Customer Reviews
Jukebox - Deluxe Edition 
2008-05-31
A mixed bag of reminiscent vocals of the early 70's brings you back to folk music, back rooms and college pubs at a time of social unrest. I really enjoyed the beats and music.
Sympathy for the cover version + plus 
2008-05-13
The cover version has unfortunately become much maligned over the years. Whereas bands were once judged by how well they could perform certain blues, R&B, Lennon/McCartney or Dylan songs and could gain kudos from picking up early on an up and coming songwriting talent, the rise of the singer/songwriter (and the extra profits from the publishing royalties) has meant the proliferation of home-grown material to the near total exclusion of pre-existing songs.
Thankfully, Cat Power, though with a proven pedigree as an accomplished songwriter, notably on her previous album of original songs The Greatest, has always peppered her live appearances and recording sessions with songs that she has felt a connection with, regardless of who wrote them, and began a whole album of them a decade ago, The Covers Record, released in 2000.
This album was conceived as a sequel, and was originally going to be called Covers 2 (and still is, on the CD Text of my copy at least). Its final title Jukebox still modestly places the emphasis on the song rather than the singer, but its major difference from The Covers Record, which was mostly Cat Power on her own, is the presence of a band, the Dirty Delta Blues Band, featuring major players including Judah Bauer from the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Jim White from the Dirty Three. The sound of the band, fleshed out on some tracks by guests of the calibre of Mabon Hodges (an integral part of The Greatest) and Spooner Oldham, session veterans from Memphis and Muscle Shoals respectively, is not a million miles from that on The Greatest, though there is a deliberate ragged informality in the proceedings here that sets it apart.
It would be quite a jukebox, too, if it featured the versions that inspired Chan, with artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Jessie Mae hemphill. Not all the songs were known to me, but favourites such as James Brown's Lost Someone and Joni Mitchell's Blue, a brave choice, become revitalized through her translucent performances. A Woman Left Lonely, too, is wonderful, and as it was written by Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn, that is presumably Spooner that we can hear on it. The shortlist for this album included the Dan Penn-Chips Moman song Dark End Of The Street, and I cannot be alone in thinking how wonderful that must have sounded, and as Spooner Oldham was the pianist on James Carr's original version, it is likely he would have played on that one, also. I'm not familiar with George Jackson's original of Aretha, Sing One For Me, but as it was recorded for Hi Records back in 1972 it is quite likely that Mabon Hodges was the guitarist on it, and it is good to see Chan recognizing and acknowledging the heritage these guys bring to her record.
I don't see Cat Power as a keen follower of rules and regulations, so on this album it is no surprise to find, on this album of covers, two of her own songs. I suppose one of these, Metal Heart, is technically a cover, since she had previously recorded it on Moon Pix. The other, Song To Bobby, an album highlight, neatly follows Dylan's I Believe In You.
This limited edition version contains a bonus disc with five additional tracks, though these do not include Dark End Of The Street or the other dropped title, Fortunate Son. I would suggest grabbing this edition while it is still available.
Not speaking Spanish, some of the charms of Roberta Flack's Angelitos Negros were lost on me, but her versions of Nick Cave's Breathless and Patsy Cline's She's Got You easily match the best cuts of the first disc. The Hot Boys' I Feel is completely reinvented and is the only track to recall The Covers Record, as its only accompaniment is (her own?) piano. Her Moby Grape cover first appeared on The Covers Record, and although the bonus disc is generally less orchestrated than its parent, the restrained arrangement of Naked, If I Want To (the title has gained a comma since its earlier incarnation) demonstrates the distance traveled since the first cover. Where before the only accompaniment was Chan's guitar, now an ensemble of electric guitar, piano, bass and drums rocks along behind her.
A reviewer in (I think) Mojo, wrote of The Covers Record that Cat Power doesn't cover songs, she uncovers them, and despite the less sparse settings of this album this happily remains the case.
