Cat Power | ||
| Allmusic Biography : A one-of-a-kind artist unafraid to reveal her inner self and follow her muse in different directions, Cat Powers Chan Marshall pens literate and emotionally revealing songs and performs them with strength and fragility. Her earliest albums, such as 1996s What Would the Community Think, reflected the influence of New Yorks experimental rock scene. As time went on, however, the folk, blues, and soul music she was raised on made themselves known on 1998s Moon Pix and 2006s The Greatest, which featured performances by Memphis soul legends. As Marshall continued to experiment, adding electronics on 2012s Sun and releasing one of her starkest albums yet with 2018s Wanderer, she established herself as one of the 21st centurys most acclaimed singer/songwriters and paved the way for like-minded artists such as Mitski, Snail Mail, and Angel Olsen. Chan (pronounced "Shawn") Marshall was born Charlyn Marie Marshall in Atlanta, Georgia on January 21, 1972. Marshalls father was a blues musician, but her parents divorced when she was young, and she spent much of her nomadic childhood moving back and forth between her father, her mother, and her grandfather. While Marshalls parents didnt encourage her to play music early on, she wrote her first song when she was in fourth grade, and immersed herself in her stepfathers record collection, dominated by soul and classic rock. When Marshall was 16, she moved in with her father in Atlanta, and by 18 she had dropped out of high school and settled on her own. She fell in with a group of experimental indie rock musicians and began jamming with her new friends, initially for fun but eventually playing with several bands before forming a group called Cat Power. The name came from a truckers cap emblazoned with "Cat Diesel Power" that Marshall spotted while working at a pizza joint. After streamlining it into a suitable band name, she later took Cat Power as her stage alias, and began earning a reputation on the Atlanta music scene. In 1992, Marshall relocated to New York City and initially focused her energies on writing songs, but as she became aware of New Yorks experimental music community, she was emboldened to put fresh emphasis on performing, and began playing semi-improvised shows around the city. In 1993, Marshall became acquainted with members of the group God Is My Co-Pilot, and with their help, she released the first Cat Power single, "Headlights" b/w "Darling Said Sir." Later the same year, Cat Power opened for Liz Phair in New York; two of the fans who caught the show were Two Dollar Guitars Tim Foljahn and Sonic Youths Steve Shelley. Impressed, Foljahn and Shelley volunteered to help her make an album, and they backed her on Cat Powers debut album, Dear Sir, released by Plain Records in 1995. A second album, Myra Lee, was issued by Shelleys Smells Like Records label in early 1996, featuring unused material from the Dear Sir sessions. Strong reviews led to Marshall signing with Matador Records, and her third album, What Would the Community Think, appeared in September 1996. Marshalls anxieties -- which sometimes led to unpredictable live performances -- caused her to drop out of music and move to South Carolina, but a bout of insomnia followed by nightmares inspired a new set of songs, and she returned to the recording studio. Released in 1998, Moon Pix was recorded in Australia with accompaniment from Mick Turner and Jim White of the Dirty Three, and featured a warmer, more full-bodied sound than Cat Powers early work. Marshall set aside songwriting for her next project, 2000s The Covers Record, which included a new recording of "In This Hole" from What Would the Community Think, along with interpretations of classic songs by Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Velvet Underground, Moby Grape, and others. In early 2003, another Cat Power album was released, You Are Free, which offered a more polished and cohesive sound than before and featured guest appearances from fans Eddie Vedder and Dave Grohl. The album became her charting debut, peaking at 105 on the Billboard 200. In 2005, Marshall recorded The Greatest, a soul-influenced album featuring Memphis R&B; legends Mabon "Teenie" Hodges and Leroy "Flick" Hodges from the Hi Records Rhythm Section. The album came out in February 2006 to widespread acclaim: it debuted at number 34 on the Billboard 200 and won that years Shortlist Music Prize. Marshall booked a tour to support the album that was canceled when she experienced a psychotic break due to depression, stress, and alcohol abuse. Marshall checked herself into a hospital to deal with these issues, and a few months later she was back on the road with the musicians who helped her record The Greatest. She hit the road again later that year with a group she called the Dirty Delta Blues Band, featuring Judah Bauer of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Gregg Foreman of