Album Review: Cat Power - Dark End of the Street

Cat Power
Dark End of the Street
Matador, 2008

Everybody gather around for another round of Chan Marshall singing songs she didn't write. It seems Chan just can't help herself since 2000's aptly-titled The Covers Record, and Dark End of the Street, a sort of outtakes EP from January's long since forgotten Jukebox LP, finds old habits dying innocuous, unimaginative deaths as she drawls (with her ever-"smoky" voice) through six tunes (Aretha, Creedence, The Pogues, Otis Redding, that chick who sang on "The Battle of Evermore," more Aretha) that were invariably better and more interesting the first time around. No doubt she'll get another handful of fashion mag photo shoots for this one though (love those bangs!!!).

[Zach Noland]