by Kurt Orzeck
It wasn’t too long ago that an artist could build a massive following by presenting authentic self instead of devoting hours upon hours to self-promotion in lieu of honing their craft. Cat Power is a case study in what we’ve lost by prioritizing clicks, hits, and views over quality.
Cat Power is the real deal, and she’s achieved what every artist should aspire to: letting their work speak for itself. Of course, Cat Power (a.k.a. Chan Marshall) isn’t the only artist playing in a league of artists who eschew placating the masses in favor of staying true to themselves, but what makes Cat Power so irresistibly charming is her lyrics, musicianship, live performances, and the cleverness that she lets linger below the surface.
Twenty years ago, Marshall issued an album so strong that it put the singer/songwriter on the map, whether she wanted such promotion or not. Its title, The Greatest, exemplified Cat Power’s wry humor, perking up the ears of discriminating audiophiles on the lookout for double-meanings and coded language in songs. The Greatest was catnip for such music nerds, as the title could be interpreted in multiple ways.
Which brings us to Redux, a release that would seem to undercut the argument made thus far in this review. Why mess with perfection? Well, like all things Cat Power, the answer is complicated. In one lowly music journalist’s opinion, if you don’t have The Greatest in your collection, it’s negligible whether you decide to pick up this new anniversary version or the original.
Redux is not a redo of The Greatest. In fact, it’s a three-track EP on which Marshall and a cadre of friends who toured with her in support of The Greatest way back when. It contains covers of James Brown’s “Try Me” and Prince’s “Nothing Compares to U,” with the third song—an alternate take of album track “Could We”—that includes Cat Power tour companions Dirty Delta Blues.
Cat Power’s ability to craft ostensibly minimal songs and lyrics is unparalleled. Her songs are deep, profound, and non-didactic. Like works created by the greatest artists, every stroke of the brush, every letter written in cursive, and every note played is as deliberate as it is essential to the completed work.