Tracy Chapman

I remember when this record came out. It was a bit of a revelation, a glimpse of a different sort of life led by someone who was on the same planet as the rest of us. Really excellent songwriting. I'm tempted to give it five stars, but not everything can be five stars.

'Talkin' about a revolution', 'Fast car' and 'Baby can I hold you' all on one album. Solid.

It was pretty good. Not my usual type of music but it ended up being very good. I love Fast Car and Baby Can I Hold You. I really enjoyed how everything progressed in the album through each track from start to finish. Pretty solid album!

Love her voice. 4/5

This album is nice and sounds great. The themes it touches on are powerful. I went in having only heard Fast Car and it’s still a great song. Overall this album wasn’t for me but can I still say it’s a good album, just probably not one I’d listen to again.

I’m so sad now.

Some truly exceptional songs and some filler.

Absolutely beautiful. Raw emotion.

Timeless album. Very strong lyrically. She explores some very deep topics in American culture, which are still relevant today almost 40 years later.

fast car still one of my top tier songs

It‘s pretty gospel‘ish within the structural iteration/repetition of some very strong lyrics.

So sad, so angry, so beautiful

Familiar as ever. That gated reverb tho, amirite.

Nice

I was in a fast car once

Interessant album! Groot deel is protestnummers a la What's Going on? Maar qua muziek pakt ze inspiratie uit traditionele pop, folk en zelfs wat Afrikaanse invloeden op bijvoorbeeld Mountains o things. Het helpt dat ik Tracy Chapman niet goed ken buiten de grote hit om, maar dit is als eerste kennismaking een zeer prettige. Nummers gaan richting het einde wel iets te veel op elkaar lijken en het is in elk geval duidelijk dat de sterkste nummers op het begin zitten. Die conclusie maakt het een heel erg prettig album, maar niet een 5 sterren dit is perfect album. Geen schande, alsnog een lekker album! FAVO: Talkin bout a revolution, Fast Car, Baby can I hold you, Why?, For my lover, For you

It was good. I liked it. After hearing it 1000 times, though, I have to say "Fast Car" is still the highlight of the album.

For me, this is the best of its genre of its time. Beautiful vocals and arrangements.

I was a bit reluctant to review this album as my dog had died today. That meant I wasn't in the mood to listen at all. "Fast Car" is a banger and always will be. Some other songs were great as well. Better than a few other albums I reviewed in the last few days. 4 stars for "Self Titled".

Tracy Chapman is clearly a very good artist. Some really good songs on here with strong messages. However, I don’t see myself listening to this pretty much ever.

Not my first listen, won’t be my last. Obviously it starts with two certified hits but for a short album it’s really solid. Doesn’t feel preachy when she talks about revolution or reform and you really feel the experiences that have shaped her are genuine. Tracy Chapman is the type of person others pretend to be.

Tracy Chapman is silky smooth. This album reminded me a lot of the Norah Jones album. I recognized one song, but I let the rest just take me on a journey. The acoustic guitar in this is beautiful as well. Her voice just pairs with it so well. Easy four stars for me

Really enjoyed this album. Her songwriting is very interesting and distinct. It’s super cool, like the lyrics and the actual composition of the songs are not over produced or bogged down in symbolism. It’s simple yet powerful. She’s very “to the point” which allows for an engaging listen (as evident in the song Behind the wall). And Jesus fast car. What a freakin powerful heartbreaking song. The light nature of the acoustic guitar makes you feel that it’s going to be a happy ending but then she hits you with the final verse “see more of your friends then you do your kids” and you see the vicious circle of growing up around alcoholism. I know this song is everywhere now but something that I feel needs to be specifically pointed out and praised that people can take for granted is the songwriting ability to make the most memorable part of the song (the eye-ee-eye of the chorus) a completely original way to just say the word “I”. Top tier songwriting.

Really great. Her songwriting and voice really shine through. Another thing that I think this album does really well is the production aspect when it comes to the singer-songwriter genre. She has a lot of unique accompaniment in the album, but it feels natural and fits in extremely well with the minimalist style. It is very crisp and timeless, despite being unique. Fast Car is such an amazing song. I’m not sure if it’s the right interpretation of it, but I imagine it as a child singing it to an adult. In the way they address an impossible problem with a seemingly simple solution. It is heartbreakingly sweet and earnest. It fills you with hope while also recognizing the beauty and sometimes futility in that hope.

