Reviews (page 14 of 15)
Fast car
Great album, can recall a few tunes from my childhood and her lyrics are phenomenal and Strong. Great album. Wise words.
I really like folk, and the good tracks on this album really stand out as some essential folk songs, Talkin' Bout a Revolution and For My Lover. However, the rest of the album falls short of greatness for me 7/10
Heard it before?: Nope! Just the one song Enjoy it?: Definitely, it’s short but cuts deep, some elegant songwriting and piano in this Favourite song: Track 1 - Talkin’ Bout a Revolution
Loved the beginning of this album, so intense and lyrically strong which is a dangerous combo. Ending didn’t hit as much but still overall enjoyed it a lot. Would have never thought it was from 1988
Beautiful lyrics and a beautiful voice sad DONT YOU KNOW talking about a revolutions sounds ~like a whisper~ Love the African rhythms that start popping up later in the album Baby Can I Hold You is an all time 80s rock ballad What else could I add to a conversation about Fast Car Feels complete
Another chill ass album. Fast car is good but i dont know about 600 million streams good - there were better songs on here. Behind the wall was super cool and that got me invested in the rest of the record. The 2nd half of this album has some great songs. I'm gonna have to relisten to this one 6/10
Gave this another shot and it was better than I originally thought. Strong 4, still don’t like the vibe shift.
Oh sí, éste es un buen disco de esa época. Definitivamente merece un puesto aquí.
Talkin bout a revolutioion, Fast Car - Classic, melancholic, amazing vocals, mellow instrumental, rock edge Why - underrated, anthem, progressive For My Lover - sweet. mellow, nice vocals Revolutionary, original, introspective, mellow but with an edge, overall decent album with a very catchy vibe, feels like a single song so not much diversity
Una voz muy angelical para canciones con buen ritmo y con un estilo de pop muy agradable de escuchar. Un poco del montón, pero se puede escuchar
I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the mood for this album today, but this one didn't really strike me all that much. Chapman is a gifted songwriter and has a beautiful voice, and I like the social messaging of music with more personal songs mixed in. I think perhaps the issue is that her musical style is a bit stripped down for me. Many of the songs are just her and a guitar, and I like a bit more accompaniment than that. I think there's a lot that's good to this album, but I was also bored pretty fast. 3/5
5/5 (I'd give it a 6/5 if I could!) She is an amazing storyteller. Every song is poignant, heartbreaking, and/or thought-provoking. One album though...her other albums don't come close to this masterpiece.
Love love love "Fast car"
Pretty good, good voice.
Cançons innocents però honestes, algunes d'elles van ser del millor que va donar la música pop als finals dels '80... Llàstima que la segona cara baixi el nivell d'intensitat i inspiració de la primera; si no, hagués estat un dels millors àlbums de debut de la història
This album is good overall but a bit uneven. Fast Cars is a genuinely great song some of the others not so much. I do like her voice and style and she can make a clear point. 3.5 stars.
I'm really not a huge fan of her voice, sadly.
I made it to track 7. No.
Some songs that I've heard but never knew the artist. I think a lot of these songs I've heard too often to really evaluate, but they aren't bad. Some of the instrumentation is a bit dated to me, and takes away from chapman's voice. 3 stars
Classic, already a fan
So poignant and off it’s time
Dolce e parla di lotta di classe: bellissimo.
This is about as good as an acoustic based album gets.
Very solid all the way through. Forgot how good this was
One of the best
alr
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
Really good album. Great story teller. Not sure when I would ever want to listen though due to the depressing nature. Still absolutely worth a listen and a place on this list, I'll just never listen to the whole thing again.
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.
Fantastic album! Amazing voice and she is a great storyteller. I will really liked this album and will also check out her other albums. Favourite songs: - Talkin’ bout a revolution - Fast car - Behind the wall
Wow
Tracy Chapman is a powerful voice, both melodically and lyrically. This album vividly depicts a desperate slice of life with a passion and a clarity that you can't easily ignore or shake.
Haunting album. The song about calling the cops on a domestic abuse but the cops won’t do a single thing will stick with me forever.
A very pleasant listen. Had only heard Fast Car before so I was excited to listen to the whole thing and it did not dissapoint. The songwriting is excellent and Chapman has a real way with words that allows her to get her message across. Maybe a 5 is a little generous as it didn't blow me away but I can't really find anything to critisise.
Deep
Two female singer songwriters' debut albums from 1988 in a row for me. Weird! I like the class and social consciousness of this album, and Tracy's voice is great. The arrangements are pretty unremarkable, though. I could tell you *nothing* about the melodies of any of these. I am glad artists like Tracy exist. I don't think I'll be listening to this again, though.
I actually own this album😮 Talkin’ about a revolution-sets the tone for the album ,very catchy👍 Fast Car - obviously a classic, one of the best songs of all time👍 Across the lines - socially important, great backing instrument Behind the wall- Haunting, but a bit on the nose Baby can I hold you-bittersweet love song 👍 Mountains o’ things- I like verses but not a fan of bridge, outro lasts a bit too long She’s got her ticket- upbeat song about escaping from the cycle👍 Why?- think the chorus brings this song down a bit, everything else is great for me For my lover-another good song If not now..-an enchanting wistful song 👍 For you- sweet little album closer 👍 First album I’ve listen to before. Background is always superb, and lyrics are mostly amazing. Fast car is really a classic song but many others on the album are also amazing. 4/5
Folksy guitar + vocals. Fast car song.
I like Tracy Chapman well enough. A talented singer/songwriter. A great album for a long drive when you can take the time to appreciate the lyrics more contemplatively.
Was wondering when this one would show up. Fast Car was a staple growing up and became even better once I had the Iceland remix that Stevie heard in the country. Getting to listen all the way through, this was a very light, but also deep album. The lyrics and emotion in each song was palpable even while the songs themselves felt very breezy and whimsical. Many of them are sad things or struggles that seem all too relatable but packaged nicely within the music. The duality of this album is very interesting.
Here we go. You can't really make a list like this without including this album, can you? Tracy Chapman's debut, an unforgettable force appears out of nowhere. The story preceding this album is great. She's got an unbelievably powerful and distinct voice, and she's such a talented songwriter as well. I love the minimal cuts on here, some just guitar and vocals, some even just vocals. "Fast Car" is truly one of the greatest songs ever made and will forever be one of my favorites to play on guitar. I'm bumping this up a half-star on the strength of that song alone because it's been a part of my DNA forever. If "The Promise" were on here too, it'd be hard to not give it a 5. Favorite tracks: Fast Car, Talkin' Bout a Revolution, For My Lover, Mountains o Things, If Not Now. Album art: It's always been hard for me to tell how old she is in this picture. Was this contemporary? Is this a childhood photo? No idea. But it is effective and seared in my brain. 4.5/5
Fast Car! Love that Dire Straits guitar on She's Got Her Ticket. Mountains O' Things probably sounded more unique when reggaeton wasn't such a prominent pop genre.
