#20 CAT POWER - Peel Sessions (Flac)

Standing in a queue waiting to pay for the latest selection of cds I’d chosen. I overheard the girl in front asking what was playing over the shop speakers. When told it was Cat Power’s new album she replied, “I’ll take it too.”

Cat Power at that time was just a name to me despite the Covers Record being her fifth release. Some months later I heard her music for the first time on the John Peel show - the famous long running late night show on BBC radio one.

The session included a selection of songs that had been recorded but not included on the Covers Record. That covers session included here features just Chan’s vocal and acoustic guitar or keyboards. I remember the DJ John Peel being particularly taken by “Freebird,” a minimalist cover lasting barely forty seconds and so completely different from its original incarnation, that it sounds quite bizarre in comparison.

The covers session was recorded on June 18, 2000 at Maida Vale’s studio 4 in London. It was broadcast in two parts, part one on July 20, 2000 including tracks 1 to 4 and track 9. The second part was broadcast on August 31, 2000 and included tracks 5 to 8 with a repeat of “Freebird.” Both parts of the session were broadcast later in the year a few weeks before Christmas.

The second session tracks 10 to 13 date from three years later, recorded on January 23, 2003 as promotion for the follow up release “You Are Free.” It was broadcast on 12 February, 2003. Chan performs another sparse stripped down session emphasizing the haunting soulful beauty of her voice.

This is the complete Maida Vale sessions but not the complete Cat Power Peel sessions. A live session was recorded at John’s home “Peel Acres” on August 23, 2001; the three tracks performed were Untitled, Baby Doll and Come On In My Kitchen.

After posting three classic bootleg recordings in a row, now seems an opportune moment to upload something relatively newer. Cat Power releases her new album “Sun” in a few days time.

--------------------

Cat Power
Peel Sessions

Maida Vale Studio
London, England
Broadcast July 20, & August 2000*

FM > ? > CDR > EAC > FLAC

01 Sophisticated Lady
02 Hard Times In New York City
03 Wonderwall
04 He Was A Friend Of Mine
05 Deep Inside / Come Up In My Kitchen
06 Werewolf
07 Up & Gone
08 Sister / Knocking On Heaven's Door
09 Freebird

Maida Vale Studio

London, England
Broadcast February 12, 2003*

FM > ? > CDR > EAC > FLAC

10 Names
11 Funny Things
12 Evolution
13 I Don't Blame You

*BBC recording dates for sessions given in main text.

An updated version of this is now available see here:
complete peel sessions