 |  | Boring, amateurish, apparent diamond in the rough |  |
1 1/2
Dreadfully, derivatively dull, guitar-based simpleton ramblings sounds like the depressed goth chic strumming in her garage band on weekends from junior year. Ms. Marshall's sophomore release might have fooled many with delusions of raw emotion, when in actuality the only the that rings noticeable throughout these sludgy sessions is her occasional vocal intuition.
February 9, 2008 | | The Cat Power Amateur Hour Continued | |
Ignore the five star reviews granted to this album by the Cat Power faithful. Like Dear Sir, this album is filled with raw tuneless dirges, sloppy guitar playing, and atonal singing. I wouldn't object so much to the amateur treatment if the work wasn't so entirely derivative from the female artists who actually originated this style of music quite some time before Cat Power. Reviewers who consider this album original would have to be unfamiliar with the singing of Lydia Lunch, Marnie Greenholz from Live Skull, and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, all of whom helped define this type of post punk caterwauling. Whether you enjoy this type of music or not, Myra Lee makes no serious contribution to it. "Ice Water" is probably the most successful of the bunch, though as a whole the album is unrelentingly amateurish. What's more, the song "Rockets" is repeated from the Dear Sir album (go figure).
Chan has said she is unhappy with how this album turned out, and who can blame her? She's right--it didn't turn out that well. Like all her albums through Moon Pix, this album suffers from lack of a proper production budget and decent backup musicians.
Anyway, don't get suckered in like I did by the endless glowing reviews her dutiful fans dole out. It's as if they hear no difference between Chan's earliest crudest work, and her best efforts on You Are Free and The Greatest. The difference in sound is like night and day. Use your ears--it's not that hard to figure out people.
August 20, 2006A mysterious title for such a mysterious album. At first while getting this album I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I mean I do own some Cat Power music but this album is driven by true emotion. These emotions are not usally what people write to. This stuff is true it's driven by anger and frustration. Chan's voice gives such a great presentation of what she is feeling but also comes lightly to let you know it is going to be ok. The contrast of this album to all the others is so amazing that it could only have been done by Chan.
June 9, 2006I like Moon Pix and Dear Sir better. This one has a couple of really good songs but as a whole the others are more satisfying.
October 29, 2004this is my favorite album because it is true to a more raw, emotional sense. i feel it is her best work.
February 6, 2004More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(11 reviews)
