Is anyone else looking forward to the new Cat Power?

"We thought it wasn't possible, but Cat Power just keeps getting sexier. Chan Marshall's forthcoming album, The Greatest, (due January 26 on Matador), continues the trend of her guest turn on Handsome Boy Modeling School's "I've Been Thinking", turning the indie rock chanteuse into a simmering Southern diva. Listen to her purr and just try not to want to make babies.

As previously reported, The Greatest was recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, with a murderer's row of veteran session musicians, including members of the Hi and Stax Records house bands. The record is steeped in the R&B and country traditions, with lots of horns and thick, smoky grooves."

Sounds good to me.

"I'm a busy man so I haven't checked yet" - Texas guy on the Simpsons

There's an mp3 of the title track here (as well as an album-cover I'm not exactly sold on). I can't listen to it till this evening, but you're all welcome to tell me if it's good or not.

(in answer to the thread question)

ew, that pink.

I like the Morningwood album more.

Don't you think that might have died out for a reason?

Everything's very rosy-posy and superficial... prettily dancing around while Chan sings these lines full of longing. The contrast works great at first but gets really tiring after a few songs.

------combined into one (or chosen at random even) that latter's by far the best option! Oh combat! She plays better on her own, so yeah

With "The Greatest", I think Chan finally has the support and the arrangements that her songs have been begging for. In other words, I have the polar opposite view of this record that Sean Gramophone has.

I think it's Chan's way of kissing "indie" goodbye, and flowering into this 21st century songstress that the world truly needs. But I'll wait until the new Beth Orton - she could possibly trump this. The new Edith Frost is pretty stunning too.

Has this actually leaked, then? I've heard about half of it, and it does in fact sound pretty great.

The last one was her strongest album, I think, even though it didn't have her best songs overall (oh how I love "Still in Love" and "Rockets"). But this sounds like it's going to be a major departure in style, yes?

And though I love the drums on "The Greatest", I do not like them elsewhere.

Are You Nomar? = I think that some critics will say it's a great departure in style, but I kinda think that's hogwash. They are laid-back country arrangements, - against which I guess you could say Moon Pix was indie rock-style and You Are Free was singer-songwriter style, - but this isn't really the chanteuse record I imagined, or the country record. (Or the pop record.) To me it's Chan with a very different backing band, one that's got some twang and some sheen but which also lacks much soul.

It's possible I've not entirely downloaded the proper version, though -- do "The Moon" and "Hate" sound live (and different than the rest) to anyone else?

hey, thanks!

what does the pre - 'moon pix' stuff sound like?

http://s60.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2EMR6TZSIX0F13N091XBR5XYES

haha low blow anthony

This is OTM. I'm a bit disappointed, because I was expecting some Dusty in Memphis shit, and really I get the same old same old with a little more instrumentation filling it out, but without the texture that I love in older material. It's more bland, more reliant on her actual vocals and lyrics (which, sad to say, were never the selling point - I liked the overall sound, the way "Rockets"/"Still In Love" remain delicate but bleed out to white when you play them loud).

I wanted her to go further - make use of the soul greats. The first three or four tracks are fine, but after that I kind of stop caring and want to circle back to the beginning.

Is there really no thread for Jukebox yet?

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WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Hi Jamie,

On behalf of Matador Records, we would kindly ask you not to post copies of any tracks from Cat Power's forthcoming album ("Jukebox" - release date 22nd Jan 08) on your site.

We do appreciate that you are a fan of / are promoting Cat Power, but Matador would greatly appreciate your co-operation in removing the files in question.

As you will appreciate, this e-mail is written on a without prejudice basis and, as such, all of our clients' accumulated, worldwide rights remain strictly reserved : please excuse this required formality.

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http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/6825.jpg

Are her covers really special? I liked The Greatest a lot, but covers of Dylan, CCR and Janis Joplin songs don't sound promising to me.

