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Artist: Cat Power
Genre: Rock,Pianists
Latest Album: The Greatest
Background:
Cat Power is the stage name of American singer/songwriter Charlyn "Chan" Marshall known for her minimalist music, sparse guitar and piano playing and ethereal, Southern-styled vocals. Initially she started performing under the name Cat Power while in Atlanta, backed by musicians Glen Thrasher, Mark Moore, and others. She soon moved to New York City where, after opening for Liz Phair in 1994, met Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth and Tim Foljahn of Two Dollar Guitar, who encouraged her to record. She played her first two albums, 1995's “Dear Sir” and 1996's “Myra Lee”. In 1996 she was signed to Matador Records, and released her third album, “What Would the Community Think”, which spawned a single and music video, "Nude as the News".
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About Cat Power
In 1998 came Moon Pix, which was recorded in Australia and featured backing musicians Mick Turner and Jim White of the Dirty Three. The album was well-received by critics, and gained her recognition in the indie rock scene. During the subsequent tours, however, she grew tired of her own material, and two years later released The Covers Record, a collection of cover songs recorded at various sessions in 1998 and 1999.A selection of covers that didn't make it on to the album were recorded at Peel Acres, home of the highly influential and legendary British DJ John Peel. The session was broadcast on his BBC Radio 1 show and featured Marshall's own interpretations of Bob Dylan's "Hard Times in New York Town" amongst others. The superb Moon Pix followed two years later, and in the spring of 2000 Cat Power resurfaced with The Covers Record
In 2003 she resumed releasing original material with “You Are Free”, a diverse and critically applauded album which featured guest musicians such as Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, and the Dirty Three's Warren Ellis. The year 2004 saw the release of the critically polarizing DVD “Speaking for Trees”, which featured a single, nearly 2-hour static shot of Marshall performing in a woodland, and was accompanied by an audio CD containing the 18-minute song "Willie Deadwilder", featuring M. Ward on guitar. 2005 found Marshall out on the road again, touring the world and playing sold-out solo shows, including an Australian tour supporting Nick Cave. The shows largely consisted of material for her next album. Her latest record, “The Greatest”, was released in January, 2006.
Cat Power has garnered notoriety for her live shows, which often feature a chaotic lack of polish and structure. Songs are frequently cut short for no apparent reason, or "tail off" into what sounds like an extended period of guitar tuning. Her cover versions often ignore the melodies and lyrical hooks of the originals, as evidenced by her renditions of Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" and Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," or alter the mood of the song altogether, as with her recording of Oasis' "Wonderwall". The music is similarly stripped down, often to little more than an electric guitar with a clean tone and her voice.
