Returning after a four-year break, Chan Marshall is back under her stage name Cat Power for the release of her ninth studio album, “Sun,” out Sept. 12 by Matador Records.
Her last album of all-original material, “The Greatest,” was released in 2006. Since then, she has dealt with a number of problems trying to get this album released. Health problems plagued her throughout the last couple years, which caused the cancellation of her 2006 tour for “The Greatest.” She filed for bankruptcy due to personal financial losses directly related to the canceled tour.
Despite all the setbacks and writer’s block, the album, which was originally announced in 2007, was well worth the wait.
“Sun” is a breath of fresh air to an artist with an established 18-year career. This album feels new and exciting, while keeping the spirit of Cat Power alive. Some fans might not be used to her more electric sound, but her handiwork is still evident.
Lyrically, Cat Power shines, and her lyrics are deeply involved and personal. “Cherokee” opens up with “Never knew love like this,” and continues with, “Never knew pain like this, everything die, then die.” Lyrics like these almost seem to be too personal to be released on an album and seem better suited for diary pages or psychiatrist offices.
Cat Power wrote, preformed, recorded and produced the album herself. The album is full of drum machines, explosive tempos, electronic elements and loops. Songs like “Ruin” demonstrate her skills. “Ruin” opens with a strong piano tempo, and from there it sinks down with Marshall showing off her voice — what makes this a Cat Power album.
In fact, the strongest element on this album is Marshall’s voice, and it is as powerful as ever. In an age where almost all albums are heavily auto-tuned, it is hard to tell if a voice is real or if it has been tuned beyond the singer’s capacity. Cat Power’s voice shines through on this album, and even on auto-tuned tracks such as “3,6,9,” her voice is still incredibly human
and powerful.
On the 11-minute-long track, “Nothin’ But Time,” Power features the vocals of rock legend Iggy Pop. Pop manages to keep the human element and passion alive in his voice, and the juxtaposition between his voice and hers finishes this song off strongly.
While some longtime fans might complain about the electric sound, the wait or the album itself, “Sun” really shines. The songs are powerful and animated, the lyrics are strong and, despite making an album that is heavily electric, she keeps a deeply personal and human element in her work. For long time fans, or even those who have never heard the name Cat Power outside the world of construction, “Sun” is well worth a listen.
http://www.westerncourier.com/the_edge/cat-power-claws-way-back-to-top/article_7b5482e0-0287-11e2-a65d-001a4bcf6878.html
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