the Delta 72, and previous collaborator Jim White. The Dirty Delta Blues Band formed the core of Marshalls studio band for the next Cat Power album, 2008s Jukebox, which like The Covers Album was dominated by versions of songs by the likes of Billie Holiday, James Brown, and Joni Mitchell. In 2009, Marshall moved to Los Angeles to be closer to her then-partner, actor Giovanni Ribisi, and took time off from music to help Ribisi raise his daughter from a previous marriage. She was working on her first collection of original songs when the relationship ended in April 2012, and put the finishing touches on the album, which incorporated electronics into her signature style and featured mixing by Cassius Philippe Zdar. When Sun arrived in September 2012, it debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 album chart. The day the album was released, Marshall was in intensive care due to what was later diagnosed as hereditary angioedema, an immune disorder that causes swelling in the body. Due to ongoing problems with the disorder, Marshall delayed her European tour until 2013. During the struggles with her illness, she discovered she was pregnant and gave birth to her son in 2015. While continuing to tour, Marshall began work on her next album, recording in Miami and Los Angeles with engineer Jeff Dominguez and mixer Rob Schnapf. Marshall made her Domino Records debut with 2018s Wanderer, a set of stripped-down, folk and blues-inspired songs that included "Woman," a collaboration with former tourmate Lana Del Rey, and a cover of Rihannas "Stay." | ||
 | Album: 1 of 13 Title: Dear Sir Released: 1995-10 Tracks: 9 Duration: 31:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 3 Times (04:13) 2 Rockets (04:43) 3 Itchyhead (02:44) 4 Yesterday Is Here (03:34) 5 The Sleepwalker (04:02) 6 Mr. Gallo (03:19) 7 No Matter (01:03) 8 Headlights (04:03) 9 [Untitled Track] (04:03) |
| Dear Sir : Allmusic album Review : Cat Powers first full-length album, Dear Sir, spotlights Chan Marshalls demanding but rewarding songwriting. Her distinctive blend of blues, country, folk and punk creates songs like the dark, noisy "Itchyhead" and "Rockets," which mixes tension and hope, and tops it with Marshalls earnest, expressive vocals. Though the album needs the listeners complete attention, Dear Sir more than keeps it with nine of Marshalls searching meditations on life. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 13 Title: Myra Lee Released: 1996-03-04 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Enough (05:44) 2 We All Die (05:03) 3 Great Expectations (04:21) 4 Top Expert (03:18) 5 Ice Water (03:41) 6 Still in Love (03:31) 7 Rockets (04:43) 8 Faces (05:01) 9 Fiance (00:33) 10 Wealthy Man (05:10) 11 Not What You Want (05:29) |
| Myra Lee : Allmusic album Review : The 1996 album Myra Lee presents a more diverse and fully developed version of Cat Powers music, ranging from the winding, acoustic menace of "Enough" to the sinewy rock of "We All Die." Introspective epics like "Great Expectations," "Faces," and "Wealthy Man" use churning tempos and spiraling guitars to convey Chan Marshalls melancholy musical vision, but gentler songs like the trembling cover of Hank Williams "Still in Love" and originals like "Top Expert" and "Ice Water" are parts of the picture as well, adding warmth and roundness to the album. As always, Marshalls yearning voice lends extra emotion to her songs, whether its her clear, soaring vocals on the new version of "Rockets" or her distant, half-heard moans on the final track, "Not What You Want," which sounds genuine to the point of eavesdropping. This raw, overheard sound infuses Myra Lee with a sonic honesty that matches the albums heartfelt songwriting. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 13 Title: What Would the Community Think Released: 1996-09-10 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 In This Hole (04:59) 2 Good Clean Fun (04:46) 3 What Would the Community Think (04:30) 4 Nude as the News (04:23) 5 They Tell Me (02:53) 6 Taking People (03:25) 7 The Fate of the Human Carbine (02:58) 8 King Rides By (04:03) 9 Bathysphere (03:01) 10 Water & Air (04:43) 11 Enough (04:25) 12 The Coat Is Always On (03:34) |
