Tracy Chapman

It isn't that bad, i just never had a click with this kinda stuff. I was sure she was an old dude until now

It's ok. Really nice production and mix (streamed in CD quality). Some good recognised singles. Some of the album a bit non-descript and average. Way better than I could do of course.

It’s really not my music. But it’s great song IF you want to listen only 1-2 songs. Maybe I’m so broke, but this cycling and recycling of 3 to 5 chords through the songs makes the album monotonous for me. Some songs seem to run for 30 minutes, even if it’s just 2-3 minutes. She has a nice voice and there are some good melodies, but I don’t want to listen this album ever again in one sitting.

A bit too biased for me.

Yes, this is the album that has that one song about a fast automobile

boring

It was alright, nothing to write home about

it sounds nice but i didnt care much for it

eh.

Slow ; folkish type music. Great voice, great storytelling- just too slow for my taste

Generic

Very distinct voice but the music does not go anywhere interesting. The lyrics are meaningful in obvious ways. Not my thing.

No comecinho não botei fé, mas nas últimas virou pedrada. A voz dela e a vibe meio folk com violão e poucos instrumentos eletrônicos é oq vende a parada pra mim, mas mesmo assim não achei tudo isso que a pitchfork fez parecer n

Too slow for me but there was one decent track

The music was good but the lyrics were very racially charged. A little too much for me. I prefer my music to be happy

‘Fast Car’ is a banger though

I remember when this album was everywhere after the Nelson Mandela tribute concert and at the time I didn't see the fuss about it. It's one of those albums where you know someone else has already done it only better. I gave it another go but to me it is 11 tracks that are all pretty similar, there's nothing here to keep me gripped

It was OK. Would be happy to have on in the background but wouldn't purposefully seek it out.

never felt it

Like being stood up for a date at starbucks wishing this would end.

Not my cup of tea, after some time the music sounded a bit bland to me. Even after repeated listens it was hard for me to differentiate the songs. Except for Mountains O'Things, that's a certified jam.

Pretty boring sound overall. That sort of genre-less “easy listening” stuff that I’ve always disliked.

I have such deep childhood nostalgia for Tracy Chapman due to "Give Me One Reason", but nothing here really gripped me. A couple songs stood out like For You and Fast Car, which I know is an iconic song of hers, but not enough to give me reason to come back to this album.

I would say this is not really my cup of tea. She is an interesting guitar player, and there is lots of cool stuff on this record. But it doesn't connect with me very well I think. I told my listening group a story that I vividly remember hearing Fast Car for the first time and loving it - and then hearing it a 2nd time and being totally sick of it haha. Anyway I think I understand why people like this but it's not really for me.

Nice voice I suppose. Lovely song in “Baby Can I Hold You” the rest disappeared in a foggy haze of nothingness.

Not my jam.

I don’t really know how to rate this one. I didn’t hate it but nothing stood out which isn’t necessarily a bad thing however I can’t recall much. I think I know how big of a deal she was so I give credit for that, but I guess I don’t entirely see why.

Yeah this isn't my sort of music. I've grown to like folk rock music, but this kind of "gather 'round the campfire" folk is nothing but background noise to me. If the main driving force behind the album is the lyrics, you can count me and my ADHD out (unless your name is Joanna Newsom, because I have a strange obsession with goofy medieval music).

Not really my genre, but lyrically relevant to this day. I’d say the messages were a little on-the-nose, but I guess that kind of clarity is sometimes important. Either way, not my cup of tea.

Een oudje, waarvan ik dacht dat ik dat plaatje goed kende omdat mijn moeder 'm 'op CD' had, maar het zei me allemaal niet veel en bleef ook niet echt hangen.

It’s aiite

I just couldn't get into this one. I remember it being played a lot back when it was first released and, just like then, it never had any impact on me. I'd say that Ed Sheeran has been influenced by this. Not my cup of tea at all.

Just not my style. Definitely has something to say and a lovely voice, but far too laid back in its presentation for my liking.

