Hey, Cat, Sing One For Me!

Chan Marshall is like that kid in the fifth grade who stole your idea for a great science project, and then won first place in the science fair. For many of us who have experienced something like this, feelings of bitterness still linger. Chan Marshall teaches us all a lesson with the release of her latest album, Jukebox.

Maybe the fact that Chan Marshall goes by Cat Power gives her the balls to cover classic songs by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. (Wouldn't you be more bold if you had an alias?) But for many of the artists Cat Power "borrows" from on her new album, she did them a huge favor. Marshall's version of Lee Clayton's "Silver Stallion" injects raw emotion into a song that, while drum-heavy and complete with screeching guitar solos, was devoid of such a thing. And while I'm not one to undermine the career of Old Blue Eyes, "New York, New York" is one of the freshest covers I've ever heard. Sinatra's version might describe the New York of Manhattan and 5th Avenue, but Chan Marshall's New York is in the streets of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

Certainly the Dirty Delta Blues Band, who backs up Marshall on this album, contributes to the overall rhythym and blues-iness of the album, but Marshall's voice is unique and emotive, comparable to that of Tom Wait's in his lounge days (although, most definitely, her voice is much softer and versatile) in that you can hear she's seen some things in her day. Marshall's takes on Hank Williams' "Ramblin (Wo)Man," Bob Dylan's "I Believe In You" and Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" become distinctly her own-proving Marshall can hold her own amongst great songwriters.

In fact, Jukebox contains two originals, "Song to Bobby," (about a certain songwriter), and "Metal Heart," which originally appeared on her 1998 album Moon Pix. Like cheese, "Metal Heart" only gets better with age. (The wine analogy is played out). My least favorite track on Jukebox is Joni Mitchell's "Blue," probably having to do with the pedestal I have always placed Ms. Mitchell on. It's not that Marshall poorly represents "Blue," it's just that when it comes to heart-breaking piano chick ballads, this one time, Mitchell takes the cake. While the other covers on Jukebox are a totally different feel in their original form, "Blue" always conveyed and sense of, well...blue. "Blue" is Marshall's most traditional cover- she doesn't attempt to change the mood.

In short, Cat Power's Jukebox is a lesson about life. Chan Marshall can steal your music because she'll do it better than you. And that kid who stole your science project was smarter than you anyways.