| What Would the Community Think : Allmusic album Review : What Would the Community Think was the second album Chan Marshall released in 1996, but its richness suggests a longer period of evolution. From the first warm notes of "In this Hole," its clear that Marshalls voice -- as a singer and a songwriter -- is not only stronger and more focused, but more empathetic as well. Where her previous works were dense and cathartic, What Would the Community Think gives her voice and lyrics space to unfurl and involve the listener; the title track alone holds an albums worth of eloquence in Marshalls hushed, clear vocals, backed by guitar, feedback, and an eerie, echoing piano. Fortunately, that leaves Marshall 11 other tracks with which to forge a fine balance between angular, angst-ridden punk and her gentler, folk-country tendencies. Different combinations of these extremes make Cat Powers sound more diverse but also more cohesive. Tense, tight songs like "Good Clean Fun" and "Nude as the News" retain the reflective, thoughtful nature of quieter numbers like "King Rides By" and "Water and Air," which turn the power of the albums louder moments into slow-building, implosive tension. Two of What Would the Community Thinks finest moments, "They Tell Me" and "Taking People," are unabashedly blues and country-inflected, revealing Marshall not just as a cathartic vocalist, but as a true soul singer. Similarly, her covers of Peter Jefferies "Fate of the Human Carbine" and Smogs "Bathysphere" show off Marshalls ability to make any song a Cat Power song. An intimate, personal album, What Would the Community Think makes imperfection beautiful and turns vulnerability into musical strength. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 13 Title: Moon Pix Released: 1998-09-22 Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 American Flag (03:30) 2 He Turns Down (05:39) 3 No Sense (04:50) 4 Say (03:24) 5 Metal Heart (04:02) 6 Back of Your Head (03:43) 7 Moonshiner (04:50) 8 You May Know Him (02:46) 9 Colors and the Kids (06:35) 10 Cross Bones Style (04:32) 11 Peking Saint (02:24) 12 Sea of Love (02:20) 13 Schizophrenia Weighted Me Down (02:51) 14 Kingsport Town (live) (03:17) |
| Moon Pix : Allmusic album Review : Cat Powers 1998 album Moon Pix continues Chan Marshalls transformation from an indie rock Cassandra into a reflective, accomplished singer/songwriter. Where her previous works were an urgent, aching mix of punk, folk, and blues, Moon Pix is truly soul(ful) music: warm, reflective, complex, and cohesive. For this album, Marshall moved the recording sessions for the album to Australia, and switched her rhythm section to the Dirty Threes Mick Turner and Jim White; the lineup changes add new depth and light to her compelling, intricate guitar work and gently insistent vocals. From the backwards drum loop on "American Flag" (borrowed from the Beastie Boys "Paul Revere") to the fluttering, smoky flutes on "He Turns Down" to the double-tracked vocals and crashing thunderstorms of "Say," Moon Pixs expressive arrangements mirror the songs fine emotional shadings. Marshall is sunny on the quietly hopeful "You May Know Him," hypnotic and seductive on "Cross Bones Style," and poignant on "Colors & the Kids," where she sings, "Its so hard to go into the city/Because you want to say hi, hello, I love you to everybody." As natural and refined as a pearl, Moon Pix is a collection of fragile yet strong songs that reveal Marshalls unique, personal songwriting talents in their full glory. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 13 Title: The Covers Record Released: 2000-03-10 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (03:04) 2 Kingsport Town (04:56) 3 Troubled Waters (03:30) 4 Naked If I Want To (02:49) 5 Sweedeedee (03:55) 6 In This Hole (04:28) 7 I Found a Reason (02:02) 8 Wild Is the Wind (04:12) 9 Red Apples (04:26) 10 Paths of Victory (03:24) 11 Salty Dog (02:09) 12 Sea of Love (02:20) |
| The Covers Record : Allmusic album Review : On the The Covers Record, Chan Marshall continues her evolution into a remarkably expressive interpreter of songs; her earlier covers of Pavements "We Dance" and Smogs "Bathysphere" are among her most distinctive performances. This collection includes songs originally by Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Velvet Underground, Moby Grape, Michael Hurley, and Anonymous. Marshalls sparest album yet, The Covers Record uses guitar and piano as the only foils for her malleable, emotional voice. These tools are more than enough to turn the Stones anthem "(I Cant Get No) Satisfaction" into a bluesy, slinky version emphasizing the songs tension and frustration as much as its jaded sexiness, and "Kingston Town" from a reggae standard into a hymnal reflection. Marshalls gentle version of Hurleys "Sweedeedee" and plaintive reading of the Velvets "I Found a Reason" recall the quietest, most spiritual moments from Moon Pix. This culminates on the cover of her own "In This Hole" from What Would the Community Think; one of the most drastic revisions, its soft pianos and serene vocals replace the originals turbulent anguish, reflecting her changing musical path. Marshall explores many emotional directions, from her yearning version of Moby Grapes "Naked If I Want To" to her brooding sensuality on "Wild Is the Wind," to her down-home optimism on Bob Dylans "Paths of Victory." "Salty Dog"s lilting melody and humorous lyrics bring out Marshalls Georgia twang, while her version of Smogs "Red Apples" shows off her voices sensual lows and keening highs. The joyous cover of "Sea of Love" (originally by Phil Phillips) brings this accomplished, heartfelt Covers Record to a very happy end. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 13 Title: You Are Free Released: 2003-02-18 Tracks: 14 Duration: 52:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Dont Blame You (03:01) 2 Free (03:36) 3 Good Woman (03:54) 4 Speak For Me (02:59) 5 Werewolf (04:03) 6 Fool (03:46) 7 He War (03:28) 8 Shaking Paper (04:26) 9 Babydoll (02:53) 10 Maybe Not (04:15) 11 Names (04:48) 12 Half Of You (02:38) 13 Keep On Runnin (03:48) 14 Evolution (04:45) |
