drum beats, and the like to provide us with a very good, proper follow up to Moon Pix, even if it was over five years after. If you're one for sampling albums before you decide to buy, I would suggest giving "I Don't Blame You", "Free" and "He War" a listen.

1. I Don't Blame You
2. Free
3. Good Woman
4. Speak For Me
5. Werewolf
6. Fool
7. He War
8. Shaking Paper
9. Baby Doll
10. Maybe Not
11. Names
12. Half of You
13. Keep on Runnin'
14. Evolution