Cat Power is Chan (pronounced like Sean) Marshall, a mainstay of the indie scene who for whatever reason I only recently bothered listening to. She released her breakthrough album Moon Pix in 1998 and then waited a full five years before releasing another album of original material, 2003's You Are Free. She's apparently relatively shy and lacking in, I don't know, ambition I guess, so it's not surprising her website hasn't been updated in year despite having a new album in the pipeline. Check out the Matador site for more info. Anyway, her music has a very chill, soulful feel, but in spite of this I enjoy listening to it. The title track of her new album has a really pretty piano-and-strings feel, though in general the word on the street is that her new disc has a bluesier feel than her previous stuff.

Cat Power / "The Greatest"
Cat Power / "He War" (from You Are Free)

I also like "Cross Bones Style"...not the best video in the world, but a good tune from Moon Pix.

******

I've really started to love the Bengals' Chad Johnson...big-talking, self-promoting wide receivers seem to be everywhere these days, but nobody does it with the good-natured deadpan that Johnson does. Check out the video of his touchdown on Sunday vs. the Colts, followed by his faux proposal to one of the Bengals cheerleaders.

******

It's amazing how often life seems to imitate comedy with this administration. Check out the video HERE.

******

Random story about Chinese Catholics that I found kinda interesting. Popemobile not welcome...

******

I love trying out all sorts of sodas (I think I've even discussed it in this space) but this is just gross. At first I thought this company was a bunch of idiots--after all, who is buying salmon'flavored soda--but then it occurred to me that there's no better way for a small company to get tons of free recognition than to do something like this. Well played my soda-producing friends, well played indeed.