This album is easy to listen to. The thing is, while it’s politically-conscious, straightforward, and well structured—all generally good traits—it takes zero risks at all. The acoustic backing is the definition of conventional and the writing is straightforward to the extent of superficiality (not that I think it was superficial—Chapman’s singing and songwriting definitely struck me as authentic, just that it really lacks depth). I get it grows out of the pacifist protest song tradition and that that genre almost mandates an easily palatable tone with broad, digestible lyrics but it really doesn’t interest me that much.

this one really seems to be more about the lyrical storytelling, but the harmonies, melodies, rhythms, and timbres just don't do it for me. It's a little too homogeneous and simple, seemingly in an effort to put focus on the lyrics.

Kun artistin itseilmaisuun sisään rakennettu kornius estää häntä saavuttamasta sitä, mihin hänen lahjansa riittäisivät, ja minkä hän luultavasti ansaitsisi.

I didn't expect this album to have such heavy and hard hitting subject matter. I only knew the song Fast Car, and figured it would be a general folk/singer-songwriter album. But it really got into some deep subjects that I really appreciated. Songs themselves were pretty good but not something that I'd really listen to too many times. Still an interesting listen though

2,5

This was alright. I’m not really into singer-songwriter music, but some songs connected with me.

this is a record i'd love to hate but the opening lends itself to a sentimental open-mic atmosphere a little bit and that i must admit gets to me but 'why' is really dumb. that naivety persists throughout the album the sound is like 10/15 years ahead of time though

meh to nah

Sorry, Chapman. You are a 2 star album in my heart.

Fast car is a slap, but the rest of these are not doing it for me. Strong two star.

Soothing 80s soft pop

Not really to my taste, but don't let that put you off!

I appreciate it for what it is; but it’s not my cup of tea.

It’s a bit samey isn’t it, Tracey? It’s a wee bit boring, isn’t it? Baby Can I Hold You and a couple after low-key slap. Tracey high-key Chap, man.

I can only say this is not for me. Thought she had a great voice and I enjoyed Talking about a Revolution and Baby Can I hold you. Other than that, thought many of the songs ran together or sounded very similar to each other. There's one song I recognized since they play on the radio, Fast car, but just not a fan..... Can't say I hated, but not a fan I'll give 2.5 since I was surprised by a couple songs mentioned above

OK, landmark folk song "Talkin' 'Bout The Revolution", "Fast Cars" and "Mountain O' Things" have aged quite well. Unfortunately, that's not the case with everything else. I agree with the reviewers using the word "beige" and "secretary rock" to explain what this record sounds like to listeners in search of an atmosphere that could be a wee bit more *thrilling* at least. Gosh, the mainstream eighties were so bland sometimes. Don't get me wrong, Tracy Chapman's heart was in the right place when it came to her topical lyrics. The thing is, the execution of these ideas is quite boring at times. And the same can be said about her music. Add the dull production values, and you have a half-baked album. In other words, Tracy deserves to be remembered for those songs I've quoted up there. But you need more than a couple of good tunes to make a fine LP. Number of albums left to review: 733 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 132 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 65 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 71 (including thisbone)

okay, not my favorite.

Another singer/songwriter album, again I found it ok. Fast Car is a great song but the rest of the album meandered along. Probably influential to artists like Lauryn Hill.

Like the Velvet Underground album, too mellow for me. I like “Fast Car”, but the songs sound a little too similar.

Pretty voice, soulful and mournful music, but kinda boring and sleep inducing. No higher than a3/5for me, probably a 2/5

I've never actually seen a picture of Tracy Chapman before, and I've always had it in my head that there was something going on. Like she was a guy (the name is ambiguous enough), a hilariously skinny methed-up white chick, or maybe a retarded mute who couldn't speak but somehow sang like a bird. But no, I was COMPLETELY imagining the something-isn't-quite-right-here vibe. To her credit, Chapman has a nice unique voice and in another context I'd probably be all over it. But the music is super bland. It takes that folk/alt rock sound a la the Gin Blossoms and somehow removes even more oomph. And pretty much nothing can justify the sheer fucking amount of play this album has received for the last 35 years. Sometimes I feel like it's following me around, or there's a committee in charge of making sure it comes on the radio when I walk into bars and cafes. 2/5.