| You Are Free : Allmusic album Review : You Are Free arrives nearly five years from her last album of original material, and everything, yet nothing, has changed about Chan Marshalls music. The albums title is as much a statement as it is a challenge, a command to free ones self from the hurt and pain of the past, or to at least find a way of making peace with it. Marshall seems to do both on You Are Free, a collection of songs about finding freedom and peace wherever she can. Initially, the album seems more diffuse than Moon Pix, as it spans tense rockers, blues, folk, and singer/songwritery piano ballads, but it gradually reveals itself as Marshalls most mature and thematically focused work yet. You Are Free opens with a stunning trio of songs that encompass most of the moods and sounds she explores later in the album. On "I Dont Blame You," the first of You Are Frees many spare, piano-driven moments, Marshall paints a portrait of a tormented musician, her voice so full of sympathy that she may well be singing a reconciliation to a previous incarnation of herself. The brisk, buzzing intensity of "Free," however, offers liberation in the form of rock & rolls immediate, poetic nonsense: "Dont be in love with the autograph/Just be in love when you love that song all night long." You Are Frees first two songs address musicians and making music directly; Marshall is a famously willful, volatile artist, and the increasing gaps between her albums (not to mention her unpredictable live performances) suggest that being a musician isnt the easiest thing for her to do, even if its a necessary one. She addresses the struggle to do the right, but difficult, thing on "Good Woman," a near-spiritual breakup song where, backed by a childrens choir and fiddles, Marshall explains that she needs to be a good woman with -- or more likely, without -- her bad man. Aside from being a lovely song, its also a departure; earlier in her career the song might have just focused on the conflict instead of Marshalls gently strong resolution to it. This gentle but resolute strength runs through most of You Are Frees best moments, such as "He War" and especially "Names," a terrifyingly matter-of-fact recollection of child abuse and lost friends that says more in its resigned sorrow than a histrionic tirade would. As the album progresses, it moves toward the spare, affecting ballads that give her later work a strange timelessness; listening to You Are Free gives the impression of stripping away layers to get to the essence of Marshalls music. In some ways, the quiet last half of this album is more demanding than the angsty noise of Dear Sir or Myra Lee, but hearing her find continually creative interpretations of minor keys, plaintive pianos, and folky guitars is well worth the attention it takes, whether its the dead-of-night eroticism of her cover of Michael Hurleys "Werewolf," the pretty yet eerie longing of "Fool," or the prairie romance of "Half of You." Every Cat Power album takes at least a few listens to fully reveal itself; You Are Free may take awhile longer than expected to unfold, but once it does, its excellence is undeniable. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 13 Title: Speaking for Trees Released: 2004-10-26 Tracks: 1 Duration: 18:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Willie Deadwilder (18:17) |
 | Album: 8 of 13 Title: The Greatest Released: 2006-01-07 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Greatest (03:22) 2 Living Proof (03:11) 3 Lived in Bars (03:44) 4 Could We (02:21) 5 Empty Shell (03:04) 6 Willie (05:57) 7 Where Is My Love (02:53) 8 The Moon (03:45) 9 Islands (01:44) 10 After It All (03:31) 11 Hate (03:38) 12 Love & Communication (04:34) |