Starting strong. Fast Car is a classic. Overall nice listening. Behind the Wall is good. Started to tune out halfway through.
Simple and powerful but also somewhat pallid and simplistic. And the material seems awfully angry and protest-y to be sung so calmly. One wonders how it became such a big hit, and remembers just how it might have happened and also feeling somewhat hopeful about someone like TC becoming such a star out of the blue (the editors of the book help explain the big break). The voice is very distinctive and "Fast Car" reads almost like a nursery rhyme for working-class adults. There are a few other solid tracks that one had forgotten and the overall authenticity can't be denied, though it's accurately described as naive.
36 minutes long. Short, and great
Some great songs, amongst a few I wasn't a fan of, I've heard her music before, but wouldn't have been able to put a name to the song, I'll explore some of her other work. 3.5
cool ig, it's not my cuppa tea
Tracy Chapman was a good singer and in this album the two firts songs are the best.
Fast Car i Talking About Revolution su <3. Why? I For You su također dobre stvari. Međutim ostale baš ne osjećam, dosadnjikave su, jest da je tu poruka al nije mi to nekad uopće važno.
Tracy Chapman is boss. So sincere and authentic. Pure soul. I love her.
Love this album.
I knew Tracy Chapman, but I hadn't heard any of her albums. This one is quite good; singer/songwrighter with a folky/rock flavour. Every body knows Fast Car and Talkin' Bout a Revolution, but for me the strongest song is Baby Can I Hold You. Chapman's voice is unique, frail but strong; and the songs are very melodic and extremely nice to listen to. Which I will do again. 4/5.
A fairly strong record, one that has a few too many "okay" songs for me to consider it great, but maybe upon a relisten I would think more highly of this. 3.5/5
only knew fast car, actually pretty good album
All the songs went along the same tune and feel but very well done for Tracy chapman and explains why it’s her most known album out of the rest of them
I had only heard black pumas play Fast Car. I knew it was a cover but just wow. The only song that felt out of place was Behind The Wall because it didn't have any instruments at all. Perfect record. I had no idea Tracy Chapman had such a gift from God. Good guitar work on a couple of tracks too.
Seems like it's my late 80s week! I remember 1988 when this album came out and it was in all record shops bins, featuring prominently. I also remember enjoying Talking 'Bout A Revolution when it came up on the music video clip channel (which I watched obsessively) but not enough to bother with the album itself. All in all, it's a pretty album, well played, nice sounding, slick production, and overall a pleasant listening. Some songs are more interesting, especially the more romantic numbers in my opinion (Baby I Can Hold You, For My Lover). But Fah fuck sake! Is it boring! Reviews say that this is the album that brought back protest music to the 80s audiences, but in 1988 I was still happy to listen to The Clash. That hasn't changed much, besides the fact that I have added, Public Enemy, Asian Dub Foundation, and Rage Against The Machine to my socially aware, politically charged arsenal, along with some other less known acts. Sorry, Tracy, you haven't made it to that section of my record collection. So next. Just an average album that doesn't subtract but doesn't add anything either.
I think it has some good songs that are very well written but idk man, it’s just kinda boring for me.
Confident, smart, singular
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
Perfeito!!!!
Great lyrics, great voice. Ultimately not my thing though. Fast Car is timeless obviously. Behind the Wall sadly still totally relevant. Baby Can I Hold You utterly tarnished in my mind by the ubiquitous Ronan Keating bloody version.
Political
not really my type of music, but i didn’t hate it!
Fast Car…großartig. Rest gut.
Fantastic album that talks to some serious issues in the 80s/90s and even present day. An album that my mum loves, so one I have a natural affinity with. 4/5. could of been more.
Magical. Hypnotic. Human. Political. Superb.
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
Admittedly, I think I had only ever heard Fast Car, which is a good song, but doesn't show the range of her ability as a singer or songwriter.
Rich voice and the feelings in her words are really good. The Album loses its momentum after Fast Car.
Very pleasant album, with one of my favourite songs (fast car). A bit too literal in places for my taste, but overall sounds great.
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.
Grumpy jumper
Lyrically similar to Springsteen, musically more Tom Petty/Traveling Wilburys. Not as positive as Springsteen’s lyrics, even happier sounding songs are sad lyrically. Fav Track: Baby Can I Hold You 4/5
Sounds like women inventing being a lesbian. Acoustic 90’s women protest music.
Never heard this one all the way through. Great voice!
You got a fast car
Nice sound, not what I was expecting a few songs I'll definitely keep listening to but I don't think I'm gonna have the album on repeat
Не очень
That voice! She has that rich, low, smooth tone that makes you feel warm and comfortable. But then she has this quaver, that makes you feel the pain that shines in so many of her stories.
Idk maaaaaan…. De både jamma int å va tråkigt i lyriken … tbh….
An effective album by a great, heartfelt singer
Bra
This is really great
She's talented but not 4 m3
You can hear each meaning in every word she sings, and it hits you Amazing vocals and amazing songwriting.
This is another album that I did get to hear the first attempt at this challenge. If I remember correctly I enjoyed it just as much then as I did this time. When this album came out I was still young and my musical pallet was quite small. I wouldn't have been fully into rap yet and was still probably rocking out to Appetite For Destruction so as far as Tracy Chapman goes I probably only was familiar with Fast Car. Listening to this album now as an adult it is a good album and I would definitely go and check out some more of the discography.
***** Super fijn album om naar te luisteren met rustige maar swingende muziek
Fast Car is a great song. There's some other good ones here and some that did nothing for me. It's not something I'd want to hear a lot of but it certainly isn't bad by any means.
Catchy Lifetime Original bittersweet ending music. Stacked first half, but loses some steam in the 2nd.