There are very few artists that have been and will be on the list that have a singing voice that I enjoy listening to more than Tracy Chapman. Combine that with the composition and the social commentary in the lyrics and it’s really something special. Not quite a five, but a strong four.

This was a tough one to come into because I felt obligated to give it a high score especially with the recent resurgence in "Fast Car". I'm glad to say that I really enjoyed it! Chapman has an awesome voice and is tackling some seriously deep subject matter with racism, unjust responsibilities, and domestic abuse. This is why I love debut albums like this because they come from real world experiences and a place of relatability, unlike later albums once an artist is successful. I'm not going to say this album is perfect. It trails off a bit on the back half, but it's short enough that this isn't really an issue. This is another album that would be a 9/10 if we were on that scale.

Awesome.

Sad that she kinda disappeared only to resurface when a Country cover of Fast Car was so very successful. She has a lovely voice. I get her and Joan Armstrading confused although Tracy is 10 years later, discographically

gran disco, y qué tema "baby can i hold you", por dios

Up there for the best cover of that Luke combs song

What a surprise. Excellent. Great voice, intelligent lyrics. Catchy tunes. Sound quality very good. Nicely mastered. 4/5.

7,09

4 - the first half of this was especially great, got a lot of songs where I said “oh this is where this is from”

I did not realise just how good this album was the first 2 times I listened to it. Chapman has a golden voice, and the songwriting is superb. Really really want to give this a 5, but there are quite a handful of songs that have the instrumentation too busy to truly enjoy fully. Chapman's voice begs to be front and center, this would have easily been a 5 star acoustic album, or just a more subdued instrumentation

It is a good piece of work, very evocative of a time for me. Some great songs. Overall a little too background music at times but stands up well.

What a great album. Having only heard the singles this is a revelation.

I’m in awe with the amount of care that Chapman puts into her songwriting as she tackles such difficult topics with grace and makes it look effortless. Favourite tracks: Fast Car, For My Lover

the only good thing luke combs ever did for music was get people listening to tracy chapman again. i had never listened to the full album but really enjoyed it

Really good stuff overall, very prescient

This album was Good. Its lyrics, while simple, were pretty good. They went good with the music and overall makes it a pretty good album. I recommend this album.

have you ever heard a song and thought it reminds me of something like to friends hanging out in a movie and think its good also I feel that what talking bout a revolution made me think of it and I started liking it because of how the instruments are and the singer I think this song was good and recommend listening to it

Incredibile album

LOVE IT

Fantastic voice, some great songs but a little repetitive

Has to be the greatest busker --> superstar story of all-time?

Most songs are a little slow for me - but Fast Car is an all-time greatest hit.

Many albums on this list have one song that is truly remarkable, and then others that don't come close to it; almost like that one song is so important to music as a whole that the album that it exists upon must be included here. I've hopped back and forth about whether or not this is one of those albums, because "Fast Car" is really a legendary piece of music that needs representation on this list for the song alone. That this album has "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" and "Baby Can I Hold You" on it as well is a big help in dispelling that idea. "Fast Car" is such an amazing piece of music; one of those songs that you could go your whole life and never find someone who dislikes it. The melancholic guitar parts, the poetic lyrics, the emotive vocal performance; it has so many elements that make it truly incredible and timeless. I also find it to be ahead of it's time. This album came out 4 months into 1988 but it is so inherently 90's. The soft singer-songwriter acoustic storytelling style has been around for decades (millennia if we are going back to some baroque bards?) but it is really so antagonistic to the 80's, and the sound is so impressive for this 24 year old to accomplish. I'm not entirely smitten with the rest of the album and in fact I'm re-writing my review here because I was going to slap a "5/5" on it but after re-listening to a lot of the "other" tracks, I'm kind of left wanting more. It definitely tries to do more, like "For My Lover" has a cool country twang to it, "Baby Can I Hold You" utilizes a sitar in a really tasteful manner, "For You" ends the album on a really strong vocal performance where she shows off her range and agility. But these other ones are really kind of really just that- "other ones", and after a day of listening to them I sat down and looked at the list and thought "how does that one go?" for too many of them. It's still going to get a really strong score, just not as top-tier as I initially thought. 4.2/5

Great story behind this album

Great folk, the deep lyricism that touches social justice as well as personal emotion, and Tracy’s vocal delivery that is touching when it needs to be and powerful when it needs to be.

