Cat Power
Sun - Matador 2012 Comments:I don't feel this album ever really takes off. There are fine moments all around, but also a tendency for the songs to become a bit repetitive, and when the individual song has started, there are only few musical/melodic surprises along the way.
I actually really like Cat Power, mostly because of her albums ”The Greatest” and ”Wanderer”, so unfortunately I find it a bit difficult to really get excited about ”Sun”
The opening track "Cherokee" is really nice, though, and perhaps the album's strongest cut. It is one of the most rocking tracks with some very nice guitar and piano. Cat Power's vocals are as usual really great.
"Ruin" has a very nice piano theme which, unfortunately, is repeated almost all the way through, which may get tiring. But actually it has a nice musical structure, with some refreshing guitar licks
"3,6,9" also has good moments, and is another of the catchier tracks; slightly bluesy and with nice vocals.
"Manhattan" has, like "Ruin", a continuous piano theme. Again, a pretty strong number, but at its five minutes, it feels rather long.
"Silent Machine" has a nice bluesy guitar riff, but is otherwise not a really a particularly memorable track.
"Nothing But Time" is the album's longest track at 11 minutes. Here you sense inspiration from both The Velvet Underground and David Bowie (Heroes). Actually a very nice track, but way too long for my taste – basically a two chords track.
"Sun", "Always on your Own", "Human Being" and "Peace and Love" are I tracks I could have done without.
Overall, however, I feel three stars is too little; four maybe too much - it still lands there.
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