Secretary rock! Music for secretaries. For those about to take a bubble bath with a glass of Chardonnay before retiring to bed with a Marian Keyes and a Rampant Rabbit, we salute you! Perhaps I should elaborate on what secretary rock denotes. Secretary rock is the genre of genteel singer-songwriters playing mild, offensively inoffensive acoustic numbers on either piano or guitar usually about the desire for love rather than love itself, primarily for a adult female audience pursuing an accessible, usually romantic, occasionally bittersweet and above-all tasteful slab of music to play in the evening; such women may well own copies of Nevermind and OK Computer, but they turned them off when Territorial Pissings and Fitter Happier came on, never to be played again. Remember Dido? Her No Angel (such a secretary rock title) is the paradigm of the secretary rock album. Of course, the term secretary rock comes with slightly unfortunate assumptions about the gender of its fans; that said, prog rock has the same issue inverted. Also, plenty of male acts purposefully make secretary rock: Michael Bublé, David Gray, Jack Johnson and John Jackson. But we should acknowledge that secretary rock is a genre primarily aimed at women. As a broad-shouldered, hairy-chested, hairy-toed sort of chap, secretary rock is not really the genre for me, in the same sense that boy bands aren't marketed towards your thirtysomething straight guy (although more thirtysomething straight guys have a secret fondness for Take That and N-Sync than you think). Tracy Chapman's debut album, Tracy Chapman, is one of the main progenitors of modern secretary rock: no dissonance, very weak eroticism, no vocal or instrumental gymnastics (secretaries may own a Mariah Carey album, but Mariah ain't secretary rock), slightly pompous, an exercise in bourgeois good taste. And there's the problem. It's so beige. It lacks any bite, to the extent that you wonder if it's still alive. Can't secretaries dream bigger? The aspirational cosiness of the album does a disservice to both the creator and the listener. A secretary's reach should exceed her grasp, or what's a Kate Bush for? Actually, I am overlooking the political currents running through the album. Or rather, I don't find much intrigue in them. I have said before that popular music is not where adults should derive their political opinions on, but the protest song is, at its best, one of the great traditions of popular music (how many political classical pieces can you recall? Beethoven's Third?). But Talkin' Bout a Revolution is utterly platitudinous and quite smug. What revolution is Tracy Chapman advocating? I suspect she just means better schools and hospitals (which is obviously not a bad thing to want, but it's hardly the Beveridge Report). For Cthulhu's sake, secretaries are surely cleverer than this? Tracy Chapman is surely cleverer than this? Both can do better. Both know they can do better. Both need to realise that lovemaking is not just the most intimate expression of love a person can experience with another, it's also the most fun a person can delight in with another. It's all lovely to cuddle a lover through the night, but it's even lovelier to explore the delights between the sleights of their thighs. Mr. Rampant Rabbit can hop off.
Every generation gets the Janis Ian it deserves. With apologies to Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman immediately became Gen X's Janis Ian the moment "Fast Car" was first played on the radio. There was nothing else like it, and soon that song was EVERYWHERE. This album soon followed, and it cut through - and soared above - every trend musically. No one was writing or performing songs like this. It turns out she was discovered by the dude who would one day create and produce the Showtime series Billions, which is just insane. Fast Car is the key track here (Fast Car is a 5). But this album has ten other tracks just as important, which is why this album had no problem reaching the number 1 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart during the era of peak George Michael, Def Leppard and Guns N Roses. Turns out folks can relate to songs that talk about the police always arriving too late if they even bother to arrive at all. Somehow Tracy Chapman was both right on time and way ahead of her time.
Important album on the back of the hype of Live Aid.
Maravilhosa!
Her voice is beautiful, and the lyrics are touching too
Love it, a brilliant album from a pretty uninteresting time in music if a more hopeful one politicly. Listened to it constantly back then, still play it occasionally and am always blown away by the great tunes
Textes engagés comme je les aime, compositions simples et efficaces. Touchant.
soft rock is a good description she also wrote fast car which is cool 3.5
Yndislega plata.
Powerful and sad, wouldn't massively re-listen apart from the first two songs I knew already though.
Known this album for a long tim and it’s always been a favorite
A pretty good album. This song has a couple timeless hits on it that helps elevate it. Some of the other songs are either political or slightly depressing. Definitely a deeper, darker album overall. Even fast car is pretty sad but it’s a good song. Overall it’s enjoyable. 6.8/10
Some very nice songs here, but a few weird tracks which drag it down to just ok.
unrelatable. my car is slow
We have fixed nothing since 1988.
I'm almost certain I had this CD back in the day but haven't listened to it in eons. My loss. The first five songs include the three hits and are an excellent listen. In 1988 we were ready for a new singer songwriter to enter the scene. While one could say we didn't need another folk singer, we did need a female black folk singer and she was just so darn cool. The album photo describes her music. On Fast Car she uses her sober voice to beautifully sing about drunkards. After the first five songs the album expands musically. Mountains O Things has excellent percussion while She's Got Her Ticket features excellent electric guitar. I tried playing Fast Car on guitar. It's a Lovely song but I didn't think it would work with a male singer. Khalid proved me wrong with his heartfelt cover on BBC. Of course he skips the verse that has the words "And I work in a market as a checkout girl" LOL
An album containing "Fast Car" would never get anything below a 3 from me, even if the other songs were silent. There are a handful of other tracks I like especially "For My Lover" and "Mountains and Things." I don't remember too many singer-songwriters kicking around in '88.
This is an impressive debut album from Ms Chapman. Her song-writing and lyrics are impassioned and she pours her heart out, especially for the two singles which are the best songs on the album. The rest of the album wasn't up to the same standard, but overall it is a strong effort.
There are two Tracy Chapman albums in our collection and strangely enough this isn't one of them. The first two track are so good they almost take away from the rest of the album but I felt more rewarded on the second listen with tracks like Across the Lines, Behind the Wall, Mountains O'Things, and For My Lover. An easy 5 stars.
This really brings back memories- this is a great album. Used to play it all the time. Kinda timeless- hasn't seemed to date with a mix of acoustic guitar, drum, bass and organ. She's got such a great strong voice, I don't know what happened to her? Ironic that the people she's singing about are the ones finding this dull. Lol!
Strum
Revolutionary sound when it came out. Still refreshingly sweet to this day.
I enjoyed this
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.
Love love love love LOVE it! I mean, Fast Car. C'mon people! That song alone makes it a 5-star album. A completely gorgeous album rife with emotional depth and raw spiritual power. Tracy Chapman is an exceptionally talented songwriter and musician. Consider the fact that this album was released in the late 80's when everything else on mainstream radio was superficial pop/rock hair-sprayed within an inch of its life. And this was the record that was finally able to bust through all of that and grab the spotlight?!?! It makes so much sense that this album was a huge smash hit. You can see how desperate people were for something genuine and authentic. Just honest to goodness brilliant and emotional songs that speak to the human condition. It's a masterpiece and a marvel of its time.
I was not familiar of Tracy Chapman by name. When I was listening to the first half of album, I was thinking that she sounded like a mid-90s artist. Turns out I was thinking that she sounded just like herself because she sings Give Me One Reason. That song is not on the album, but some of the album has a 90s feel to it. It definitely does not have a 80s sound. The album itself is alright. It is relatively short and I didn't skip any of the songs. I don't think the album warrants another listen. It is not quite a 3, but I will round up.
Very powerful and compelling story telling offering a different prespective of peoples struggles. I enjoyed listening to it. I would listen to more of her Music, but it isn't something that I would regularly listen to.
Strong storytelling lyrics. Good acoustic arrangements.
Petica ko kuća.
Cinični mene bi htio da ovo nije toliko jebeno dobro, ali je. Izvrsno je.