I made it to track 7. No.

not my favourite. they play it at my workplace all the time so i’m kind of sick of her songs. she’s incredibly talented but i can no longer listen to her songs and enjoy them due to large retail stores. rating: 2.6/5

The way he vibrates his voice when he sings is so annoying. Best example of this is "Behind the Wall". Definitely not the sound I like. Also songs like "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" or "Fast Car" are just so mellow and...ad-friendly. Not my kind of album. Totally forgettable. Also I could have sworn this was a man singing. Not that it changes the fact I don't like the album. It's just a curiosity.

Adult contemporary is one of my least favourite genres and Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut is no exception, it's pretty slow and overall kind of unremarkable. Although lyrically, it is charged with social and political commentary, it fails to grab me in any meaningful way. Best: Fast Car Worst: For You 1.5 Stars

This is a good album, but I feel like Tracy Chapman is better in small doses. My sister REALLY loved this album and spent all of 1989 with this in her CD player. There are a couple of good tracks on it - 2/5

Rich voice and the feelings in her words are really good. The Album loses its momentum after Fast Car.

at least the boyzone cover made it two songs on the album i know. got a nice voice and all that jazz but in the end just another solo singer songwriter thing where the backing music is just bland as fuck and sounds like a sample backing track on a keyboard.

Не очень

Idk maaaaaan…. De både jamma int å va tråkigt i lyriken … tbh….

Wish this LP offered more of Chapman's vocal range - her vocals are stunning, but remain firmly in the midrange for the entirety of the record leading to a sense of monotony. Doesn't help that the instrumentals have aged poorly and read as quite dated.

Just not something I've ever been excited to listen to.

Didn't really do it for me. One of those albums that I forgot I was listening to, and I had no desire to go back and re-listen to the parts I sleepwalked through.

I have heard a lot of people rave about Tracy Chapman and this album in particular. Chapman is a decent singer, but apart from the opening track, I found it rather dull listening. It's obviously meant to be one of those profound singer-songwriter albums, but to my ears it comes across as a bit self indulgent. It's not bad but it lacks any real excitement.

Tracey Chapman's debut album made quite the splash when it released. It topped the charts in some countries, became one of the best-selling albums of all time, and has been certified 6 times platinum in the US. Just two weeks after its release, the album already sold 1 million copies worldwide. Then in total, it sold over 20 million copies worldwide and is one of the first albums by a female artist to have more than 10 million copies sold worldwide. This album made a statement by being a popular singer-songwriter album released during the rock/metal and dance era of the 80's. Tracy has a beautiful singing voice and her lyrics were politically poignant. Even with all of these good things going for this album, I personally couldn't find something I liked about it. Not awful, but not awesome either.

This is important work, but it's also incredibly boring. I had to break this up into three 'shifts' of listening to this album because it kept putting me in a funk. TC has some important tales to tell, but they only matter if someone is listening.

Wasn't very familiar with the record before this. Thematically it's definitely in the folk tradition and she covers some important political topics that are sadly still relevant today. Musically, it's not very folky in my view. The record sounds very much like the 80's. (Is it the reverb they were using?) While I think people might remember this as a simple acoustic record, it's got a lot going on, maybe some "world music" sounds even when it comes to percussion in particular. Maybe it just sounds back to basics in comparison with the other things being released at the time (Hair metal, synth pop, etc). Can't say I'm a huge fan of the production or instrumentation. She's got an interesting voice. Not very traditional but quite strong. Overall, I can see why it was an important record and why it's on the list but it didn't wow me and I probably won't revisit.

Not for me but I can see why it was popular

Fast car is alright, but the album as a whole is a bit lacking in ideas

Some of the songs that haven't been played to death we're pretty good

Can’t get on with her voice. Baby Can I Hold You is a classic. Feel I’ve heard better at open mic nights. Not for me.

She has a phenomenal voice. The production is really crisp too. I just have a hard time connecting to political folk music unfortunately especially as a white man listening to this.

