The second album in recent months entitled The Greatest, Cat Power's outing is a whole different barrel of monkeys from former Stone Rose Ian Brown's. For one, it's not a greatest hits collection. Instead, for her seventh album, Chan Marshall has rounded up some of the legendary Memphis session musicians to help her create an album of smoky, soulful ballads. Comparisons with the likes of Beth Orton and Natalie Merchant are easily made, and it would seem that even newcomers like Martha Wainwright have learned a trick or two from the Georgia native. However, none of the above has yet made an album like this. From the candid country inflections of Empty Shell and Islands, to the gentle swagger of Willie and tender piano ballad Where Is My Love, what makes this record exceptional are the gorgeous arrangements that compliment Marshall's bruised, smoky Southern-styled vocals superbly. However, the true masterpiece is the title track; a beautiful, mournful ballad with shimmering guitars, delicate violins and heartbreaking backing vocals that tell the story of a young boy who wants to become a boxer. The Greatest may not be as diverse the You Are Free album, and has no guests of note other than the by-now elderly soul musicians who helped create so many classic records. What it does provide, however, is a warm, comforting blanket of sound, and a suitable introduction to Cat Power's world.