Haha Skot. That Web Sherriff is pretty trusty -- seems to be nearly anywhere one searches 'Cat Power' and 'Jukebox.'

yeah but it's more "copacetic" stoned than "omg roffle" stoned.
-- 'you' vs. 'city hall' FITE (Jody Beth Rosen)

no, i agree with that. you awful bitch.
-- Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas)

wtf???

Yeah, it's a good album. Real good.

And xpost probs with texture and detail now solved (although it's still **very romantic** duh)

this album sounds really strung out and listless, like the most strung out and listless bits of albums like "self portrait" and "in my own time." the vocals seem shapeless. i'm not a huge cat power fan, nor did i much like her last album, but this might go down as a major false step or the beginning of the end or the end of the end or something.

oh and despite the best efforts of web sheriff, i was able to dl this just fine.

yeah i'm not hearing what you are, amateurist. if you liked the last one, this is great. and the 'cover' of 'metal heart' is pretty amazing, imo.

saw her and the band play live last month and it was pretty disappointing.

all the songs were played in the same lite r&b manner and were interchangeably unrecognizable. and though i quite like her, i don't think amorphous covers with half-assed phrasing really plays to her strengths.

the original 'metal heart' is one of my favorites of hers; it started with promise but then seemed to peter out. in any case, i'd much rather hear her originals than tepid cover versions.

her lite soul phase has, thus far for me, been terribly terribly dull.

all the songs were played in the same lite r&b manner and were interchangeably unrecognizable

There is a samey-ness problem with the songs on The Greatest, but the differences between them open up (to an extent) over time. And since I like that smoldering Southern Gothic vibe, I can overlook the samey problem (to an extent).

Daniel, Esq. (to an extent)

(Indeed).

J0rdan, you're supposed to be watching the Patriots game, anyway (and rooting against them; I can't, b/c seeing them win will make me sick).

i am watching the pats game and rooting against them (giants TD btw)

anyway i listened to the greatest last night at 4 am and i liked it better than i ever had. good time for that record.

Giants TD? Well, then, they have a chance to win (to an extent).

Alright, sorry; no more NFL talk from me on the Cat Power thread.

There is a samey-ness problem with the songs on The Greatest, but the differences between them open up (to an extent) over time. And since I like that smoldering Southern Gothic vibe, I can overlook the samey problem (to an extent).

sure, but a bit less so when they're covers. one southern gothic interpretation of a classic rock song does not an album make.

+ go nyfg

Word! (for NYG), but again, I ain't hopeful.

I feel like the 'Metal Heart' cover overwhelms everything else on the record.

I'll admit to owning and liking a number of Chan's albums -- Moon Pix, The Covers Record and You Are Free, in particular -- but I'm wondering after The Greatest (hmm...) and Jukebox (oh dear Lord) if there is any hope left, or if we're going to be subjected to a never-ending stream of NPR-friendly, vaguely "soulful" adult contemporary albums going forward.

I saw her when she was touring The Greatest and they introduced her as "The World's Greatest Soul Singer!" or some such. In answer to your question, i've given up all hope of a decent album in the future.

this thread just made me search for 'greatest cat power', which made me think of a bunch of cats who could like fly and shoot lasers out of their eyes and shit arguing about which had the best superpower

i still quite like the record

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f8/MingTheReformed/LaserCat-1.jpg

the opening track lines up pretty well from that neil young/booker ts album, where the whole thing is thrown slightly outta balance by having to make prominent room for someone playing an instrument who can't quite make their way into the idiom

her group now are terrible. and her voice is affectation. she used to sound like a harmonica.

i saw her last night in central park and liked the group. They had a west coast/jefferson airplane/skip spence psychedelia thing going on. I found it more interesting then her usual backings.

i'm not a superfan or anything, but i can still see her putting out a great record. people who are Moon Pix nuts probably aren't going to like anything she does in the future. A "west coast/jefferson airplane/skip spence psychedelia thing" sounds promising!

though i sorta expected her to go ahead and make a Daptones record next or something.

onceuponatime she did a real nice cover of 'weighted down', fused with schizophrenia by sonic youth, incidentally

cat power's career has gone from 'you are free' to you are free

in all seriousness, is there any influence more obvious/pervasive among young indie female singer-songwriters today than Cat Power? She's like the Joni Mitchell of the 90's, everyone wants to sound like her.

this is not an entirely bad thing imo but it can get old.

onceuponatime she did a real nice cover of 'weighted down'

so I called it! I was thinking, does this REALLY sound like Skip Spence or am I searching for a hip signifier by which to impress myself and those around me? But it really did go into these extended, Grey/Afro type psyche jams.

who's in her band these days anyway?