What a cool but interesting sound! I really enjoyed it but I have decided to be super critical

Don't get it, at all really - Fast Car as never done it for me, and I found most of the album really unmemorable. Chapman has a good voice, but not a great one in my opinion. There's not much here that stands out to me... the track "Mountains O' Things" is one of the more interesting moments on the album, at least as far as the music is concerned (because the lyrics are pretty annoying). For My Lover and For You are also highlights, but still a lot of it is really pretty generic and unimaginative. It's not terrible. It's just not particularly good, and to my ears, really forgettable.

Oh interesting. Let's dive in. This sounds super 90s even tho it was 1988. She sounds like she was in her own musical world compared to what was going on at the time lol. This is def some Lillith Fair shit. I'm already tired of her voice and I'm only on song 3. Ugh I really can't finish this. It's so boring.

I think everyone has heard 'fast car' of 'baby can I hold you' a couple of times in their life, that is how much of an impact this album has had. Maybe I'm not in the mood for Tracy Chapman at the moment, because it is really nice songwriting, but somehow it just reminds me of combilation music for lovers or something like that, and nothing wrong with that... if your into that vibe.

Not my thing

Besides my car I'm not bothered

Suena muy bien y Tracy tiene una voz preciosa... pero me aburre el disco.

Sarah has a fast car

Production: 8/20 Songwriting: 9/20 Innovation: 5/20 Bangers: 0/20 Emotional response: 5/20 =27 SO SO BORING

meh

Not a favorite of mine but it's a good sounding album.

Can't actually listen thru this album sadly, it is no doubt a GOOD album, but I can't rate it higher than a 2/5. It deserves to be on the list, but nope not for me.

Lacking in vocal depth.

nä, inte för mig. Stort plus för albumlängden dock. Mer sånt.

Ive been aware of this album all my life. Its been constantly praised as an excellent album, and Fast Cars as an amazing song. I never gave it a listen as it is not my style of music. When it popped up as my first album, I thought I would finally give it a listen. After two songs, i thought ok this isnt for me but I guess this is a classic album, I will give it 2 stars, and continue listening. I just couldnt. I cant stand it. It doesnt just bore me, it irritates me. I simply do not like it.

Not a fan of her music

They are nice songs and she's got good progressive politics. But nice does not make great. A whole album of this, I think not. While listening I thought of two artists, wholly inoffensive but whose massive popularity belies their otherwise quite ordinary abilities: Norah Jones (who I think was ballistic huge around the same time as Tracy) and the inexplicable Ed Sheeran. Tracy is a bit like that. Her other problem in this listing is coming hot on the heels of life changing artists, Dolly et al. As the PE would say, don't, don't, don't, don't believe the hype.

Don’t like!

1/2

Unfortunately I did not vibe with this AT ALL. She had a BEAUTIFUL voice, but not for this genre. Maybe pop or something idk

Very slow and not incredibly musical. I don't mind the lyrics, but I don't much enjoy the musicality.

Tracy Chapman vet også forut sin tid. Hun pionerer tydeligvis den sutrete four Chris poppen som har tatt over poppen i vår tid. Dette er ikke låtskriving. Dette er syting med gitar. (Dette gjelder ikk tekstene hennes som er helt greie og handler om ekte faktiske ting, men det musikalske utrykke)

1. revolution - 1 2. car - 1.5 3. linez -1 4. uuall - 1.5 5. baby - 1.5 6. thingz - 0 7. ticket - 0 8. uuhy - 0 9. lover - 1 10. nouu - 1 11. you - 1.5

I have long despised this album and my opinion hasn’t changed. Can’t stand her voice.

1/5

Meh

Undoubtedly talented but fcuk me it’s dull, like a consistent mediocre 36 minute drone.

That’s unlistenable for me, I can barely stand this king of music in a volume of one song, let alone the whole album. Sure, the voice is great, but the pacing, instruments, melodies are giving me a headache.

Cack

3/10

Not a fan. Quite boring.

