Significant longplayers from yesteryear
10 September 2026
CAT POWER (born named Charlyn Marie “Chan” Marshall, 54 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia) released her 3rd full-length WHAT WOULD THE COMMUNITY THINK on 10 September 1996, today 30 years ago.
The album was produced by Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley,
who also provided drums during the recording sessions.
The album has been noted for its variety of musical styles,
ranging from alternative rock to folk and blues. Though not
a commercial hit, the album received unanimous critical
acclaim.
The cover artwork was created by Power herself out of a postcard:
“I just needed a cover and I had this postcard that I’ve had for a long time. It’s this woman from the ’70s in New York and they did this collage of cigarette ads and she whited out the eyes and instead of a cigarette she had a whistle. It’s no big deal, I just cut out the center of her face and put mine on top. It made it look more real.”
Entertainment Weekly said: “Power Thraises goose bumps on What Would the Community Think with bluesy, traumatized songs on which she whispers laments over a spare arrangement of guitar and drums. A sudden fervent holler — to the father of her unborn child or to her own lacking papa — interrupts the calm like thoughts of mortality in the night.”
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