I wasn't that close and didn't recognize anyway. I thought they were great though. They started with this almost-Pink Floyd thing, drummer slowly hitting toms with mallets, organ coming in, spacey guitar.

My two issues are...she could us an uptempo rocker or two somewhere in the set, a little more energy wouldn't hurt! The last song ended with a big rave-up that sounded great. Also the keyboardist, who did great fake electric piano and hammond organ parts, also did these theremin-esque squeals that if they were more subtle might have fit in with the reverbed out space-rock psyche feel, but they were kind of overwhelming and kitschy instead.

sounds miles better than my cat power live experiences, which were the typical pre-Greatest kinds of shows.

american flag breaks my heart

used to be an amazing video of it live on utube, but I can only find the metal heart vid from the same concert now

the songs didn't always grab me, I don't know her stuff that well. My gf is a big fan and last night she played with The Pretenders, who were great (and Julliette Lewis and the Licks, who were terrible). I've listened to Cat Power in the car and there's a few of her hits that really stand out with me, but mostly the songs just don't grab me. Last night the arrangement, the band, and her voice made it enjoyable by me, though I'd be hard pressed to hum a melody or anything.

A "west coast/jefferson airplane/skip spence psychedelia thing" sounds promising!

cosign

i'm curious who all the young female indie singer-songwriters who sound like they're trying to be her are, or what the moves that they're making that come across that way are

I'm mostly referring to local stuff I see live in the Pacific NW with that comment.

and the signifiers are mostly vocal-related, that drawly yowl and detached attitude.

i think she's capable of putting out another great record. you are free is her best work yet, but it can be topped.

i really don't mind this neo-soul stuff, so long as she doesn't keep inundating us with cover after cover. seeing her perform live is just riveting stuff, regardless of the material.

you are free is her best work yet

I think you and I are the only two people with this opinion.

possibly. moon pix is so much greater. and what would the community think as well. with her it seems that the more she struggles the stronger is her output. i saw her on the moon pix tour with the dirty three, elliott smith played with quasi as well. she was so detached, so totally somewhere else, it was amazing. she is mor now, totally forgettable.

i really liked the Greatest, I thought it was a really nice album; my favorite is still Moon Pix though, and the first Covers album. I think she can do another great album, but I hated Jukebox, it just sounded like coasting to me.

yeah I agree with that assessment

other thoughts...even though I was familiar with The Yeah Yeah Yeahs before Cat Power (I had managed to avoid Cat Power for many years, while the YYYs are friends), when I started hearing Cat Power I think Karen O def. got some moves from her.

Also, they played Fortunate Son last night. Don't know if that's a regular cover for her, but it was fantastic.

when I started hearing Cat Power I think Karen O def. got some moves from her.

???!?!?!?!

we're talking vocally, right? i can hear similarities, esp. when Karen O. chills out.

i cannot

not even on that commercial she sang on? (just googled it -- the adidas commercial)

bar in "lived in bars" video is where i do the bulk of my drankin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNQ7fSMW3Q8

i have never seen minors there tho

I think you and I are the only two people with this opinion.

does that mean we have to work extra hard to force it on the others?

don't get me wrong, i like moon pix and the covers record too, but you are free is such a great distillation of her sound. because the songs are so varied, it's the best representation of her songwriting skills over time.

yes vocally, esp. during the more acousticy YYY songs, or even the solo acoustic stuff Karen used to do.

you are free is too clean sounding, moon pix sounds damaged, its kindof a waterlogged sunrise

i saw her on the moon pix tour with the dirty three, elliott smith played with quasi as well. she was so detached, so totally somewhere else, it was amazing.

