A glance at Chan Marshall, with her long black hair, recalls the image of earthy soul mama Laura Nyro. On You Are Free, her fifth CD as Cat Power and first set of original songs since 1998, the regal piano opening to "I Don’t Blame You" adds to this perception. Yet it’s a fleeting one. Marshall doesn’t beckon with hearth-fire warmth; her hesitant, aggrieved vocals suggest someone who appears disconnected and often misunderstood. "It’s not that it’s bad/It’s not that it’s death," she sings in "Fool," backing herself on guitar as childlike background voices float behind her own husky singing. Aside from guest vocalist Eddie Vedder and drummer Dave Grohl, who perform on several cuts each, this is an unadorned collection. With its sad balladry, fitful folk, and skeletal rock tunes, You Are Free takes on child abuse, blind-sided lovers, and war, among other topics. And Marshall delivers the lyrics of this acoustic-based material in low, grainy rasps or with spaced-out numbness. "Everybody come/Get together," she sings in "Free," though it comes off less like a groovy invocation and more like a desperate plea.