| The Greatest : Allmusic album Review : The Greatest (no, its not a hits collection) makes it clear just how much Chan Marshall grows with each album she releases. Three years on from You Are Free, she sounds reinvented yet again: Marshall returned to Memphis, TN -- where she recorded What Would the Community Think nearly a decade earlier -- to make an homage to the Southern soul and pop she listened to as a young girl. Working with great Memphis soul musicians such as Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, Leroy "Flick" Hodges, and Dave Smith, she crafted an album that is even more focused and accessible than You Are Free was, and pushes her even closer toward straightforward singer/songwriter territory. The title track is a subtle but powerful statement of purpose: with its lush, "Moon River" strings and lyrics about a young boy who wanted to become a boxer, the song is as moving as her earlier work but also a big step away from the angst-ridden diary-rock that her music is sometimes categorized as. Likewise, on the gospel-tinged "Living Proof" and the charming "Could We," Marshall is sexy, strong, and playful, and far from the stereotype of her as a frail, howling waif. But the truth is, sweet Southern songs like these have been in her repertoire since What Would the Community Thinks "They Tell Me" and "Taking People" (You Are Frees "Good Woman" and "Half of You" are also touchstones for this album); The Greatest is just a more polished, palatable version of this side of her music. This is the most listenable Cat Power album Marshall has made, and one that could easily win her lots of new fans. Its also far from a sell-out -- The Greatest sounds like the album Marshall wanted to make, without any specific (or larger) audience in mind. And yet, the very things about The Greatest that make it appealing to a larger audience also make it less singular and sublime than, say, Moon Pix or You Are Free. The productions and arrangements on songs like "Lived in Bars" and "Empty Shell" are so immaculate and intricate that they threaten to overwhelm Marshalls gorgeous voice. And, occasionally, the albums warm, soulful, laid-back vibe goes from mellow to sleepy, particularly on "Willie" and "The Moon." Two of The Greatests best songs show that she doesnt need to be edgy and tortured or gussied up with elaborate productions to sound amazing: "Where Is My Love" reaffirms that all Marshall needs is a piano and that voice to make absolutely spellbinding music. On the other hand, "Love & Communication"s modern, complicated take on love gains a quiet intensity with judiciously used strings and keyboards. For what it is, The Greatest is exceedingly well done, and people who have never heard of Cat Power before could very well love this album immediately. However, it might take a little more work for those who have loved her music from the beginning. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 13 Title: Live Session EP (iTunes Exclusive) Released: 2006-09-05 Tracks: 4 Duration: 16:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Love and Communication (acoustic version) (03:32) 2 House of the Rising Sun (03:53) 3 Wild Is the Wind (05:01) 4 Who Knows Where the Time Goes (04:06) |
 | Album: 10 of 13 Title: eMusic Session EP Released: 2006-10-03 Tracks: 4 Duration: 14:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Greatest (eMusic solo version) (03:50) 2 Remember Me (eMusic solo version) (03:50) 3 Ramblin Man (eMusic solo version) (02:45) 4 Good Woman (eMusic solo version) (03:52) |
 | Album: 11 of 13 Title: Jukebox Released: 2008-01-18 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 New York (02:00) 2 Ramblin (Wo)man (03:47) 3 Metal Heart (03:53) 4 Silver Stallion (02:52) 5 Aretha, Sing One for Me (03:12) 6 Lost Someone (02:50) 7 Lord, Help the Poor & Needy (02:37) 8 I Believe in You (04:07) 9 Song to Bobby (04:17) 10 Dont Explain (03:50) 11 Woman Left Lonely (04:07) 12 Blue (04:01) |
| Jukebox : Allmusic album Review : Eight years is a long time in almost any artists career, but in Cat Powers case, its an even more sizable gulf, as Chan Marshalls collections of other peoples songs reflect. Released in 2000, The Covers Record found her becoming an ever more nuanced performer, tempering the rawness and intensity of her earlier albums with a lighter approach. Arriving in 2008, Jukebox reaffirms what a polished artist shes become, especially since her Memphis soul homage The Greatest. But where The Greatest sometimes bordered on slick, Jukeboxs blend of country, soul, blues, and jazz feels lived-in and natural. Marshall recorded this set with her touring act, the Dirty Delta Blues Band, featuring some of indie rocks finest players, including her longtime drummer, the Dirty Threes Jim White -- who gives even the quietest moments vitality -- as well as Jon Spencer Blues Explosions Judah Bauer and Chavezs Matt Sweeney, so its not surprising that the album often plays like an especially well-recorded concert. However, some of the session legends she worked with on The Greatest make guest appearances, including Teenie Hodges and Spooner Oldham. Oldhams song for Janis Joplin, "A Woman Left Lonely," appears here, and the originals sophisticated yet earthy sound is one of the albums biggest influences. As on The Covers Record, Marshall makes bold choices. She citifies Hank Williams "Ramblin Man" (switched to "Ramblin [Wo]Man" here), turning it slinky and smoky with spacious drums and rippling Rhodes; despite the very different surroundings, the songs desperate loneliness remains. Joni Mitchells icily beautiful "Blue" gets a thaw and a late-night feel that are completely different but