REVIEW: Cat Power, Moon Pix (Matador)
- Chelsea Spear
To hear Chan Marshall tell it, the latest album by her one-woman band Cat Power came out of the very natural fear of nightmares. After having a particularly disturbing dream, Marshall picked up the guitar and put all her faith in music and God to carry her through the tumultuous night. A cursory listen to Moon Pix, the new Cat Power album, would support this inspiration. These spare, haunting songs are dappled with light here and there, but carry the mysterious texture of such a scary nocturnal journey. The urgent, driving rhythm of Marshall's strumming, and her raw voice, particularly on tunes such as "Cross Bones Style" and "Colors and the Kids" underscore this theme of fear, faith, and redemption.
Musically, Moon Pix marks a step forward for Marshall and Cat Power. Previously, she released two low-fi albums on various Lower East Side indie labels with songs that showed some promise, though much of the album was mired in whinging, one-key songs that went nowhere. Clearly Marshall had promise, but still needed to develop her craft and figure out what she wanted to do.
The songs on Moon Pix are much better defined, and the album is not limited to the striking, rhythmic "Cross Bones Style". Helped along by Australian musicians the Dirty Three, Marshall has fleshed the songs out and brought them beyond the skeletal tunes that marked her previous career.
There is still a sameness to the songs, and while many shine and pulsate with beauty and power, some others blend into one another, and into the background. However, Marshall has also been able to create a few moments that stick into the throat of the listener, for better and for worse. The album is not perfect, but its intense current may well spark some interest in the adventurous listener.
