Cat Power
The Greatest
Matador

This is a record I knew that, in order to truly enjoy for the first time, I must put it on in headphones and lie back on the couch. I knew the title song opens, but besides that I didn't even concern myself with the rest of the song-titles. I allowed myself to be lulled to sleep by this record, continuing the review the next morning after waking up in the sun. My most vivid dreams were of apocalypse (as usual).

I remember my father had just cut the grass so beautifully. I was in my parents' yard. And I saw a red and white rocket in the sky. It released its tip, the warhead. I saw the white explosion and the wave come toward me. It was death coming. When it hit me my dream changed settings immediately, and I became aware of myself (that I was dreaming). It startled me awake. After awakening in the sun, I got up and made myself a bowl of golden grahms and began writing.

I came to a realization that my relationship with this record is going to be strange. Sometimes I'm going to want terribly to play it, other times, I will want nothing to do with it. Her voice is able at the same time to remind me of terrible and wonderful things.

This record smells of timelessness. Through inflection she's connected to great singers of the past, and through influence connected to those in the future. This is simply evident in the sound. But that doesn't even begin to speak of her poetry, which is individual to the utmost. And that's always been the most profound part of Cat Power's music to me: what she says.

And not to forget: there are happy parts of this record. I've noticed many people tend to not like Chan Marshall as much when she isn't depressed, and that's too bad. She's almost been pigeonholed as a Sad Person.

The Greatest reveals itself to you slowly. And it makes you slow down. This is an incredible power. I think it has something to do with those trumpets she's got in this album. And those vocal harmonies.

I'll leave you with the tracklisting, I ended up finding it interesting.

01 The Greatest
02 Living Proof
03 Lived in Bars
04 Could We
05 Empty Shell
06 Willie
07 Where is My Love?
08 The Moon
09 Islands
10 After it All
11 Hate
12 Love & Communication

Copyright © 2006 Mateo Orillas