Greatest, The - Cat Power > Reviews > Cat Out Of Hell

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Chilled out, Soulful and packed with melody
Disadvantages:	nothing bad about this cat

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Few artists these days can genuinely be called an Enigma - it's usually just clever marketing. When you venture across Cat Power though, there is simply no other word to describe her. First of all, Cat Power is not her real name, it is in fact Chan Marshall and her latest album "The Greatest" is not a greatest hits album. Her live performances too have a variable nature depending on her mood. Cat Power as an artist has drifted into peoples consciousness and might just as easily evapourate out, but let's not take forgranted here and now that "The Greatest" is a genuine masterpeice of an album.

With a barrel-aged voice smoked over influences of dylan, lou reed and good old-fashioned folk songs , Cat Power breathes experiences of love life and being down&out , over you like the sweet bourbon vapour in a half-lit saloon. Listen to track 3 "lived in bars" where Chan sings the line "there's nothing like living in a bottle" and you can almost feel yourself slumped down next to her in a tatty armchair.

The tempo never lifts above walking pace but you wouldn't really want it to either. There's enough light and shade here to ensure that you never start feeling sorry for yourself or her. The formula of simple song arrangements mostly based around folky piano and guitar riffs, you would have thought might start sounding stale, but something about Cat Powers ear for a good hook keeps you coming back for more.
By the time you reach the last song Up and Gone, you'll be getting up to follow her out of the bar and wondering where she's disappeared to.

Stand out tracks = Greatest, Lived In Bars, Where Is My Love
Tracklisting:-

Greatest
Living Proof
Lived In Bars
Could We
Empty Shell
Willie
Where Is My Love
Moon
Islands
After It All
Hate
Love And Communication
Up And Gone