just as compelling. Not all of Jukeboxs transformations are this successful: Marshalls penchant for turning formerly brash songs brooding (like The Covers Records "Satisfaction") sounds too predictable on Frank Sinatras "New York." And, while the choice to change James Browns "I Lost Someone" from searing and pleading to languid was brave, the results fall flat. One of the most drastic remakes is Marshalls own Moon Pix track "Metal Heart," which adds more drama and dynamics to one of her prettiest melodies. While the way this version swings from aching verses to cathartic choruses works, the subtlety and simplicity of the original are missed. Indeed, many of Jukeboxs best moments are the simplest. Marshalls reworking of the Highwaymens 1990 hit "Silver Stallion" frees the song from its dated production, replacing it with acoustic guitar and pedal steel that impart a timeless, restless beauty. She pays Bob Dylan homage with a gritty, defiant, yet reverent take on "I Believe in You" from his 1978 Christian album Slow Train Coming and "Song to Bobby," Jukeboxs lone new track, dedicated to and inspired by Dylan so thoroughly that she borrows his trademark cadences without sounding like an impersonation. Uneven as it may be, Jukebox is still a worthwhile portrait of Chan Marshalls artistry. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 13 Title: Sun Released: 2012-08-29 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cherokee (04:46) 2 Sun (03:19) 3 Ruin (04:30) 4 3,6,9 (04:00) 5 Always on My Own (02:23) 6 Real Life (02:37) 7 Human Being (03:28) 8 Manhattan (05:16) 9 Silent Machine (04:00) 10 Nothin but Time (10:55) 11 Peace and Love (03:40) |
| Sun : Allmusic album Review : Six years between albums would be a lifetime for many artists, but Cat Powers Chan Marshall managed to pack a couple of lifetimes worth of experiences between The Greatest and Sun. A happy relationship, health issues, and writers block were among the many things that kept her away from music during that time, and with a life that full, its no wonder that this album, Marshalls ninth set of original songs, is so different than the one that came before it. Instead of working with veteran musicians, she wrote, recorded, and produced Sun on her own, added electronic instruments to her repertoire, and enlisted Cassius Philippe Zdar to help with the mixing duties (which he did with a minimum of interference). While its miles away from The Greatests retro-soul, Sun isnt Cat Power-goes-electro, either; anyone fearing relentless house beats or an onslaught of cheesy synths should have their fears calmed by the beautiful opening track "Cherokee," where a few tasteful keyboards rev up the yearning chorus, and skittering beats fit right in with the guitar and piano. The song also introduces Suns remarkably spare production aesthetic, which sounds all the more striking coming after The Greatests lushness; even if this album is more consciously modern-sounding than its predecessor, its also a lot less slick. Actually, the willingness and ability to mix, bend, and blend old and new sounds that Marshall shows here isnt such a far cry from the more sonically adventurous moments on Moon Pix and especially You Are Free; shes just expanding on that instinct and adding a more hopeful songwriting bent. What really matters, and what really shines on Sun, is Marshalls voice, which sounds so unabashedly human and lived-in that not even the Auto-Tune on songs such as "3,6,9" can tweak the grit out of it. These songs give Marshall some of the widest-ranging backdrops shes ever had for that voice, whether its more overtly electronic tracks such as the hypnotic title cut and the ominous "Silent Machine," which suddenly glitches up like ripping the skin off an android, or the more familiar but still compelling territory of "Human Being"s rolling blues or the delicate piano ballad "Manhattan," which sparkles like freshly fallen snow. Sun also boasts some of her happiest-sounding songs, in particular "Nothin But Time," an 11-minute epic dedicated to her ex-boyfriend Giovanni Ribisis teen daughter, to whom Marshall sings "You got nothin but time/And it aint got nothin on you." It seems like the perfect way to end the album, until the actual closing track "Peace and Love," which is the closest Marshall has gotten to hip-hop, brings things to an end with unexpected but welcome humor. Sun lives up to its name, but its album cover is more revealing: like the rainbow crossing Marshalls face, these songs are the meeting point between a stormy past and optimism for the future. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 13 Title: Wanderer Released: 2018-10-05 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wanderer (01:14) 2 In Your Face (04:12) 3 You Get (03:43) 4 Woman (04:51) 5 Horizon (04:24) 6 Stay (03:58) 7 Black (03:57) 8 Robbin Hood (02:11) 9 Nothing Really Matters (03:12) 10 Me voy (04:00) 11 Wanderer/Exit (02:20) |