Talking About A Revolution into Fast Car is awesome. Behind The Wall is awesome. Very nice album.
Decent album, but not really in my wheel house. 3/5
surprised how much i like this album. i thought i would hate it, couldn't be further from the truth.
Dit is geweldige muziek. Melodieus, poppie en kneitergoeie stem! De bekende hits zijn geweldig, vooral "Fast Car". ****
Muy bueno
Once again, all my ratings are based on my opinion on my first listen. Many albums in the past have taken time to grow on me, and my opinions could change over time. I’m also listening in order, commenting on each track individually. The first track, Talkin’ Bout a Revolution, had nice background music. The vocal performance was strong, and was overall a good opening to the album. The second track, Fast Car, was also a great listen. I’m in the process of driving now, and I could relate to the lyrics of the song quote a bit. Not just the car part, but the overall message as well. The vocal performance was once again good, and this track was another that I liked. The third track, Across the Lines, was very powerful. The message of racism and segregation in America was very strong and the sound was great. The vocal performance was also very good, and this track is my favorite so far. The fourth track, Behind the Wall, was an interlude about domestic violence taking place in the room next to Tracey’s. The police come late and do nothing, until eventually the woman is hospitalized. It was a great interlude that helped push the message of the project further. The vocal performance was well executed and the theme was very strong. The fifth track, Baby Can I Hold You, took a step back lyrically from the last track, but was still powerful. The theme throughout the lp so far has been consistant storytelling, reinforced by powerful vocal performance and good background mixes. This song followed the same formula and sounded amazing while doing it. The sixth track, Mountains O’ Things, was a nice change of pace instrumentally and vocally. The lyrics weren’t as powerful as the last tracks, but we’re relatable and transparent. While listening to this track I could see into the aspirations of the artist, and it was delivered with beautiful singing and instruments. The seventh track, She Got Her Ticket, was another well executed song that got its point across. Tracy remains consistant with her vocals and back track, while continuing to remain interesting and not become repetitive. The eighth track, Why?, was another strong song. Tracy once again remains consistent. The theme of not understanding the world and all its issues and contradictions was very heartwarming and relatable. The lyrics are not complex, but still hold weight. The vocal performance and instrumental continue to blend in with the rest of the lp. The ninth track, For My Lover, was a balled about the dedication of love Tracy has toward her partner. The song continues the same formula, making a strong song, but still failing to separate it from the others. This formula is enough to make a good lp, but not a great one. The tenth track, If Not Now…, took a step performance wise. The vocal and instrumental performances were the strongest on the lp so far. The lyrics were nothing special, but still conveyed it’s message of choosing to love now rather than wait. The song was definitely one of the best on the lp, and holds much replay value for me personally who struggles with indecisiveness and overthinking. The eleventh track, For You, was another balled. This song was not much different than the last balled For My Lover, and was nothing very different instrumentals. It was disappointing as a closing track, and left me wanting more out of this project. And not in a good way. The consistency was definitely present, and definitely showed the potential for a young artist on their debut project. The replay value is much higher than the last 2 lp’s I’ve heard, and I enjoyed it the most. My rating for this album is a 7/10, with my favorite tracks being Across the Lines and the interlude Behind the Wall. I’m definitely excited to hear more from a talented artist.
Tracy sure can craft a song.
Damn this album is sad as fuck but it’s also hella good. Not a huge fan of the voice but the songwriting is top notch
Just not something I've ever been excited to listen to.
Cool
According to Wikipedia, sandwiched between Breakfast In America and the Flashdance soundtrack in the best-selling albums of all time. Fairly astonishing that it sold that many copies on the back of a hit song. Does anything like that still happen these days?
Production has dated but the songs are still strong. That voice.
Really good album, I love her voice and her story telling.
Wow, I had no idea. Obviously I've heard "Fast Car" before, but really didn't know the artist. It's Tracy Chapman. Whole album is so smooth and heartfelt. Really enjoyed it even though this is out of my normal jam. I then also discovered that "Give Me One Reason" is her song also. Clearly I need to listen to more of her discography. 4
Easily the most pleasant vocal experience we've had to endure thus far.
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.
Couple of solid songs but otherwise I’d say just uneventful easy listening
I’ve loved Fast Car for years and have listened to this album before, though not recently. Talkin’ Bout a Revolution is a fantastic opener. Not quite 5-stars, but I definitely understand why this is on the list.
I basically only know Fast Car, but given that it's the best song ever, stoked for this... And so for, so good: Talking About a Revolution and Fast Car are amazing. Across the Lines -- still batting 1.000, this is a great song Behind the Wall -- Tracy Chapman, can you miss, even just once?! Baby Can I Hold You -- the first one that isn't totally great; this one feels a little more generically '80s Mountains O'Things -- kind of a weird one; also an 80s vibe that I shouldn't like, but it actually kind of works for me. She's Got Her Ticket --Also like this one, moreso the longer I listen. Tracy Chapman, you've done it again! Why? -- A weaker one again; but still not too bad For My Lover -- Back on top again. If Not Now , For You -- ok, fell off again a little. Man, I love her voice--and despite some of the excessive 80s-ness, it's a bunch of soulful, heartfelt songs that use hte voice well. Great stuff.
I enjoyed this album a lot. 'Fast Car' is fantastic and is the first song since starting this that made it onto my Liked Songs on Spotify. There were some other good ones on here, but I did find it dragged through the middle of the album so that's why it gets a 4. Great voice though!
Kolejny swietny pick, ktorego pewnie bym nigdy nie uslyuszal gdyby nie lista, debiutancki material pani Tracy Chapman z 1988 jest swietnym blueprintem tego jak folkowe albumy powinny brzmiec, a rzadko to robia, zwlaszcza na debiutanckim krazku, gdzie trzeba zbalansowac wolnosc tworcza z tym co mozna sprzedac wytworni, ale na tych 36 minutach akustycznego grania znajda sie kawalki ktore mozna sprzedac w postaci singli jak fast car, baby can i hold you, czy openingowy talkin bout a revolution, trzymajace sie jednak stylu w jakim utrzymana jest plyta, wiec folka mowiacego o problemach z jakimi boryka sie spoleczenstwo, a to ze pani Tracy jest przedstawicielka mniejszosci, a dodatkowo jest kobieta daje jej szerokie pole do popisu jesli chodzi o tematyke utworow, od uciekania sansarowej biedzie przez znieczulice drugiego czlowieka na problemy somsiada, konczac na typowo sercowych problemach, nie tylo lirycznie, ale rowniez wokalnie pozytywnie sie zaskoczylem, pani chapman potrafi porwac sluchacza emocjami jakie chce przekazac nie tylko przy pomocy akustyka ktorego mozna uslyszec na wiekszosci trakow, ale rowniez samego glosu, ktory ma w sobie cos urzekajacego, ale jednoczesnie androgenicznego, dodatkowo gra jeszcze na talerzach i gitarze rytmicznej, wiec nawet multiinstrumentalnie, dodatkowy personel rowniez robi robote, zwlaszcza gitara pana Eda Blacka, ale dosc slabo wypada mastering calego krazka, bo momentami trzeba sciszac, bo az tak przebija glosnosc i precyzja samego brzmienia pozostawia wiele do zyczenia, ale pewnie nie byl to jakis mega drogi album, bo kto bedzie inwestowal w debiutancki album czarnej artystki, ktora chce tworzyc akustycznego folka w latach 80, ale calosciowo jestem zadowolony z tego, ze poznalem sie na tej plycie, bo pewnie gdzies mozna sie doszukac influencji plynacych z niej na scene lat 90 i polityczno socjalnie swiadomego rapu, na plejke leci hitowy fast cars i mountains o things
My mum owned a physical copy of this when I was younger and I would listen to it almost all the time. Unfortunely haven't heard Tracy Chapman's songs in quite a while (excluding people who do covers). Hands down Tracy Chapman's album Tracy Chapman is one of the MUST LISTEN TO BEFORE YOU DIE albums.