Classic

Pretty good. Behind the wall is creepy and sad

This was great! Never listened to the whole thing before and certainly would again!

Great album. Well written songs. Some diversity in musicianship too. Lyrically brilliant.

4.5

This was great. I like Tracy Chapman a lot. 4/5

Tracy Chapman & Cat Stevens - so far the only artists to survive the Boyzone Test. 4.2

Lots of classics on here, very solid complete album.

Starting off w/ a cover of a bob marley song (I think) please don’t set the tone for a political type of thing Fast car is such a fucking cool song. no wonder everyone wants to cover it

That voice. The way she builds songs that are full of tension and swell to a sense of triumph or at least hope. And the songs that feel like they've lost hope. They just make you feel. It's beautiful.

The first time I remember hearing a Tracy Chapman song was in the mid-nineties, when "Give Me One Reason" stormed up the charts. That song felt like it was everywhere for a solid year or so. I don't remember having heard "Fast Song" until around the same time, and for years and years, I assumed they both came from the same album. I can't remember when I first learned about the chronological distance between those songs, but it blew my mind. I hate that I've never listened to this album before, especially now that I'm seeing a lot of rave reviews for it. I guess there's no time like the present to fire this one up! I was worried that this album would lead-off with a few strong tracks, and then have a steep drop off in quality, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. Yes, “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” and “Fast Car” are the best part of this album, but the songwriting is incredible throughout the whole album. I’m always caught off guard when an album from the eighties really pushes the envelope with social and political issues (especially a pop album), because I think there’s been some revisionist history that’s sanitized a lot of what was going on in the U.S. during that time. This album really manages to tackle those issues in a sincere and tangible way. I love that this album really harkens back to some of the folk rock of the sixties in terms of lyrical tone, but the music is soft, and blends in well with popular sounds from the era. There arrangements on these songs are really great, and I like the variation, but the bouncing back and forth between acoustic guitar songs and songs with more African influences was a little jarring to me. On top of that, there were some moments later on in the album that dragged a bit, but this album certainly never lacked for quality of songwriting and vocals. But, overall, this is a great album, and “Fast Car” is an absolute masterpiece, which still carries all of its emotional weight over 35 years later.

When I started listening to these, there were always a few iconic albums that I just KNEW were going to come up. This album is so iconic, the lyrics are so genius and precious to me. I’m really sentimental over this album.

Good album. Hadn't heard most of the songs before. Tracy has a beautiful, soulful voice.

Such a soulful voice

I didn't realize she had some reggae influence in her music! Really enjoyed listening to more of her. She has an effortless voice

Some moving lyrical commentary on social and political issues. I enjoyed the acoustics on songs. Some quirky melodies but overall an awesome album.

Unique and beautiful vice, capturing and poignant lyrics. A bit confused by the island/yacht rock vibe in the middle of the album.

Folk rock. Un megahit. Un 4.

I wouldn't put Chapman's style in my list of gotos - she is skilled beyond a doubt in her playing, composition, and lyricism. I do think this one is an actual must hear, for people in the United States in particular.

Sounds modern and stylish

Really really enjoy her voice a lot. It almost seems as though if this was any other artist there would be a lot of belting out the tunes, but Tracy doesn't need to do that at all, her voice absolutely carries this album. It dips a little bit for a couple of songs in the middle but ends just as it started. Fast Car is the obvious highlight but I'm glad the rest of the album matches up to it. Across The Lines is the other best song. If I could give it 4.5 I would, but alas, it's a 4.

Ok

Great album

A beautiful record which is so evocative.

Tracy comes out of the gate swinging. The album loses some steam as things go ahead and it can be a bit preachy at times but Fast Car alone makes it all worthwhile.

