NOW PLAYING ON PHAWKER RADIO! WHY? BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU!
BY ED KING ROCK EXPERT Please stay with me tonight until I fall asleep. I’m afraid I may be entering the belly of the beast. Unlike you, I’ve never gotten into Cat Power. I’ve got enough of my own troubles; I don’t need to live vicariously through hers. The sultry voice only goes so far with me. The coffee-table soul she’s been getting into over the last couple of releases is better than what she used to do, but I don’t entertain too often. Those few I do entertain want to check out the real stuff. So here goes, an Insta-Review of Cat Power’s second album of covers. Is the well running dry, or is she revisiting her newfound roots? Either way, I’m scared.
“New York”: I’ve read a little bit about this. Listen to the soul in her voice, man! The South produced hundreds of arrangements like this, most of them filler for bouffant-sporting, closeted bottle blondes. Jeez – what happened to this song? It’s over already! Can she make it there, can she make it anywhere? Truth be told, the interesting parts of that song were running out of steam after she’d sang the opening verse. Good move, Chan!
“Ramblin Woman”: She seems committed to this sultry soul-singer routine, doesn’t she? Songs about ramblin’, no good types got old fast when white British guys were playing the part in the ’70s. Should I be impressed by the artist or songwriter she’s covering? Let me see if I can fit in a quick check . . . Ah, a Hank Williams cover – and she’s turnin’ the gender on its head. Crazy wild! Not a terrible song to have playing in the background, but this is all I’m focused on.
“Metal Heart”: Here’s another upbeat number. I wish I’d thought sooner to pay attention to the lyrics instead of
waiting to see if the three piano chords would go anywhere musically. The drummer’s rocking out a little bit while a reverb-ed guitar wails like a tomcat. I know she’s been glamming up her Look a bit the last few years. Good move, because I’d have to concentrate on something beside the music should I ever find myself in the audience at one of her shows. That was like a Tori Amos reject.
“Silver Stallion”: This quiet, folky number is off to a good start. Her voice isn’t drenched in reverb. Maybe she’ll string together a run of straightforward songs like this. I really like this one.
“Aretha, Sing One for Me”: A little heavy on the reverb, but the guitar coming out of my left speaker is cool. And getting cooler as it builds! This one’s good, like a Faces deep cut from Ooh La La. Maybe this is the run of strong songs I’ve been waiting for!
“Lost Someone”: Come on, Chan, step out from that murky reverb again. This isn’t a bad performance, but it’s produced like background music in a roadhouse scene from a Tom Cruise movie. Right about now Tom is hoisting some big-jawed, All-American Girl onto the jukebox, where he slowly plants one on her. A wasted opportunity!
“I Believe in You”: The Stonesy guitars are back, baby! This has got to be the show stopper! All right . . . I’m waiting . . . waiting for the drums to break out of that coffee-table “When the Levee Breaks” beat, but it ain’t happening. The electric piano is cool, and the guitar keeps playing good stuff, but along with Chan’s voice, it’s all under glass, in the background while Cruise dry humps that healthy woman on the jukebox. Dylan‘s already had enough people stick his songs under glass.
“Song to Bobby”: This one’s off to a real good start, sounds a bit like some Nick Drake song I like. This one sounds more like a Bob Dylan song than her cover of a Dylan song. I’m sure Chan will be pleased to know that after all these years I’m beginning to see the light. Is it time to forgive and move forward? I honestly wish I was bummed out about something at the moment. I’d dim the lights and stop letting my mind ramble. The little piano and guitar interlude is perfect.
“Don’t Explain”: A Billie Holiday cover, eh? This may bring out a lot of the affectations that I don’t even like in the original artist’s music. As this plods along ceremoniously, I realize it’s the museum-piece production and arrangement that wears on me so quickly. There are a couple of gems on this album, a couple of strong songs that
are lost in this Lonesome Highway sound, and only a couple of songs better left dumped off my hard drive. This one’s getting dumped, and it shouldn’t be this boring. There’s only so much reverence and reverb-ed vibrato guitar one cover can handle.
“Woman Left Lonely”: A Janis Joplin cover is a fitting move. Cat Power would be wise to learn from Janis and just let it all hang out more often. This cover’s got “slow burn” written all over it. I don’t think I’m familiar with the Joplin version, but I sense that by this point, she’s edging into that catfight range that’s her bread and butter. Chan sounds more like a subdued Elton John here. Nope, no catfight vocals from Chan. This baby’s outta here.
“Blue”: Here’s a Joni Mitchell song I know well and like. I fear the bubbling Memphis organ that’s underneath the piano part so far. She’s pretty much avoided the coffee-table Memphis soul arrangements of her last album and her Dylan cover from I’m Not There. So far the organ is keeping in its place, but the song is, too. Joni is front and center on her own songs, not meandering in the background. I’m not digging this cover. She might as well overdub “nightclub chatter,” like in Lou Reed’s “Berlin”. Enough now, Chan. Please leave me with a good taste in my mouth. OK, she kept that organ under control!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ed King likes a lot of things, but mostly he likes to be left alone. Ed has kicked around the outer orbits of the periphery of local scene for some time. He was there when Tuxedomoon played Revival. Ed likes all things great and some things good. Anymore, what falls short of those simple criteria gets harder to bear. He appreciates you respecting his privacy at time like this.
Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
BIG SHIT SHOW ALERT! Chan Marshall’s songwriting is so rich and lingering, that an album like 1998’s Moon Pix just lasts and lasts. Timeless and deeply personal, hers is music you revisit again and again. Precious few dare to come anywhere near capturing the pure, potent simplicity of her compositions. This is perhaps her greatest strength. Performing new songs, a healthy dose of covers and more with her new backing band including Philadelphia’s own Gregg Foreman. New LP out soon on Matador Records.
At The Starlight Ballroom
460 North 9th Street (On 9th Street Between Spring Garden and Callowhill Streets)
Philadelphia, PA
$22 (cheapest ticket on the tour) / All Ages / 21+ To Drink
SOLD OUT – SOLD OUT – SOLD OUT – SOLD OUT
Sorry There Are No More Tickets Left For The Cat Power Show