Nice
23/03/22
some very good songs here
6/10 really nice vocal performance, but the songwriting was a little too on the nose and the instrumentals were decent but nothing special.
9/10. I really liked this.
A nice listen but pretty slow. 7/10
Favorite Track - Fast Car Where I was - Office How I listened - Amazon music on BT Speaker Listen Again? - Likely
This record starts out so strong but kind of slouches into standard sounding singer/songwriter adult contempo. That said, Chapman has a great voice and solid music skills.
I get why she is loved, but not for me.
If someone said "Fast Car" is the greatest single of the 1980s, I'd not disagree.
What a woman?!? The voice is obviously so unique and incredible, but then there's the poetry and activism, the folky style and story-telling. There's something so special about a debut album I think, especially when an artist captures their thoughts and feelings and something artistic in the music and then they manage to package it into an album without the "big bosses" getting in the way and ruining it all. This is one of those debuts for me, there's a little bit of magic in there and it makes me really smile in my soul. There's some clear bangers in there but I've never listened to this album and Mountains O' Things is a great discovery, what an interesting cool song with layers of culture. It's not bangers wall-to-wall for me because although I love the story-telling and activism in a song like Behind the Wall, I don't get on with songs like that so well in terms of sound and just in a musical sense. I love the more melodical tunes but struggle with the more talky ones.
Nostalgic of being about 16! This was excellent and I enjoyed relistening to TC's iconic voice, its very different.
A masterpiece in my eyes. I love this album
A pharmacy can’t provide you with anything stronger than this short sharp album. Really liked the acapella track
Clearly not 'bad'... but the music didn't do it for me
Chappers is fine, nice in places, maybe some historical resonance has been lost on me but absolutely acceptable listening that I probably won't ever revisit.
This is really, really good. Best we've had so far, I think, comfortably a 4 but not knocking on the door of 5. Really powerful stuff, stories that resonate now as I'm sure they did in 1988. Those first two tracks are amazing, it can't maintain those heights the whole way through but it comes surprisingly close. It feels like a coherent set of songs whilst still giving a bit of variety in theme, mood, and style, and there's not a bad song on the album. What a voice as well, not many singers who could pull off a track completely a cappella like Behind The Wall as well as her.
really enjoyed her voice and the sound of this album. Glad I got to listen!
Ahhh, a big ol' 'OH this is who sings that song' moment for 'Fast Car'. Really nice album, relaxing, album.
I enjoyed this, very easy listen, smooth voice and whenever I happened to catch a bit of the lyrics I enjoyed those too. Solid 3.5/5, but rounding down as I'm not blown away by anything and I do require a bit more of a bop for a 4
An album that from the start had me hooked. A couple of songs towards the middle I did not find as amazing but overall still a really great album
Very good ballads. Good voice and story telling. (6/10) FT: Fast Car, Talkin' 'bout a Revolution
3rd track into and i hear only guitars and percussion boring
I knew this album fairly well but it was good to listen to the whole thing, I find most of the cuts to be enjoyable. I think her voice is very compelling as is her songwriting.
This was straight FIRE
Very chill music
I know I bought this CD when it came out and that was probably the last time I listened to it. This album starts strong with some heavy subjects (racism, domestic abuse, social injustice) and songs "Talkin Bout a Revolution," "Fast Car," "Across the Lines," and "Behind the Wall." Tracy has a very strong, powerful and dominant voice. This was classified as Contemporary Folk at the time. OK. There is some variety with the use of percussion, steel guitar, an A Cappella song and a song with a reggae beat. Some of the production has a very 80's feel to it. The songs often tell a story; it's unclear if it's Tracy's or from another point of view (probably both). Although some heavy-subject themed, most songs do have optimistic endings. I have to be honest; I always thought this album dragged in the second half. And after the first listen, it kind of still did but then I started to like it more. Most of the second half songs are slower and more about love/relationships. So, at least this listen today gave me a better appreciation of the album as a whole.
Average, nothing really stuck out to me. I'm not really going to remember this album.
Krachtige nummers, gezongen met een unieke stem. Enorm goeie singer-songwriter
yum,my
What a breath of fresh air. Raw and powerful folk that describes real America
Good album, enjoyed the singing and the lyrics.
Awesome. Fast car.
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.
Beautiful album
Some really moving songs. And lyrically very engaging.
Engaging & nostalgic
Yeah. It's good.
Nostalgia hits again, still feels as emotionally powerful as it did back then, difficult for me not give it an instant 5.
: )
Great album. Was nice to have this on while having a bit of a stressful day at work, pretty sure it helped keep my blood pressure at a safe level lol.
Interesting artist who had real authenticity, musicianship, and songwriting chops, but whose success came at direct cost to her ability to retain what made her so unique. This album has some great stuff, but is generally pretty heavy and sad. Some of the rather half hearted attempts at "African" and "Jamaican" sounds seems like they were someone else's idea.
Some classics on this. Took me back. Definitely going to get more listens
This album has so much soul and heart, I can't put it into words. This opened my eyes to what music is and can be...
Always liked this one!
Clássico!!! Um dos melhores discos da história. Contém a emocionante "Fast Car".
Calm, relaxing, nice voice. Good album overall.
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.
I was thinking about Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs' performance of "Fast Car" at the Grammys and went to look back on my review of the original. To no great surprise, I never wrote it. But it gave me a chance to revisit Chapman's work in the wake of the renewed attention she has gotten this year for Combs' cover. "Fast Car" is proving that it is a timeless and beloved song constantly capable of finding new audiences, but it's not the only song on "Tracy Chapman" worthy of such merits. "Talkin' Bout a Revolution," "Across the Lines," "Behind the Wall," and "Why?" all speak deeply to struggles that haven't disappeared in the 34 years since this album came out. The middle of the album falters a bit, but overall Chapman presents a powerful roots rock record that is very deserving of reinvigoration.
