Cat Power -‘Sun’ (Matador)

Well, it’s been four years since her last album (Jukebox, her second collection of interpretations), and six years since her last album of original material (The Greatest). But whatever the dramas in her personal life, the artist also known as Chan Marshall has bestowed her new album upon us. Damn fine it is, too.

How good? Well, put it this way: I don’t go out and buy every album that gets submitted to me on vinyl (especially when the RRP is over £20). So yes, it’s an album I was pleased to buy. A fantastic collection of songs, underpinned by that voice.

Though The Greatest may be regarded as being her ‘soul’ album, that smokey voice is still present. And the songwriting is still strong. At over ten minutes, penultimate track ‘Nuthin’ But Time’ may be seen as the centrepiece of the album, though the opening track ‘Cherokee’ and ‘3,6,9’ are pretty damn good, too. For my money, the standout track is ‘Ruin’ – sassy as hell, and with a catchy as anything piano motif that is a very pleasant earworm. One of the best tracks this year, in fact.

Doubtless there will be those who grumble that in being more accessible than some of her other work that it isn’t as good as earlier albums. Sod them. An excellent place to start, if you haven’t heard her before -and a fine album in its own right.

Sun is out now on Matador

Cat Power -‘Ruin.’ mp3

I mentioned earlier on in the month how there were quite a few releases coming out over the next few months that I am really looking forward to.

One of these is Sun, Cat Power’s first studio album of new material in six years.

The tracklisting is as follows:

Cherokee
Sun
Ruin
3,6,9
Always On My Own
Real Life
Human Being
Manhattan
Silent Machine
Nothin But Time
Peace And Love

‘Sun’ has been made available as a free mp3 for a while now – but here is a link to download it free and legally:

Cat Power -‘Sun.’ mp3

Meanwhile, you can download album opener ‘Cherokee’ and a remix of the track by following this link to her website

Sun is released on Matador on September 3.

Britpop was acknowledged on the Festive Fifty (Bluetones, Ash, Pulp, Supergrass, Elastica) and some of the bands did better post-Britpop (Blur, Radiohead) and even Suede got a look in for the ‘Drowners.’ For whatever reason, Oasis didn’t ever have an entry…with the exception of probably their most famous tune ‘Wonderwall.’ Cat Power performed it in session in 2000, when it reached no.33.

Cat Power -‘Wonderwall (session).’ mp3

This track was sent to me by Steve at Teenage Kicks. It has never had a commercial release that either of us are aware.

Oh, and if anyone managed to get the Belle and Sebastian 2002 session, Wire’s 2002 session or got Bonnie ‘prince’ Billy doing ‘Little Boy Blue’ (cannot find this track either) could they get in touch, or point me in its’ direction.

God bless you all, God bless Les Paul, to quote Eugene Kelly.