Another great covers disc 2008-04-27
Here's the deal: I just really like her voice. It's one of those voices which I would enjoy even if she were singing the contents of the Boise telephone book. So yeah, I like this CD as I've liked everything she's done. So why 4 stars instead of 5? Just the covers aspect. Cat Power has done, in my view, some wonderful renditions of other people's songs, but covers CDs rarely stand the test of time like a recording of great originals. So one star removed for the "Okay, Cat...enough covers already"
factor. Otherwise, hey....it's Cat Power and it's not the Boise telephone book, so four solid, honest stars.
Another Great Idea of Chan's 2008-04-22
I would consider myself a "big fan" of Cat Power's. I enjoy her music. She has the ability to create music originally and a more impressive ability to re-create music originally. Her album, "The Covers Record" is the first showing of this talent. She takes songs that you know and love and she turns them into something completely new and exciting. She did a great job with that album and an equally great job with this one. I recommend that you buy both albums as well as her original works.
Music CD 
2008-04-05
Saw Cat Power in concert where she warmed up for Gnarls Barkley - she was awesome in person, but I don't like most of this CD.
Such A Delight 2008-03-27
Her second album of covers; this one a tribute to the great vocalists who've influenced her over the years. The album comes in two versions: deluxe silver-foil gatefold cover (LP and CD) with bonus disc of extra tracks and regular jewelcase version (CD only). Backed by Dirty Delta Blues (Judah Bauer, Gregg Foreman, Jim White, Erik Papparazzi). Guest appearances: Spooner Oldham (Neil Young, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan), Larry McDonald (Toots & The Maytals, Taj Mahal), Teenie Hodges (Al Green, Memphis Rhythm Band), and Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Will Oldham).
Enjoyable, but not always interesting. 
2008-03-26
Chan Marshall is able to create great texture with her voice and make these covers her own. The CD is a great concept piece, but the songs lack the unique touches that make them distinguishible from each other.
FAB 2008-03-19
Great CD, great mood music, reminds me of Mazzy Star only better, the artist shows great courage to cover these songs and she owns them. What makes her really really special is the band. It's a great marriage.
Dusty in Memphis with the Rolling Stones? 2008-03-12
My previous exposure to Cat Power was limited to hearing her Dylan cover on the "I'm Not There" soundtrack, but that provided all the incentive I needed to buy this excellent album. Just imagine the music that could have resulted if Dusty Springfield had been in Memphis with the Rolling Stones of 1969-1972. I'm guessing it would have sounded a little bit like "Jukebox." This is a marvelously smoky, sexy soul-blues-roots set and a moving homage to her muses (e.g., Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan). Keyboardist Spooner Oldham--whose many credits include backing Dylan during his gospel period--adds a taste of Memphis soul authenticity to an already fine band. Like the finest `60s and `70s albums in your collection, "Jukebox" has a timeless quality, and it will still sound great 30 years from now. I just wish it included the version of "Dark End of the Street" that Wikipedia says Cat Power recorded but left out of the final album!
"Cover" may not be the right word here......... 2008-03-09
....but I'm not sure what the proper one is. A "cover" implies doing something that someone else did first. To me, that term is neither negative, nor positive; it's just a statement of fact. Heck, that's all opera singers do, and THEY better not make a number too much their own. Well, I guess these are covers, but Chan Marshall REALLY made them her own; one would have trouble even recognizing some, like "New York", or Joni Mitchell's "Blue". Sounds like a real one star review, doesn't it? But, know what?..........
I like it. Took a couple of listens, but it grows on you. Miss Marshall really does take over these songs, and gives us a very pleasant listening experience. She's not half-bad on her two original compositions, either...
Chan Marshall has a wonderful voice, and benefits from superb back-up. As I said of Sia's "Some People Have Real Problems", it's "quirky", and not for every taste. Still, it's very well done, and you might just like it, too.......