I’m going to be honest here. I didn’t even make it four songs into this album. It’s a total downer, both musically and lyrically, I hate her voice, it just doesn’t have any redeeming qualities for me. Now to be fair, I only listened to a fraction of it, and I get that she’s bearing her soul, and speaking to topics that are deeply personal and meaningful to her, but I just really hate it. I’m not opposed to albums like that, but just not this one. However, if this is your thing, I can see why people would like it. Which is the only reason I’m not calling it complete dog shit.

this is not my album. sorry tracy. singing is obviously technically skilled, i’m just off the style and content. also fast car feels unserious

I just didn't like the phrasing and melodies and most of all the voice.

very slow idk if I would listen again kylie didnt like it at all

I’m getting tired of these singer-songwriters on this list…

Super. Love her voice. Excellent album.

No

oh...

I realize I need to expand my mind and my library. I understand why this is a good record but it does nothing for me thus I don’t ever think to listen to it.

Nostalgic, good for a work out, not my favorite anymore. Not the best production.

👎🏻

Apparently all you have to do to write folk music is tell some bland story, mumble some surface-level thought about social justice, and optionally make the lyrics rhyme. "Why?" Was by far the worst song.

Insipid MOR bollocks. Like a homeopathic Joni Mitchell.

Alltid syntes Fast Car e sånn passe irriterande

I don't like 'Fast Car' anyway, but this album is very much not for me. It's far too boring and the production is terribly dated. I think it's the first album I couldn't finish?

Fast Car is the career defining hit. It's a good song and was sampled to perfection by Nice & Smooth on Sometimes I Rhyme Slow. These are truly depressing lyrics. Tracy Chapman hates America. This is so overtly political it's boring. It's like getting a lecture rather than listening to music. She could take a lesson from Bob Dylan on how to do this. Baby Can I Hold You is better...just a love song, a nice change. Right back to the lesson on how everything sucks. Capitalism is bad, rich people are bad.

Boring songs like adele...zzzzzzzzz

mid

easy listening. Mild. no top track

I fuckin hate Fast Car and refuse to listen to this album on that basis. One star. Fuck that song.

I never cared for this release. Fast Car was overplayed on the radio and that turned me off to the artist entirely.

Not my thing

Nix für mich.

Well I knew this would probably come up, so I guess I was mentally prepared for it. Snivelling, nasal, beige elevator muzak that's not even slightly hard hitting. This is the sort of fake folk music that I imagine middle class people had in their collection for show, but would never actually play, because let's face facts, it's incredibly lifeless and dull. The lyrics are an exercise in mundanity; how to skirt around issues without actually suggesting any solution or even spelling out what the real problem is. "We're all angry! Why? Because babies die, that's why!". It's like something a four-year old would come up with. I even find it annoying that Wikipedia has this down as the wrong musical genre. This is pop, maybe folk-pop if I'm being generous. It's definitely not folk-rock, contemporary-folk, or roots-rock. There's also some nasty synth sounds thrown in here and there, but let's ignore that, or we'll start categorising this as synth-wave. There might have been a couple of half catchy melodies here, but excessive radio play soon dealt with that. The non-hit songs aren't even filler, they're just plain awful. If I ever had to hear this dross again, it would be too soon.

Not my thing, sorry Tracy

Did not enjoy

This is definitely not my cup of tea - so forgive me my rating. Tracy has a charismatic voice and at the time the songs at least stood out of the usual chart shit. Still nothing I would listen to again - and to be honest I didn't listen to the full album, just did short a recap of the hit singles ...

Not a fan of this one. Was huge when I was a teenager so maybe it stems from that.

Alltid syntes Fast Car e sånn passe irriterande

Iconic voice, but "oh wow is me" lyrics. Not inspiring, to me

Fucking ass tryhard corny

Singer-songwriters are really not for me.

All preach, no fun.

No thank you

This sounds like something a Feminist Studies professor at Smith College would make.

She's talented but not 4 m3

Clearly not 'bad'... but the music didn't do it for me

Not for me Clive

Love this album, "Mountain O' Things" is probably my fav track