My family listened to this album on repeat. Nothing beats her delivery, she made me feel her pain even when I was too young to understand why she was in pain. Unfortunately, this album remains relevant.
I a 4.5 option.
I’m jealous of Tracy’s voice. It carries most of this album. I feel like her guitar mostly bland, and I could probably play it, but I will never be able to sing that well. The lyrics are like an Ansel Adams photograph, painting a captivating scene. I can feel the strife in her scenery. One nitpick is that the lyrics are repetitive sometimes although I suppose the messaging for a revolution does need to be concise.
Pretty good from what I heard
I knew Fast Car and liked it. She's got a good voice and good lyrics, but this is a heavy record for a cold Friday. Not sure how to place it.
I knew the song Fast Car, but the rest of the album was unknown to me. It's good, easy to listen to. Won't get massive rotation for me, but I could see the right time and place to play it again.
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
1988. Tracy arrived on the big stage, sold 6x platinum and got a lot of grammys. She has been successful ever since. Back then she raised awareness of racial injustice like no one else I knew then. She paved the way for a lot of people following in her wake. Think about i.e. Alanis Morissette. I like to listen to that album every now and then.
Haven't listened to this in full for many years. Nice.
It's okay, but not my jam.
My main contact with this was the radio airplay dominating Fast Car back in my high school days. Which remains the best of this I think: an incredibly spare collection of lyrics to generate such an evocative portrait of love, generational poverty and almost hopeless optimism. And perfectly matched musicslly by Chapman's stripped-down singer-songwriter style. The whole album is good though a lot of the activist sort of lyrics are basic to the point of being trite (love is hate, war is peace does not need to be committed to any type of media ever again) and while repetition is a valid tool of poetry it is sometimes overused in this. But this is largely nitpicking, it was a very strong debut.
I liked the first half more than the second half but it was sooo good!
Not huglely my cup of tea, but respect the talent. Fast cars remains as much of a banger as always
It’s a shame I found much of the music to either have dated production or a bit lackluster arrangement, because Tracy has such a compelling voice. And, even more than that, the biggest strength of this album is easily the lyrics. She touches on social issues in such relatable, character-driven ways that really make an impact. If you are a lyrics-driven listener this will be amazing, but ultimately lyrics are just something that don’t draw me as much as the music itself does, and that lowers the album a lot for my personal enjoyment. I’m giving it a 3, even if I think the album “objectively” deserves higher.
Relaxed and homey. This is a mad nostalgic album that makes me feel like it is early Sunday morning.
Classic folk album, and such a departure from most music that was popular in its time. 4/5
Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman (1985) “One of the [slaves] struck up a song, appearing to make it up to his own pleasure, generally hitting on rhyme, without much attempt at reason … as if the poor, dumb heart, threatened, —poisoned, —took refuge in that inarticulate sanctuary of music, and found there a language in which to breathe its prayer to God. There was a prayer in it, which Simon Legree could not hear.” —Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) I first became acquainted with the music of Tracy Chapman from a mix tape that was put together for me by a treasured friend in the late 1980s to ameliorate the ignorance imposed upon me by my ill-advised flight from commercial popular music. Chapman’s stark, woeful strains evoked a peculiar pain—not of social protest or redemptive lament, but of unadulterated suffering. The genius of this album lies in its fusion of suffering and song. With an exceptionally strong contralto voice, Tracy Chapman sings out from a background of (only) occasionally inventive but non-distracting acoustic compositions. That is, unless she’s delivering an a cappella wail (“Behind the Wall”) about domestic violence that makes you want to defund the police and call a social worker instead. Never mind. The ambulance is here. The opening track “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” is not programmatic protest but an expression of the victims of social evils crying out in pain. It may serve as a warning to those with ears to hear, or soften the hearts of those who may someday be in a position to effect change, but don’t hold your breath. “Finally the tables are starting to turn” is anything but a victory lap. The Revolution is still a whisper. In America, when the poor people “rise up and take what’s theirs”, we just import more poor people. Welfare, unemployment benefits, and The Salvation Army are illusory. Chapman has settled in on the anger and frustration of the poor, laying their case before the cosmos. Who’s listening? Please pay attention to the popular second track “Fast Car”. It is not (as it might seem on a cursory first listen) about the hope of escape. Rather, it’s about the despair of being trapped in the same domestic horror that once bound the lyric protagonist’s mother. The singer’s ‘rescuing’ husband, like her father, has now himself become a drunk, leeching lazily off her, the ‘working mom’. And compare the drunkenness of this leech who “stays out drinking late at the bar” to the drunkenness she once felt in the passenger seat of his ‘fast car’. The fast car that once was a metaphor of deliverance has become a metaphor of rejection—“I’d always hoped for better…so take your fast car and keep on driving.” The theme here is the pain resulting from the vanity of misdirected hope. From such pain potent prayers emerge. Racial barriers are nakedly exposed in “Across the Lines”. There are, in fact, those who would dare to go “across the lines, under the bridge, over the tracks” (and the strategically planned urban segments of the interstate highway system) “that separate the whites from the blacks”, but they’re not in view when “the riots begin on the back streets of America”. Chapman has the fortitude to give explicitness to things that, in Bob Dylan’s phrasing, are “better left unsaid” (“Union Sundown”, Infidels [1983]). Even when she seems to embrace traditional themes of repentance, the rejection of envy, and love (“Baby Can I Hold You”, “Mountains O’ Things”, “For My Lover”, and “For You”), there is a studied equivocation and abandonment of intellect and reason that reveals—you guessed it—pain. Prayer after prayer on this extraordinarily painful record. If one can listen to this entire album without succumbing to moral fatigue, one will have grown. Simon Legree, however, still cannot hear. 4/5
I had heard fast car before and honestly wasn’t a fan of it mainly because I heard it in places like target or Starbucks which made the song seem not genuine however listening to the song with the album put everything into context. Chapman is a great story teller and her writing goes from nostalgic to hopeful to almost haunting especially when she goes acapella. I definitely appreciate the artist and fast car now more than I did previously and I’m interested in hearing more
Tracy Chapman sure can write a memorable tune and Fast Car, Revolution and Baby Can I Hold You? are perfect examples. There’s such a sweet sincerity behind this work and an almost naive quality to the music - an accidental pop star whose otherwise quiet acoustic guitar coffee shop songs somehow gained international attention. The album is perfectly fine but you can’t help but feel the polished production is a little too polished and radio friendly - you want to see what Chapman can do bursting out with a little more tempo or urgency, shake up the style, show me more, be grittier. But whatever else you can fault, Chapman’s work is full of integrity and I doubt she gives a damn what anyone else thinks. So good on her. You made a pretty memorable album.
