Were you or are you a fan? Given that she's just released a live album performing Bob Dylan's 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert, I went back and started listening to her discography again after not having done so in a number of years—there are so many beautiful gems in her catalogue. Her first few albums mainly consist of spare, haunting indie rock, but even back then she had a penchant for doing covers of other artists (Hank Williams, This Kind of Punishment, Tom Waits). Her renditions of other artists' songs are always devastatingly beautiful. She seems like a mercurial and troubled person (long history of alcoholism, and possibly schizophrenia), but a powerful and soulful artist. Her cover of "Dark End of the Street" might be my favorite rendition of that song. It is absolutely gorgeous.
Chan Marshall, the singer-songwriter also known as Cat Power
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 3, 2023 6:53 AM |
Why do you say schizophrenic? I haven't listened in a while but she's talented. I like her old darker indie stuff.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 2, 2023 3:18 AM |
R3 I see why you say that. Schizophrenia... I'd never seen her in interview before.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | December 2, 2023 2:41 PM |
r3 Her stream of consciousness talking brings to mind a sedated Courtney Love.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | December 2, 2023 2:47 PM |
Her song Cross-Bone Style is one of my all time favorites. She also does a wonderful cover of Sea of Love. I've heard that she's had breakdowns on stage...
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 2, 2023 10:47 PM |
The Dylan tribute album didn’t enthrall but her album The Greatest is terrific.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | December 2, 2023 11:05 PM |
I actually think her first six albums are phenomenal, but I've never totally warmed to The Greatest, which is probably her most acclaimed and popular record to date. For some reason her darker earlier stuff appeals to my sensibilities more. That being said, her vocals have really developed in the last two decades—they're much richer and smokier, very velvety on the ears. Some of the singing on her earlier work, though haunting and effective, was not exactly proficient. I think part of this was probably nerves, as she is a notoriously shy and nervous performer.
"Metal Heart" from Moon Pix is a standout tearjerker for me.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 3, 2023 4:08 AM |
R4 yeah, when she started veering off into a rant about concentration camps in Glendale at the end, the alarm bells start sounding for me. That is very much schizoaffective talk, or at least paranoia and delusion. She says it herself in that interview that she's been institutionalized in psychiatric hospitals in the past.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 3, 2023 4:11 AM |
A lot of her early stuff is very mysterious and a bit spooky (in a good way, though)... I've always wondered what this song was about.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 3, 2023 4:18 AM |
Love her. Such an emotional voice. I played Moon Pix to death. Saw her in concert in 2010 and it was a bit awkward and low-energy, but at least she finished her set. (I was late for the beginning of her set because I was hooking up with a cute guy I met at the bar - I think Chan would approve.)
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | December 3, 2023 5:37 AM |
Damn that interview at R3 was too uncomfortable for me. She does not sound well.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 3, 2023 6:53 AM |