Cat Power - You Are Free 

It's 2003 and I'm in my second year of uni. I'm buying this on CD from Big Star records following seeing the video clip on rage. 

This was the comeback album 5 years after the success of Moon Pix. Listening to it now, it reminds me of the book Ohio by Stephen Markley. This album is a harrowing mix of tracks about freedom, heartbreak and the suffocating darkness of society. I played this album a lot at the time and then bought the vinyl.

I love the simple but effective photography and design of the cover. I do like a good photography album cover. Very early 2000s. The sun shadows on the photo from this morning was a perfect addition. 

Playing this today I had a bit of a google search. A lot of people have been revisiting this album for it’s 20 year anniversary. There is very awkward Pitchfork interview as well at the time of this albums release.

I saw Cat Power on this album tour in 2004 at The Gov. It was just her solo with her guitar and a bottle of whisky. I attended knowing her live shows can be mixed as she was known to struggle preforming live. The show was indeed a mix bag. It ended with her finishing said bottle of whisky, singing karaoke, telling the crowd the show was over and then having a chat with the crowd. She drew love hearts on my friend's ticket and gave her a kiss. When my friend's boyfriend came to pick us up The Gov let him in for the last 5 mins and he thought we'd paid to see someone do karaoke. 

To be honest, I haven't played this for a long time. It was very much a time and place album. But the sun was shining today, I have my hundredth cold for the season and needed something mellow. I really enjoyed revisiting this again.

#nowplaying #nowspinning #vinyl #records #catpower #ChanMarshall