Attention fans of Cat Power: prepare to be happy. The singer/songwriter has started working on her first album of original material since 2006’s The Greatest. The album’s still in its early stages, but hey, at least it’s something.

Those who prefer Cat Power solo instead of with a band will be particularly happy by the news. Discussing the new material with Pitchfork, the musician born Chan Marshall said, “It’s just me this time… I don’t know if I should push all these [new] songs away and actually try to write and record it with the band. I don’t know what to do. But I’m at a point where my heart tells me, ‘Chan, you haven’t played piano or guitar for four or five years,’ and I do have guilt about that. People ask me, ‘When are you going to play by yourself?’ I have problems with strange yearnings and guilt. I’m also frightened because some of them are sad again and I feel really nervous about that.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean Cat Power has been sitting around for the last three years. Quite the opposite. Her 2008 cover album, Jukebox, was followed by the Dark End of the Street EP later that year. Earlier this year, she opened for the Pretenders in a trek across North America that wrapped up in September.

There’s no word on a release date yet but we do know that Marshall will be trekking Down Under for a few dates before and after New Year’s Day.

Cat Power 2009/2010 Tour Dates:
12/30 – Phillip Island, AU @ Pyramid Rock Festival
12/31 – Brisbane, AU @ Powerhouse
01/02 – Gold Coast, AU @ Coolangatta Hotel
01/05 – Adelaide, AU @ Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
01/06 – Perth, AU @ The Astor Theatre
01/08 – Wollongong, AU @ Waves
01/09 – Newcastle, AU @ Panthers
01/10 – Sydney, AU @ Days Like This Festival

TAGGED AS: Cat Power