Album Description: This is not a greatest hits album, despite the title. It contains all-original songs written by Chan Marshal (professionally known as Cat Power), and features the great Memphis session musicians Teenie Hodges on guitar, Leroy Hodges on bass (Al Green, Hi Rhythm Section), drummer Steve Potts, and more. The combination of Marshall's superbly evocative and flexible voice plus some of the greatest Southern soul players, has produced a masterpiece. These songs explore themes of Southern loss, longing, and marginality. The limited first digipak pressing and regular single vinyl contain a bonus track. After the first pressing sells out, the regular jewelcase version will not contain a bonus track.
Amazon.com: If you are an artist at a crossroads/ "maturing point" in your career, it's a great idea to seek out the original musicians who played on music you adore and that inspire you greatly–it's the opposite of what Rick Rubin does with the old folks. The results, however, are often lackluster; it can just be too hard to forge a connection in a short period of time with studio dudes twenty to thirty years older than you. Chan Marshall, who took just three years between albums this time, returned to Memphis to record with many of the architects of Southern soul music at Ardent Studios on The Greatest. And from the first and titular tune, a mournful and gorgeous ballad with swelling strings, backing singer and shimmery guitar accompaniment that tells the tale of a boy who wants to become a great boxer, it's clear that the results of this experiment are uniformly awesome. The sultry-voiced artiste sounds fully at home within these songs, these lovely analog Southern sounds that bridge black and white musics. It's not like she's on a trip of trying to be Aretha or anything; besides, the arrangements on all the songs are different. The loping, fiddle-accented "Empty Shell" sounds like the Unholy Modal Rounders backing Bobbie Gentry. All the songs are pretty, slow and melancholy; there's nothing like "He War" on here. We are not in the habit of quoting press releases, but it's hard to beat this line from the Matador one-sheet: "If Alex Chilton were today a beautiful young woman, he'd sound like this." Amen, or something. –Mike McGonigal
Amazing Album Intense and powerful music. If you enjoy Cat Power check out Arrica Rose's music; particularly her newest album: La La Lost.
Chan Marshall May impress us even yet. Chan Marshalls raspy, mysterious voice has brought us to a new level of her music in a modern sense. With Songs like "Lived in Bars" and "the Greatest" Marshall gives us a modern day song with her personal touch that no other can seem to reach. This CD is a must own if you are a Cat Power fan.
About this edition I agree with most reviews here, it's a great album. The only thing I want to make clear this is the same CD but comes inside a card sleeve that's why the cover in the picture looks different. Otherwise has a great price that's worth's paying.
Not her greatest Cat Power 's vid for 1998's " Naked As The News " was an intense music experience , equally disturbing and powerful with , let's say P.J.Harvey's " Down By The Water " or Bjork's " Army Of Me " . Then , her hypnotic vid for " Cross Bone Style " was the equivalent of an indie wet dream - strange and beautiful - . Up until recently the singer had been known for being a mess on stage and heartbreakingly beautiful and melancholic on record . 2003's " You 're Free " , her best work so far , featured few fully rounded songs . She mostly delivered fractured ideas of a song , small odes to pain and isolation .
Fast forward to 2007 and Chan Marshall returns sober and happy yet arguably a less exciting songwritter . " The Greatest " is an album that doesn't do justice to her virtues as an artist . On tracks like " Could We " she wins points in structure but lacks the feeling of her past work . Her voice still has that haunting quality it always had and the tittle track is just pure magic but while there's something undeniably special about the girl ( just notice the warmth of personal redemption she brings to the vid of "Lived In Bars ") her breakthrough album just doesn't live to it's hype .
Great CD, Sellout "Artist" I loved this CD. It moved me, amazed me, and made me want to grind all over my sig other (now fiance). I think this CD might be one of the reasons that we are getting married.
That said, I was heartbroken when I heard her cover of "How Can I Tell You" by Cat Stevens used in a diamond commercial. Now, I can never listen to another CD by Cat Power without wondering if she wrote that song because she *had* to, or because she wanted to sell X?
This is why I hate it when singers allow their songs or performances to be used in commercials. It puts the stench of impure motives on everything they do from that moment forward. As Bill Hicks said "You do a commercial, you're off the artistic roll call forever. End of story."
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Megaton Man
