Speaking for Trees

Speaking for Trees is a unique entry in the Cat Power discography, originally released as a DVD/CD package that documents a nearly two-hour solo performance filmed by Mark Borthwick. The performance features Chan Marshall alone in a wooded area, playing electric guitar and singing through a small amp. Sonically, the album is defined by its 'field recording' quality; it eschews the studio polish of her previous work, You Are Free, in favor of a raw, environmental aesthetic. The tracklist is notable for its repetition, featuring multiple versions of songs like 'Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door' and 'Night Time / Back of Your Head,' which highlights the improvisational and transient nature of the session. The CD component is anchored by 'Willie Deadwilder,' an 18-minute outtake featuring M. Ward that has become a cult favorite for its hypnotic, slowcore-adjacent sprawl. Critics often view this release as a bridge between her early, fractured lo-fi period and her later, more soul-influenced work, capturing a moment of pure, unmediated creative expression.