Always remember my GCSE English teacher forcing the class to listen song after song on repeat in a lesson Great album

I had almost completely forgotten about "Talkin' Bout a Revolution", "Fast Car" and "Baby Can I Hold You". Tracy Chapman has a great voice. The music is great, even if I don't particularly like conceptual folk/roots rock. All in all, an album that I liked very much, that I heard in its entirety for the first time in this project and that I want to hear again. 4/5

My mother LOVED this album and I used to dislike it because she played it a lot, so I made an effort to try and move past my negative reaction and actually it is a quality album with a couple of absolute classic songs. It wouldn't be something I'd choose to listen to, but she does what she does well. Fave Track: Fast Car Rating: 4

Loved this. I had never dove into Tracy Chapman, but loved the strong messages and the simple yet deep musical creativity.

A beautiful voice, and knack for storytelling, courage to write about difficult topics such as racial and economic inequality, and then the audacity to lay down one of the best Americana songs of all time. Tracy is aptly underrated for her contribution to music with this album, and that was reflected as she became the first black woman to top the country music charts with the presence of a white man. Tracy broke barriers and wrote some incredible folk on her way.

Great singer, great album. Front half slaps harder than the back.

Fast Car might be the perfect song. The rest of the album reminded me why Fast Car is the only Tracy Chapman song I can name. But goddamn it is it a great son.

One of the best opening two tracks on any album. Fades a little toward the end

Better than expected. And a good story, what with the recent appreciation for her

"You got a fast car And I want a ticket to anywhere Maybe we make a deal Maybe together we can get somewhere." Great lyrics. Great guitar. Great voice. Great talent. Love this.

While this album is musically very satisfying, it always leaves me feeling devastated. Thirty-six years have passed since its release and not much has changed; there was no revolution. Certain songs definitely make you think about the state of things, and why we're not doing enough to fix it. Anyway... Musically, this album aged very well. It's not only lyrically relevant, but also sounds like it could've been recorded this year. The only reason why I'm not giving it five stars is because I consider this album very heavy and I can't listen to it often. 4 stars

Great album, so many popular songs, and it's not like you can party with it, but it's just an enjoyable album to listen to.

The name Tracy Chapman makes you think of a certain voice… a certain sound. This album is why. 4.5 out of 5

Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut album is a poignant and powerful collection that blends folk, rock, and soul with raw, emotive storytelling. The album's most iconic track, Fast Car, captures the desperation and hope of escaping a cyclical life, showcasing Chapman's ability to craft vivid narratives. Talkin' bout a Revolution serves as a call to arms, highlighting the album's underlying themes of social justice and change. Throughout, Chapman's voice is both tender and fierce, a perfect match for the introspective lyrics that explore love, struggle, and resilience. The minimalist production allows her voice and guitar to take center stage, creating an intimate, almost haunting atmosphere. Tracks like Behind the Wall strip back the instrumentation entirely, relying solely on Chapman's a cappella delivery to convey the stark reality of domestic violence. The album's emotional depth and timeless relevance have cemented it as a classic, resonating with listeners across generations. Tracy Chapman's debut is a masterclass in storytelling and an enduring testament to the power of music to inspire change. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - Fast Car

Amazing album, great lyrics. Very good songwriter

This was a great album. I only knew fast car beforehand, which is honestly still my favorite song, but the whole album has a similar vibe

Despite some of the more unfortunate 80s-ness of this record it’s a banger. Despite being close to 40 years old it feels fresh and new.

That kind of albums should be on this list. I knew some songs from years ago, haven't got a clue who sang them, and now I know. The whole album is a great experience.

When this came out I thought it was so lame. Now with age and wisdom I see how good it is.

Очень хороший альбом. Удивлен приятно. Я люблю такое в целом, а здесь еще и 1) невероятный голос и 2) интересные истории. Лучшая песня - Fast Car.

I was surprised at how many songs I knew from the album without realizing it. I don't find her voice particularly pleasant, but it definitely sounds unique and gives her already very personal songs an even more personal touch. The songs are the highlight anyway. If you don't listen closely, it's just solid singer-songwriter acoustic music. If you listen closely, Tracy Chapman will break your heart.

