Album Review: Cat Power - Sun

Cat Power's new record, Sun, has all of the melancholic intrigue and musical sophistication the lady otherwise known as Chan Marshall has become known for, with each song carrying a confident, established sound and a complexity of tone and emotion that makes each one incredibly effective in very different ways.

The album opens with Cherokee, whose breadth of sound and intense lyrical tone make it a powerful opening track. The title track, Sun, has a vastly different sound to it, opening with an electronic melody and heavy beat accompanied by ethereal vocals that make the track intriguing but noticeably less accessible than the other songs on the record. Cat Power's lyrical sophistication and unique vocal sound take centre stage in 3, 6, 9, which, combined with a simple but powerful instrumental line, make it a standout track. The singer's lyrical maturity seems to fall short, however, in Human Being, which is less complex both in terms of musical and lyrical content than the foregoing tracks, and feels somewhat difficult to follow. The following track, Manhattan, however, is another of the record's highlights, with a slow, steadily infectious rhythm and simple but masterful vocal lines.

Marshall showcases her vocal dexterity in Silent Machine, which portrays a very different lyrical tone with a distinct rock'n'roll feel and features heavy drum and guitar lines. The musical sophistication displayed in the majority of songs on the record is underplayed again, however, in Nothin But Time, which feels slightly repetitious and haphazard at times. This tone also pervades the closing track, Peace And Love, with its busy, confused sound making it a strange choice of closer. The album certainly has some conspicuous weak moments, but also has particularly powerful moments in equal measure and is nonetheless a very satisfying collection.