Cat Power's You Are Free

Cat power (matador) Few modern-day singer/songwriters are successful in overcoming the negative tendencies they're predisposed to-most attempt to tackle matters of the heart, fail miserably and should be written off as hopeless romantics or pathetic. For many reasons, the new Cat Power album, You Are Free, beats these odds. The sexy tomboyish Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, has written an epic album. It covers all the typical bases, from heartbreak to longing, yet comes off sounding beautiful and soothing-an aspect most singer/songwriters fail to achieve. This doesn't necessarily mean You Are Free is easy to listen to: much like the Smiths' Louder than Bombs or Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Cat Power's latest is reminiscent of an hour-long journey down white-water rapids, some moments enjoyable, others not so much.

All 14 songs sound exceptional, possibly because You Are Free is the first release with all original material since 1998's Myra Lee. Cat Power's last effort was 2000's The Covers Record, an aptly titled album consisting of a dozen previously recorded songs, including a stripped-down version of the Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and a simpler rendition of the Velvet Underground's "I Found a Reason," from their 1970 Loaded album. The Covers Record is an apparent extension of her musical taste, whereas You Are Free is an extension of herself. Marshall is upfront and confident, which is a lot to say about a woman who's been known to perform sitting in a chair with her hair obstructing her face and her view.

Cat Power albums have always reinforced the fact that Marshall's a great singer, but You Are Free encapsulates her abilities as both a singer and a songsmith. It contains mostly bittersweet numbers like "He War" and "Good Woman"; on the latter Marshall tenderly sings, "I don't want to be a bad woman/and I can't stand to see you be a bad man/and I will miss your heart so tender/and I will love this love forever/and this is why I am leaving/and this is why I can't see you no more." It plays like a blues song created on a back porch in Mississippi for both its simplistic style-there's only guitar, harmonica and backup vocals-and its lonely tone. Songs like this one and "Fool" reinforce her Southern roots and exemplify her love for traditional American music.

You Are Free perfectly flows into a more upbeat number called "Speak For Me." During the chorus, Marshall hits notes and double-tracks some of her vocals to sound much like how I imagine a present-day Sinead O'Connor would sound. She sings, "Losing my touch/I can't feel/speak for me/you can see the same signs/do you know about reading between the lines?" "Fool" also employs the lyrics-over-lyrics effect, but comes off sounding more melancholy than "Good Woman."

Although the album's tone remains persistently sad throughout, the use of strong jangly guitars, piano accompaniment and prettily sung words helps mask the serious lyrical content. Chan can make you feel strong, weak, like you want to cry or rejoice all in one song. It's the same feeling one can have while listening to Thalia Zedek or the more popular Belle and Sebastian.

There've been some rumors circulating about who actually plays on You Are Free. In the past, Marshall's used members of the Dirty Three, which could explain why there's violin accompaniment on "Werewolf." And after a few listens, and noting that Adam Kasper, who has worked with Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam, produced the album, it's apparent a couple of those band members helped out. There's some amazing electric guitar and drum work throughout the record, especially on "Shaking Paper," that point toward Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder. And the backup vocals on "Good Woman" are presumably sung by the Pearl Jam frontman; thus, an honest song about heartbreak sounds that much more familiar and intimate. These contributions make the good You Are Free great. For most three's a charm, but for Marshall six is better.

Cat Power plays Tues., March 4, at Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Pl. (15th St.), 212-777-6800.