The Greatest — Cat Power
Matador
2006
Rating:


"The Greatest" has been called "Chan in Memphis" by fans of Cat Power lead singer Chan Marshall. However, "The Greatest" isn't quite up to Dusty Springfield's level of greatness, nor is it as great as Cat Power's musical highpoint, 1998's "Moon Pix." With the exception of album closers "Hate" and "Love & Communication," this is more of an album for fans of Norah Jones, an album that's most likely playing at a Starbucks near you.

While "Hate" features Marshall strumming an electric guitar and singing, "I hate myself and I want to die," "Love & Communication" blows the rest of the album away with the intensity of its stabbing strings, Hammond organ and lyrics about social anxiety. The title track is the lone successful venture into Norah land. Memphis musicians like piano player Rick Steff, bassist Leroy "Flick" Hodges and Al Green's guitarist Teenie Hodges come together to underscore the subtle soulfulness of Marshall's voice as she sings lines like, "Once I wanted to be the greatest," but "Then came the rush of the flood / Stars at night turned into dust." Then the strings go into a Henry Mancini swell and "Moon River" sadness. The song is heartbreaking disappointment at it's most eloquent. The rest of the album is merely heartbreaking disappointment.

Posted Thursday, March 2, 2006

Link to this review:
http://filmzeus.pressbin.com/music/cat.power/greatest