aw

was it a satellite link up?

signifiers are mostly vocal-related, that drawly yowl and detached attitude

can imagine ppl doing this — but i dunno that it'd really get at her essential, er, cat power-ness

lived in bars is a really great song, i find it hard to write off someone who had that on their last record of originals

i guess she's in the same position a lot of indie songwriter types get to — how do you complicate what you do, bring in actual worked-on craft, without removing your idiosyncrasies or reducing them to schtick

i mean, no way would moon pix pt 2, 3, 4, and 5 would be more interesting than her actual last four records

Hurrah, a whole room of people who agree with me about Cat Power.

Moon Pix is a such a goddamn awesome record. Impossible to follow it up.

you are free is her best work yet

I think you and I are the only two people with this opinion.
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 20:02 (Yesterday) Bookmark

I'm happy to be a third. You Are Free is her best. She has def lost it since then mind.

i don't hear cat power in karen o at all. if we're talking about drawly yowl and detached attitude then scary mansion is my nominee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IacWOMLtjwY

she's cute, too!

i saw her with the dirty three also, at the end of the set she dropped her guitar and ran off the stage and out the back door of the club.

Moon Pix is a dull album with one deeply fantastic track - "Cross Bones Style". (Though I'll concede "The Colours and the Kids" is kind of affecting and perhaps is what "Harry Patch (In Memory of)" should have been.) I don't see her career trajectory as one of clear decline. The Greatest doesn't always work, but it's a good album. You Are Free is far and away her best though.

If I had to pick a standout on Moon Pix, it would be "Metal Heart" -- no question.

she's cute, too!

I'm guessing by cute you mean insufferable? ;-)

Metal Heart is her best song and one of my all-time favourites by anyone

jukebox vers of metal heart is a travesty

a friend show me a couple of songs she did on Jools a while back, i guess they we're all from The Greatest, but they were damn good still

I'll throw my lot in with the You Are Free crowd. It's an easier listen I suppose, but it never drags like her other albums tend to in places.

you are free sounds like a polished singer songwriter album by anyone

i'll be the grumpy fuck who says the first three Shelley/Foljahn-backed albums are by far her best stuff and Moon Pix was the beginning of the end as far as me being able to stand anything she did after.

what would the community think is pretty great but i can't say i've ever heard the other two all the way through

i'm exaggerating slightly (Moon Pix is definitely better than the first one), but Myra Lee is underrated as fuck.

you are free sounds like a polished singer songwriter album by anyone

it doesn't, though

it is polished for her, but i can't see how that suddenly makes her work any less distinguishable.

YAF sucks. She needs to stay away from Eddie Vedder & electric guitars.

i don't like that album but wtf, she played an electric guitar on the overwhelming majority of her first few albums.

yeah, and she sounds better with other instruments backing her voice & songs imo. Like on "Werewolf" from YAF--- the only song I love from that album.

And "Colors and the Kids" mmm & Sea of Love mmmm

Though I do like Nude as the News, which does have electric guitar.

+1 for You Are Free as her best.

do not agree with "no electric guitars" and moon pix is a very good reason why

i like "colors and the kids" but seriously keyboard cat >>>>> cat power pawing a piano two notes at a time

metal heart is definitely the only song on Jukebox I really liked, kind of a good version of her own song.

new york new york off jukebox is brilliant imo and is a bit "wow you have become a skilled singer who can do interpretations and not just in a "i'm so sad singing this song u guys" way"

wow you have become a skilled singer who can do interpretations

See, this is how I feel about The Covers Record.

Jukebox, on the other hand...

jukebox is decent. it has some interesting cuts, but isn't essential cat power. the covers record on the other hand is a fantastic example of her ability to make things her own, with "satisfaction" coming to mind as one of the most daring and successful moves she's made handling someone else's song.

Hearing her sing in spanish for jukebox's "angelitos negros" was perhaps one of the most painful musical experiences I've had in my whole life.