This album really starts off hot. Fast Car is definitely one of those songs that I feel like I have heard too much already but its just undeniably awesome. I was not aware that she wrote Baby Can I Hold You - there are some real heavyweights on this album. The end tails off for me, but still a pretty solid album. Fave Tracks: Talkin' Bout A Revolution, Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You 4/5

Always love me some Tracy Chapman

A modern Bob Dylan. An album for a revolution, and boy, do we need one!

Ein sehr schönes Album. Wunderbare Songs, sehr kritisch, aber geht wunderbar ins Ohr. Tolle Stimme. Ein Genuß

Outstanding vocalist. Essence of story telling via music. Feels like a lot of later artists tried to model themselves after Tracy. Ed Sheeran in particular seems like He took a lot of inspiration from her. Song highlights: Talkin' Bout a Revolution, Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You, If Not Now

Überraschenderweise waren mir einige Lieder bekannt, obwohl ich den Künstler gar nicht kannte. Sehr weiche Stimme, angenehme Melodien, Lieder abwechslungsreich.

Never heard this before, and want to re-listen!

This is a very strong album. It just isn't an album I'll really ever put on. That would lead me to giving it a 3. But!, it has Fast Car on it. That is like a top 25 song of all time. So I'm giving this a pretty easy 4.

This is one of those albums that I like in spite of the seemingly similar albums that I don't like.

Fast Car is a classic, don't think that can ever be taken away. Sadly the rest of the album isn't as good, but it came close enough.

Beautiful performance throughout, I think I need to become more familiar with tracks that aren't Fast Car to properly judge this one.

还阔以

Really solid album. Not a bad track on the whole thing. I remember when this came out, Fast Car was everywhere. Glad to have listened to it.

Fantastic debut. Excellent lyrics. Social consciousness and good music.

Low 4

Another incredible record. More like what I can listen to when WFH. The album is a great journey through heartbreaking scenarios and hope.

8.5/10

Interesting time capsule of what mainstream “protest-y” music was talking about in the late 80s. Obviously Fast Car is goated, but I was struck by the bleakness of the rest of it as well. Really clear why she blew up so big back then.

Gear: Fostex TH610 Artwork: 🤷‍♂️ Mix: 🎧😘🤌 Musik: 🎸🎙️📃💎 Wertung: 🏎️🏎️🏎️(🏎️)/5

I don’t usually just listen to music, instead have it playing in the background of whatever I’m doing. However, within the first minute of this album starting (as I had just added it to my queue) I went to check my phone. I wanted to know the name (Talkin’ Bout a Revolution) and to add it to my current playlist. I mean I shouldn’t be surprised really, we are referring to the artist and album of ‘Fast Car’. So review: this album is great, Tracy’s voice is easy to listen to and there is so much truth and thought behind the lyrics

Brutal, beautiful storytelling over simple guitar arrangements. I would normally be bored by how simple the guitar work is, but the simplicity of it really amplifies her lyrics, and it works really well. The latter half of this album falls off a little bit with the lyrics, but a very strong album nonetheless.

Classic iconic album!

Musically, the first songs are the most interesting, and this is a three star album; however, the socio-political nature of the lyrics take this up a notch. Unfortunately, still relevant today. “Talkin’ about a Revolution” is worth a listen.

Great album, and still sounds good. Fast Car has been unfortunately played to death.

Was really enjoying this… till the song that Ronan Keating covered from this album (Baby Can I Hold You) pops up and now I can’t get his version out of my head…. that’s not the original albums fault though…..

I'm running on no sleep, otherwise I'd type a little more here, but I found it to be an excellent work of auditory art.

Meio que não tem como ficar muito melhor no gênero do Folk. Uma voz linda, com instrumentais quase sempre austeros e suaves, com letras às vezes de amor, às vezes críticas à sociedade de seu tempo (que infelizmente, apesar do cinismo que algo tão frontal seria recebido hoje, não deixa de ser atual). Ótimo álbum de estreia da Tracy Chapman.

Powerful songs on this album has a great sound that is deceptively sparse which I think gives it a more universal feel given the time it was released.

