Musically, Jukebox is largely a continuation of the lush sound that characterised The Greatest, but with a more nocturnal twist whereby Marshall puts up her hand for the title of world's best lounge singer (check out her hauntedly echoing "Ramblin' (Wo)Man", which is as Portishead as she's ever been - and also one of the two or three best songs on the album) - it's certainly not a "Covers Record mk 2", except inasmuch as this new, well-selected set of covers also seems a faithful document of where she's at musically at the moment.
It's certainly not a great Cat Power album (for mine, the only two deserving of that appellation are probably Moon Pix and You Are Free), but it's a good one, and in her re-take on "Metal Heart" it has one great song up its sleeve, so I ain't displeased. Her takes on two faves of mine, "Woman Left Lonely" and Joni's "Blue", don't give me much (the first is too by the numbers, and the second, while interestingly atmospheric, ultimately doesn't go anywhere special); other songs worth mentioning are the delightful stroll of "Aretha, Sing One For Me", her chugging rock n roll take on Dylan's "I Believe In You" and "Song To Bobby" (this album's simple, sad one).
