Album data
| Artist | Cat Power |
| Album | Wanderer |
| Year of release | 2018 |
Rating
Review
At last: a new Cat Power album. Over six years have passed since the fantastic, yet somewhat ‘out of character’, 2012 album Sun and this new album.
In a lengthy interview with the American New York Times, which was published September 5th, 2018, Chan Marshall (who uses the moniker Cat Power) tells all about the new album and the period preceding it. She got pregnant in 2014 and decided it was time to turn her life around. She was to emigrate to Australia. It was serious; she even had arranged a job at a whiskey bar.
Cat Power 2018
It turned out differently. She made a new album, her tenth: Wanderer. It’s the first time since 1996 that a new album is not released by Matador Records. When Chan Marshall offered her new album to the label, Matador flatly refused: “They said, do it again, do it over”. It was the same reaction as when she offered them Sun in 2012. At that time she went along, and indeed, Sun was an album that sold really well, her best sold album until then. But this time she wasn’t having it.
The end of the cooperation. Matador claimed: “Chan Marshall is without question one of the most talented, brilliant artists we’ve been fortunate to know. Our working relationship with Chan has not been without difficult moments. We’ve had disagreements over matters both artistic and business, but none of that changes our respect for her as a person or performer”.
Wanderer
Cat Power – Wanderer
The new album Wanderer, which was released on October 5th, 2018, is a wonderful album. It is inconceivable to me that Matador Records rejected it. The album that has been released is the same as was offered to Matador, with one addition: single Woman. Lyrically interesting. Is it about the disagreement? Judge for yourself: “If I had a dime for every time / Tell I’m not what you need / If I had a quarter I would pull it together / And I would take it to the bank and then leave”. The song features guest Lana del Rey and his been seen over 1 million times on youtube. The definition of a hit.
The album contains very personal songs. Lyrically she goes all out, once again. Horizon is about family(relations). The way each member is addressed is confrontational. A new level of honesty is introduced in Black, a haunting tale of drug abuse. Also, the Rihanna cover Stay is very special.
De instrumentation is quiet and laid-back. Chan Marshall’s voice is the star of the album. Yet another beautiful Cat Power album. About halfway the New York Times interview Chan Marshall says: “It’s not pretentious that I’m an artist. It’s not corny to sing songs that maybe other people think are depressing. It’s not embarrassing”. And that’s the truth. i am very happy with the end result. Cat Power is equal to quality, willfulness, emotion and good music. She remains an extraordinary artist. I’m glad she’s back.
Songs
All songs written by Chan Marshall, except Stay (written by Mikky Ekko and Justin Parker).
- Wanderer
- In Your Face
- You Get
- Woman
- Horizon
- Stay
- Black
- Robbin Hood
- Nothing Really Matters
- Me Voy
- Wanderer / Exit
Musicians
- Chan Marshall – all vocals and instrumentation
- Lana Del Rey – vocals on Woman
- Nico Segal – trumpet on Wanderer / Exit
- Patrick Warren – string arrangements, violin and cello
In closing
What do you think of Cat Power’s latest album? Let me know!
