Jukebox - Cat Power Album Review

Cat Power

Album Review

Cat Power releases 11 covers, and two originals, on her Jukebox.

Yes, by all means do a covers album, but why drop in two originals at the same time is perplexing. Oddly enough, they don’t sound out of place either. This is Chan Marshall’s second covers album and a tribute to the great vocalists who’ve influenced her. It’s a ropey start though, as Sinatra’s New York, New York lacks any kind of credibility having been transformed from a swaggering jazz standard into a mid-tempo rocker. To me it just doesn’t work, and it’s a bad choice, especially when you’re up against a master interpreter of songs. Power just does a bland version with no soul. She’s far more effective dealing with Hank Williams’ Ramblin’ (Wo)man, shedding its country sensibilities bringing it bang up to date, thus making it her kind of song. Self-penned Metal Heart is where the album takes off. Haunting piano and vocal keep things nice and tidy, with the odd guitar break bringing some sparkling results towards the crescendo – its powerful stuff. Taking the country shuffle (and Fleetwood Mac guitar-like solo) out of the Highwaymen’s Silver Stallion, which featured super-trio Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson no less, Power does a far better and rootsier version. George Jackson wrote many a great song, covered by other singers including Tina Turner, Staple Singers, Liza Minelli, Bobby Gentry, and Wilson Pickett. Here, Power’s chosen one of his more obscure Hi Records nuggets Aretha Sing One For Me and makes a real fist of it in a slow southern Soul/Blues template. For James Brown’s Lost Someone from the album Tell Me What You’re Gonna Do (1961) she gets stuck into the lament’s lyrics with real empathy.

From what I can recall of Dylan’s I Believe In You on his 1979 Slow Train Coming, Power has roughed it up with some restrained work by her new band Dirty Delta Blues who are clearly in their comfort zone. For her second composition, Song To Bobby she casually and airily floats through it, hardly breaking sweat.

Billie Holiday did a rambling version of Don’t Explain: Power’s cover is equally distant and cold-hearted. Janis Joplin’s rasping original A Woman Left Lonely is a mix of restraint and ripping heartache - a magnificent power blues ballad- but Power’s take is wet, lacking conviction in her delivery, while Joni Mitchell’s Blue is too cool.

Truth is, Cat Power is neither a Soul nor Blues singer. She copes adequately with the material, though she’s yet to truly find her interpretational mojo.

File under: Not quite the cat’s whiskers, yet.

Elly Roberts