Six years since her last album of original material, Cat Power aka Chan Marshall has dropped an inspiring and full-sounding album that feels completely different from anything in her catalogue that has preceded it.
Although the production shines – with fresh, bright and open electronic textures taking precedence over guitar and pianos – it’s Marshall’s straighter and more confident vocal delivery, light on affectations, that thrills. Sounding, perhaps for the first time in her career, approachable and friendly.
Mature and stoically lonely, “Manhattan” sounds positively lush with a pulsating drum machine, keyboard and not much else. While “Human Being” – with its elements of muffled bass, classical guitar and synth – sounds disparate on paper, its flourishes are kept in check through Marshall’s confident vocals.
The album finishes with two songs that rank amongst the best she has written. The eleven minute “Nothin’ But Time”, which features Iggy Pop, is a fearless epic based on a simple two chord progression in which the duo gallantly sing together “You ain’t got nothin’ but time/ and it ain’t got nothin’ on you“.
While on the kiss-off rock of “Peace and Love” Marshall sounds as powerful as ever as she sings “I’m a lover/but I’m in it to win.”
Although it mightn’t be her strongest album, Sun is without a doubt the most assured and invigorated Cat Power has sounded yet.
Long-time fans will have plenty to love here, but Sun is also worth a look for those who have previously been impervious to Marshall’s introspective charm.
– Wyatt Lawton-Masi
