Chan Marshall is better known as Cat Power - the indie singer with an intoxicating, sultry voice. The Greatest is her seventh album, but instead of igniting interest, it might end up putting listeners to sleep. Of the 12 tracks, only two are noteworthy: The Greatest and Where Is My Love. The CD was made with the help of soul musicians Mabon 'Teenie' Hodges and Leroy 'Flick' Hodges, but they fail to lift the sound. The album isn't terrible, but it lacks substance. None of the tracks have any defining characteristics. If Cat Power had strayed from the ordinary, the CD might have fared better. Instead, it's a collection of melancholy melodies that reek of unrequited love that you'd expect from a tortured soul. Cat Power has shown more talent in the past. She frequently plays sell-out shows to adoring fans and respected musicians - such as Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder - who have guest-starred on her previous albums. It's possible that she got lazy - or is just tired. Despite its title, The Greatest isn't Cat Power's best album, and it's not a collection of her greatest hits. The songs are almost identical.
