There's something irresistible about that Chan Marshall, or as I like to call her, the Mark Eitzel of Atlanta. Recording under the Cat Power moniker, she's got a magic coolness that only certain guitar- totin' girls come equipped with. You know what I'm talkin' about-- like Beth Orton's got the Magic Cool, too. You can't really pinpoint any particularily cool things about Chan, though; she's just cool. And somehow, the new Cat Power record is proof.

"American Flag" opens the record, utilizing the drum loop from the Beastie Boys' famed "Paul Revere" as the spine behind her delicate ballad, and an obvious realization occurs-- Marshall's pretty much got it goin' on. Her sound is like Liz Phair on valium mixed with the lonesome, desert highway tone of Modest Mouse. It's pretty, clever, and terribly depressing-- all of which are common traits in any classic statement- making album.

The record spins through 11 tracks of soft strumming and brittle vocals, all while you rest your head on your pillow, watching a muted black- and- white television, and drifting in and out of consciousness. Not that Moon Pix makes great sleeping music. Quite the contrary, actually-- it's way too interesting.

-Ryan Schreiber