I have always loved her voice!
7/10 Sad/Emotion
Awsple
Amazing album with a lot of songs that I had never heard. It's impressive to me that she can make such serious songs that feel light but real.
Quoi dire sur cet album ? Un joyaux qu’il ne faut pas ignorer. Un chef d’oeuvre inataignable. 5/5
First time hearing the entire album. I should have heard it sooner. Added.
Fast car is alright, but the album as a whole is a bit lacking in ideas
Brilliant album
I really can't believe this album is 34 years old. It's not my absolute favorite, but I do appreciate it.
Like it
Fantastic album, starts off strong with "revolution" and onto "fast car" then mellows out a bit. Whole thing is emotional ups and downs. Great lyrics, guitars & singing.
There are times when you hear an album for the first time, and it fits a piece of your pop culture understanding perfectly. In this case, its the entire 90’s coffee shop folk vibe, I had no idea it came from this one album. Also, I don’t think I had ever heard “Fast Car” prior to today, which is a shame because its an absolute gem.
A lot of very recognisable stuff here that I never realised was Tracy Chapman.
A very pleasant experience. I thought Tracy Chapman was a white bloke until about 2015
Nice but not my speed
Sing song soul
This album has a very easy to listen to sound, but the words are so sad. I need to listen a few times to get the meaning.
Don't think it's aged very well, verging on tacky. Fast Car has always made me cringe a bit. Huge Mark Knopfler guitar sounds on She's Got Her Ticket.
Flashback í 12 ára bekk. Þarna eru frábær lög í æðislegum flutningi, en sum eru síður eftirminnileg. Margar stjörnur, en ekki fullt hús.
Not my cup of tea
wasn't crazy on talking 'bout a revolution, fast car was a bop, immediately like across the lines, not a fan of behind the wall, baby can i hold you was nice and i really liked it, love the drums in mountain o' things, she's got her ticket was a bit too reggae for me, why? was very upbeat and i liked it, for my lover had a nice story and country feel to it but i really enjoyed it, if not now was nice but probably not memorable, for you was a nice end to the album. overall I genuinely enjoyed the album, but thought maybe it went on a bit long. I mostly enjoyed the upbeat songs, some were memorable while others not so much.
A really mellow listen but that’s the only negative I can think of. It’s a bit front-loaded but if you’re gonna front load an album it might as well be with two of the greatest songs of the 90’s Fav tracks: “Fast Car” “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” “Why?”
Love this album a lot. I didn’t know Fast Car was Chapman, learned that today. Rich voice and talented songwriter, I like the acoustic style.
6/10
Nice and chill album with very meaningful lyrics. Her voice, lyrics and melody mix very well through out the entire album.
What an amazing album. It came just at the right time, in the middle of college for me, and I remember how this voice was just the one so many of my friends wanted and needed. I heard it a lot. Much of it is still so relevant and heartbreaking. Her voice and music are intimate and real. "Fast Car" was and is a masterpiece.
I enjoy Tracy Chapman's sound and poignant lyrics. I've listened to this album before, but I haven't done a complete listen for a very long time. I have no complaints and could listen again and again.
Terrific. Chapman's at her best and most authentic with a spare arrangement, just her voice and guitar, maybe some percussion. A couple of tracks seem over orchestrated and overproduced, which unfortunately makes them feel dated. This is still a great album. Lyrics are bleak but vivid, some fine story-telling. Fast Car is on my top-shelf of favorite songs.
Fuck. I have loved this album since I first listened to it shortly after its release in 1988. But I haven't listened to the album in the last decade or two. When I saw it pop up here, I was happy to revisit it. Then I started listening. "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" started broke my heart as the lyrics came flooding back before I heard them again. They stabbed my heart as I realized 33 years have passed and there was no revolution. Poor people didn't rise up. Economic inequality instead accelerated to ridiculous proportions. And we all watched. As the remaining songs unfold I am devastated. All of them as relevant today as they ever were. The songs on this album say so much so well. They are so much more painful today than in 1988. Then I listened through eyes of hope. Thirty-three years later I listen through eyes of despair. I had no idea... The shadows cast from this album's light in 2021 are so much darker than in 1988. I desperately seek refuge in Tracy Chapman's voice. It's so warm and beautiful as it twists a knife in my soul. This is one of the hardest things I've listened to. Still I wouldn't change a note. I'm at a loss of what, if anything, I can or should do about it. "Look at me losing control Thinking I had a hold But with feelings this strong I'm no longer the master of my emotions. No words to say No words to convey..."
Enjoying most of this.
Important black music album
Dunno why I've never listened to this before.
first time listening to whole album and she is a very good singer-songwriter following the line of nina simone.
11/15 Revolution tinged folk songs telling tales of hope and despair in middle America. Standout Tracks: Talkin' 'bout a Revolution, Fast Car, Across the Lines, Why?, For My Lover
Super talented singer. Social activism is present in most if not all her songs.
Songs about issues. Not for me. Too pop
Some of the songs that haven't been played to death we're pretty good
Liked it more than I was probably expecting. Know her from Fast Car and watching that video in my youth. Behind the Wall was powerful and she is clearly a voice for those that need one. Enjoyed Mountains O Things and Baby Can I Hold you as well.
Really good. Heavy emotional stuff.
Forgot I had this as a CD
A great album! I've heard 'Fast Car' in the past, but never any of the other tunes. I enjoyed this album for sure.
Very good. There arw a couple track that are considerably worse than the others but there are 4 great hits that make up for that in spades.
Tracy Chapman as a singer and performer is a delight. Tracy Chapman as a songwriter is a damn national treasure. The fullness of the human condition can be found in this one album and it's heart-achingly beautiful. The world is better for having these songs of love, loss, despair, and hope in it.
Потоясно
Amazing voice and simple but powerful lyrics. Bonus points for being just over 35 minutes long. Says what she has to say and leaves. Great album.
I've been waiting for this one. I remember vividly when this album was released during my college years, and I listened to it constantly, saw her in concert, and still love it to this day. She brought such a great new voice and sound during a time when a lot of airplay was given over to 80s hair metal and synth-pop. This album was released in the early years of Bush I's presidency and we needed a voice like this. Setting aside the important political and cultural context in which this album emerged, musically it is fantastic on its own. She's an incredible writer, lyrically and musically, and her voice can do so much. She's a heck of a guitar player, too. I remember experiencing that in concert when I saw her. So wonderful to hear this again. Thank you.
Nice
Well, she's definitely doing something
This album is extremely enjoyable and the messages in the songs are powerful. The instrumentals and vocals are simple yet incredibly effective
My memory of this album is that it was good but a little front loaded and to be fair, the first half is incredible, the first five songs might be as good as any five song sequence to start any 80s album. But you know what? The rest of this album is amazing! Fast Car (an all time classic single) and many of the other songs, Behind the Wall and Across the Lines especially, are as prescient as they were in 1988.
