Maybe Chan’s been listening to folks who mention, rightly, that the covers on her prematurely snored Jukebox aren’t up to snuff with the included originals. As we said after her recent Leno performance:

…We aren’t the biggest fans of Jukebox, though it does have its moments. Namely when Chan’s doing her own songs. We’re fans of “Song To Bobby”‘s meta-Dylanisms and the remake of Moon Pix’s “Metal Heart.” Mostly it’s the covers we find boring…

Only Chan knows for sure, but last night she gave a fine crouching performance of updated Moon Pix classic “Metal Heart” for Mr. Letterman, who rewards her with one of his patented, uncomfortably long hand holds…

Her band’s tighter than Letterman’s grip. Good job, Dirty Delta Blues.

Jukebox is out on Matador.

Comments (31)
  1. simonthepieman  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    the initial prospect to seeing cat power live excited me. but her on-stage presence is kinda awkward, or at least, it doesn’t seem to fit the music.

    great songs regardless. and her voice is aural sex.

  2. as someone commented at brooklyn vegan, she was acting like a “weird polar bear”

    not so hot

  3. thepolemarch  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    I’d love to hear what he whispered to her at the end. Knowing how rancorous Dave seems to be it was probably something like, “I can crush you, bitch.”

  4. Jimmy James  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    Weird dancing DO NOT WANT

  5. rick  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    chan on albums & in print = super hot.
    chan on TV = not hot.
    i’m all for weirdness but this kinda takes it to a new level.

  6. Paul  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    You people are pathetic, she was just fine…a great performance, and such a killer voice. Get over yourselves.

    • There’s nothing pathetic here. (Well, with most of us, at least.) She does have a really awkward (bad awkward, that is) stage presence. It’s like she’s on some weird Joe Cocker-on-drugs drug, sometimes. I’m glad she’s supposedly over her alcoholism, but she’s still got some really uncomfortable weirdness going on there, natural or otherwise.

      Still love her, though.

  7. How does a woman that beautiful, with a voice like that, and a band that good, singing a song that great, act more awkward than me in 7th grade wearing sweat pants talking to a high school cheerleader?

    I would not have believed that this performance could not be sexy. And then I watched it.

  8. Ma préférée de l’album. Elle se donne à fond, bravo belle artiste et belle voix. Why not a duo with Feist ???

  9. juano  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    No me gusta.

  10. Mitchell  |   Posted on Apr 2nd, 2008

    Aio eshte shum e bukur. Une Pelquen.

  11. wells  |   Posted on Apr 3rd, 2008

    i’m fairly certain she says “dirty delta blues” and not “what’ve you got to prove?”.

    • I just listened again and you’re right. Too bad … I thought that was the first lively, interesting, or off-the-cuff thing she’d said/done in a while. Fixed.

  12. anybody hear her interview for aol music, it’s a must hear. it’s from about a year and half ago.

    http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/aolmusic/The_Interface_Cat_Power.mp3

  13. nick  |   Posted on Apr 3rd, 2008

    thats how you act when you smoke alot of meth.

  14. james  |   Posted on Apr 3rd, 2008

    I think she’s more like a badass tiger than a weird polar bear

  15. paul  |   Posted on Apr 3rd, 2008

    we are all weirdos, people.

    do you really need me to tell you that?

  16. john  |   Posted on Apr 3rd, 2008

    the problem with her acting weird is that it makes her voice weird
    which sucks

    actually she didnt act THAT weird…
    except for the mirror moment
    and the remote control at 2:36

  17. Jukebox was an ok album, she just needs to be original and come out with her OWN music. This performance is reminiscent of something you would see at some run down bar. I love Chan, but this album was a dissapointment.

  18. b.LOUD  |   Posted on Apr 5th, 2008

    Doesn’t Judah look like Viggo Mortensen with that beard? Or maybe that really IS Viggo.

  19. cherry  |   Posted on Apr 5th, 2008

    whoa i was just about to comment on his viggo mortenson lookin ass.
    eerie.

  20. deleted  |   Posted on Apr 6th, 2008

    still like the original far better:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4XqTl0ACoY

  21. I saw her years ago, after The Covers Record, and damn if she wasn’t her old, shy, introverted self. The show was at a temple in downtown Austin, and we were leaning forward on our seats to HEAR her at times, but an amazing, intimate experience. Years later I saw she was playing big/outdoor gigs like Stubbs, and I thought that would be a disaster. Then, after she cleaned up, beat depression, whatever, I dnld a video of her doing a show in France, and damnit, she was dancing around, PROJECTING her voice and even smiling. A very different set, and truth be told, I still haven’t gotten the same thrill from her as I did from my first hearing of Moon Pix, with Metal Heart being my all time fav of hers, just a great album/song. New stuff, still hasn’t stuck.

  22. DUDE.
    U GUYS ARE BORING AND LAME.
    WASTING YOUR STUPID ASSES ON THE INTERNET.
    NO WONDER I WORK.
    X
    NO WONDER THIS EARTH IS FALLING TO SHIT.
    DUMB ASSES.
    SAD AND LAME.
    ENJOI.X
    C

  23. DUDES.
    WHAT ARE Y O U DOING WITH Y O U R S E L V E S ???
    THIS IS ALL YOU GUYS DO?????
    AREN’T THERE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO……
    “LIKE WHAT CHAN?”

    LIKE,
    DUDE,
    GUESS…

    I’D LIKE TO SEE WHAT YOU DO.
    I’D LIKE TO SEE HOW YOU’D FEEL.

    -C.

  24. DUDES.
    WHAT ARE Y O U DOING WITH Y O U R S E L V E S ???
    THIS IS ALL YOU GUYS DO?????
    AREN’T THERE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO……
    “LIKE WHAT CHAN?”

    LIKE,
    DUDE,
    GUESS…

    I’D LIKE TO SEE WHAT YOU DO.
    I’D LIKE TO SEE HOW YOU’D FEEL.

    -C.

  25. its like she has to pee, but also recently underwent hip surgery

  26. Snake  |   Posted on Apr 12th, 2008

    Looks like she’s got something up her butt I can fix that for her if she doesn’t.

  27. muffin  |   Posted on Apr 12th, 2008

    She once performed an entire show in Atlanta with her back to the audience.

  28. maryebeth  |   Posted on Apr 24th, 2008

    Dudes, how can you be so cruel? Chan is human, beautiful in and out…who among you is without problems, aware or unaware? we are all connected, we are one, she is you, you are she…hold her up, don’t tear her down…love is cat’s power…give it to her, people!

  29. Anonymous  |   Posted on Sep 23rd, 2009

    Chan is SO HUMAN that it is a JOY to see her on stage. She is so interesting to watch and listen to because she is REAL… with her insecurities and all. I absolutely love her music because it is so creative and interesting and different from any main stream crap that is so polished and commercial and lifeless. Her music is pure soul. Her persona is pure honest sweetness.

    I don’t care what some of these BOZOs here are saying about you, Chan. You are SO COOL. Don’t listen to their crap. I’d like to see what they could come up with. I think you are so fantastic, Chan. Keep on being yourself, cuz you are REAL and WARM and it comes through in your totally honest performances.

    XXXOOOXXXXO

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