Cat Power - Myra Lee (1996)

The 1996 album Myra Lee presents a more diverse and fully developed version of Cat Power's music, ranging from the winding, acoustic menace of "Enough" to the sinewy rock of "We All Die." Introspective epics like "Great Expectations," "Faces," and "Wealthy Man" use churning tempos and spiraling guitars to convey Chan Marshall's melancholy musical vision, but gentler songs like the trembling cover of Hank Williams' "Still in Love" and originals like "Top Expert" and "Ice Water" are parts of the picture as well, adding warmth and roundness to the album. As always, Marshall's yearning voice lends extra emotion to her songs, whether it's her clear, soaring vocals on the new version of "Rockets" or her distant, half-heard moans on the final track, "Not What You Want," which sounds genuine to the point of eavesdropping. This raw, overheard sound infuses Myra Lee with a sonic honesty that matches the album's heartfelt songwriting.