Star shines on Greatest
The Greatest shows Cat Power in control of her unique
Published Jan. 31, 2006
The musicians that stand on stage before us would never admit they are plagued by the demons of stage fright. To do so would be to violate a cardinal rule, one never revealed but accepted universally by artists around the world.
Chan Marshall, better known by her stage name Cat Power, has blatant disregard for this aforementioned rule. She has been known, in many instances, simply to abandon the stage or mutter such comments as, "I'm sorry. It's not very good, but I'm doing my best," which she said at Mojo's during a performance this past fall.
Just as the name might imply, Marshall, like a cat, is easily unsettled and flaunts her shattered nerves for all to see. But one would never assume such stage habits while listening to her newest release, The Greatest.
Two distinct musical personalities coexist on the album. One elicits an image of Marshall seemingly alone upon the vast expanse of stage. This style is reminiscent of her earlier work, which featured Marshall's fingers upon the piano keys and guitar strings and a small section of musicians providing accompaniments.
The other distinct personality is one not so often seen on the other Cat Power albums. This holds the characteristic sound of an old Western saloon, fully adorned with an automated piano, a twanging guitar and a lazy violin against the back wall - an image that easily manifests itself in the listener's mind.
The reason for this southern presence stems partially from Marshall's accompanying cast of musicians, which includes several members from the Al Green's band, most notably Mabon Hodges on guitar, Leroy Hodges on bass and Steve Potts on drums.
The southern tones that occupy several tracks almost seem foreign at times and introduce a new form of music into Marshall's vocabulary. The new form occasionally might seem awkward, but for the most part, she does it quite well.
The stark juxtaposition of musical styles and sounds shows the vast contrast between the two and alternates toward the middle of the album.
Despite these varied personalities, Marshall's antique-sounding voice unifies The Greatest by creating a whole of many distinct, dissimilar parts. Her voice resonates on the lower portion of the musical range and represents a subtle presence in each song.
With the exception of "Hate," on which she sings such lyrics as "I hate myself, and I want to die," The Greatest finds Marshall in a new place, one that permits her to act in confidence rather than self loathing.