My first album where I do not recognize the artist, and after doing some quick research, she sounded like a musician I would love. And I did! Tracy has a beautiful, husky voice, and it goes so well with her genre of music. She is also a talented instrumentalist, as seen in her guitar flourishes here and there. As a huge folk music fan, this album captured my attention immediately upon starting, and I was constantly enamoured with the sound throughout the entire experience. While I may not necessarily relate too much with the subject matter of the lyrics, and I am nowhere near educated enough about the time period to truly understand most of them, they are still extremely impactful, and Tracy is clearly making a statement. She is also a brilliant lyricist, and you can really paint a picture with most of the songs, particularly those with a narrative style of lyricism. The songs that were more concerned with matters of the heart (Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You, For My Lover, If Not Now..., For You) really tore at my soul...I am a sucker for sad love songs, and Tracy knows me so well apparently lol. In conclusion, this is a lovely debut album that remains timeless in the modern era.
Simple, understated classic songs with amazing lyrics
Interesting album. I've always kind of liked Tracy Chapman's voice, and the tunes I'd heard on the radio were musically pretty simple but lyrically compelling. The album has a little more variety in style, even getting some reggae in there, but is mainly folk on the edge of pop at times. I would revisit this album, but leave it at 3 stars for today.
Beautiful!
Biting and Beautiful
Good album if played a little too much
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.
Et vas-y que je raconte ma vie nianiania que j'ai parlé à des meurtriers et des pédophiles nianiania, mais qu'est-ce qu'il faut pas lire...
Le grand problème de cet album se trouve dans le très célèbre titre Fast Car, et je vais vous expliquer pourquoi. Vous êtes desormais très familiers de mon camarade d'écoute robcuillère, célèbre pour ses reviews d'albums absolument desastreuse. En plus d'être un piètre critique musical, un menteur, et un plus mauvais amant que moi, rob a une autre tare: il est un piètre musicien. En effet, il fut un temps ou rob se pensait devenir le nouveau James Arthur, jouant de sa gratte pour séduire les femmes. Vous l'aurez deviné, la qualité de sa musique était evidemment désastreuse, et comme tous les piètres guitaristes, rob s'amusait à interpéter Fast Car. Je ne peux desormais plus apprecier ce titre, qui me rapelle a quel point rob nous cassait tous les oreilles. Je vais tâcher de me procurer des enregistrements de rob pour étayer mes propos.
Unique vox, unique voice.
Stole the show at the Mandela concert with an acoustic guitar and an otherworldly voice. Remember listening to this in my bedroom 1000 times. 4/5
Nice.
Fast car is obviously a classic track, but the rest of album seems to fit into the "filler" category with totally uninspiring backing music, and none of the pacing of the vocals that makes fast car so interesting. "Why?" might be somewhat of a outlier, but generally this album didn't live up to expectations.
I've never really liked her but it was ok
Been a long time since I've listened to this album, but I like it more than I remember.
Este si lo conocía. Es otro de los que quemaron las radios antes del grunge y en cierta forma permitió la llegada de estos. Cierta música folk, indie que permitió llegar a cosas diferentes. Tiene más grandes canciones de las que recordaba:"Talkin'Bout the revolution", "Fast car" o "Baby can I hold You". Lo volveré a escuchar.
4,5/5 Nice relaxing songs, all of them good
Beautiful voice. Timeless.
Iconic, Righteous, Equal Rights
truth
fena degil ama tum sarkilar birbirine cok benziyo
Negzel sarkilar var 4,5/5
There are definitely some excellent songs in this album, but at the same time there are too many fillers. What is undeniable, though, are the qualities of Chapman's voice and singing.
oldie
Fast car automatically makes this a 4.
This is a really good album. Deep, soulful, emotive singing. Politically charged "protest" lyrics, that also sound personal. Toe tapping arrangements and excellent if slightly dated production touches, the songs are great. A classic of its time and If I remember correctly hugely influential in kikcstarting a rebirth of the singer songwriter genre. 4.5 🌟
This album reminds me so much of the time it was released. But then listening to it again makes me realize just how timeless an album it is. She is an amazing voice and this album is fantastic at any time but truly so when it first came out
Powerful stuff.
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.
Truly a gem, Tracy was ahead of her time! These tracks are gorgeous, the emotions are so potent and real. A favorite of mine.
Radio stations overplayed Fast Car to the point I not only got tired of it but the words became a blur. Listening to this album now made me really appreciate Chapman as a storyteller. Talkin Bout a Revolution, Across the Lines and Why are so relevant today. Behind the Wall’s vocal is haunting. As for Fast Car? I listened to it 3 times before writing this review and will be listening to it again and again. Powerful debut album.
Sparse instrumentation. Protest songs, but nothing has really changed. The pieces here are well done, but not something I am going to come back to again and again. You can only hear “Fast Car” so many times.
I remember when I was about 10 I couldn't get enough of Fast Car, always waiting for it to be on the radio. In my late teens my dad was in a folk phase and listening to Tracy Chapman, Elliot Smith, etc. and I listened to this album over and over. Her lyrics are so deep and personal (and political) and so is the way she sings, like you can feel her pain (and sometimes happiness) through the song. Fast Car - \"see my old man's got a problem / he lives with the bottle that's the way it is / says his body's too old for working / his body's too young to look like his\". Across the Lines (a little too on point these days?) - \"Across the lines / who would dare to go / under the bridge, across the tracks / that separates whites from blacks?\" On repeat all day. Back half not quite as good as front half (musically, lyrics still top notch) but still a real solid album. Maybe 4.5 but I'm gonna round up here.
This was a good album but I really can't go past that which is why I gave it 3 stars. Favorite tracks: Fast Car, Mountain of things, She's got her ticket
There's plenty to like about this album, but the biggest problem is the similarity of too many of the songs. That said, she has an outstanding voice and powerful lyrics. Fast Car is the most well-known song and it's definitely a great track. There are a few tracks that are "different" from the overall folk/adult contemporary sound (e.g., Mountain O' Things - I really enjoyed the vocal tune and the drums in that song - and She's Got Her Ticket - straight forward reggae but at least different than the rest). The a capella Behind the Wall is certainly powerful...it's sad that my thought was that the lyrics were predictable. They shouldn't be. So, good album, but too much same-same. I don't mind hearing it, but I wouldn't rush to hear it again and that's why I give it a 3.
Fast Car is possibly one of the best songs ever written but I found this album disappointing in the main, sounds a little dated in 2025.
Ik heb hier her gevoel bij dat het een classic is maar dat het die stempel toch niet heeft. Iedereen kent fast car maar de rest is underrated IMO