CAT POWER You Are Free (Matador)

At first look and listen, it might be hard to figure out just what exactly Chan Marshall is so sad about. She's beautiful, talented, popular and one hell of a writer. Plus, she's brutally honest in her work, something that has driven similar artists to the brink of madness. And plenty listen to her, that's for sure. The Europeans have been singing her praises for years, and with the release of You Are Free, it looks like the Americans have finally got on board with Cat Power's somber tales of heartbreak, compromise and confession. But something is missing still, if you read her interviews or listen carefully to You Are Free (a heavy rain, some candles and dancing shadows are pre-requisites). Five years in the making, the album nevertheless rarely boasts more than two or three instruments on each track; it's a stripped-down affair, one that ends in tears. And though some wish that Chan might have put Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder to better use than their low-key turns on "He War" (one of the only lively tunes on the disc), "Good Woman" and others, Chan is the ma'am in charge here. That much you'll know for sure when the last songs on You Are Free ends. This one is for the downtempo lovers and lonelyhearts only.