That was great. Talkin’ Bout a Revolution and Fast Car are classics. I was surprised by a lot of the sounds of some of the other songs. Very powerful lyrics too. 8.5/10

I both really enjoyed this album, and wanted to enjoy it more. Chapman's voice is a powerful and Fast Car is a helluva song.

Amazing songs that tell stories that break your heart.

A pleasant reminder of how good an album this is.

Words don’t come easily.

Tracy Chapman

Nice little acoustic album

A few duds (Mountains of Things), but overall great. Kicks off with two masterpieces in “Fast Car” and “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”

Simple, great voice and lyrically brilliant. Covers race, politics and relationships, much more than just fast car.

A nice, easygoing yet politically charged acoustic album. The Standouts are Fast Car, Across The Line, Mountain O'Things, and Why.

this was a nice album to listen to, the intro had the right amount of energy to get me invested for the rest of the album, the second track Fast Car was amazing too, all songs held up with standard and it was a nice listen overall.

a low key album but quite lovely.. some songs to return to although not really my thing generally speaking

This album is a true representation of what American folk is. The lyrics and storytelling are vivid and play like a cinema to the listener. Poetry at it's finest not to mention the clean heartfelt strumming of the chords on the guitar. Tracy is an artist too far overlooked. Her artistry and honesty in her music make the listener feel a bit anxious and heart broken at what she felt when composing this music, something very few artists have the capacity to do.. If you don't believe me listen closely to the mainstream hit Fast Car, or the hidden gems in Across the Lines or Behind the Wall.

This was a solid and memorable listen. Musically, it mixes folk, rock, and soul with powerful lyrics and a soulful voice. The simple arrangements keep the focus on the lyrics. Lyrically, there are some hot takes on social issues.

An all-time classic from Tracy. Silky voice and simple melodies make it an extremely easy-listening record, like Tapestry by Carole King, but with a terrific voice. The fun fact is that Spotify always recommends Rumours songs afterward.

For too long I thought Tracy was a man. Part of that is my main association with the name Tracy is my uncle, and then also Dick Tracy (which I don't quite know off hand if Dick is a title or thier actual name.... probably a name so that doesn't count) At any rate, I also didn't realize Fast Car and give me one reason were on different albums, so I suppose the former could come back around on the list here. Tracy does have a unique and lovely voice, so smooth. The album was over before I knew it so I'll have to come back a second time and take some better notes. It's just one of those unobjectionable voices that can be on in almost any situation. A perfect department store sound, and I mean that as a compliment. Favorite track "Fast Car" 4/5

Fast Car is a classic and a couple of other quality songs on here, but not something that I would ever add to my regular rotation. Very country feel on a 90's style alternative sound.

It's understated with a powerful message and that voice is so unique!

So nearly perfect but not quiet

De très belles chansons folk bien exécuté, ya rien à redire

Pretty decent and definitely an album with a lot to say. Have always loved the haunting melody and plaintive way Tracy sings Fast Car.

4/5

Calming

I enjoyed her voice and the style of song, but I think there could have been more energy. I'd listen again though.

yeah baby!! sad lesbian music!!

first listen in entirety. I'm glad I had finally listened to the full album. I've been meaning to do it for a while and I really liked it. Will definitely come back to it.

3.5

Xiu Xiu covering fast car is wild

Always a good song writer, great singer and super popular. Might be a 2 to 3 hit wonder. But she definitely has talent.

Such an unbelievable voice. Not every song is special, but there are just enough to push this into four-star territory for me. And "Fast Car" is one of the 20th century's great ballads, period.

powerful

A very thoughtful and well-constructed folk album. Maybe lacking in energy here and there, but largely engaging, reflective, and rewarding with a couple genuine classics. Best song: Fast Car

During multiple listens the album really grew on me. There are really nice songs on this that have a really clear political message as well! 4/5

This album is the reason we can give 4 stars.

Hadn’t heard this in full but very good! Impressive as a blend of catchy singer/songwriter fare and blunt, poetic lyrics - I loved her vocal textures on Behind the Wall and would have loved more experimentation with a cappella but as I said, the music is a very strong vehicle for the messaging!

Fast Car is an all-timer! Surprised by how successful this was given how explicitly political it is

tracy chapman is looking like a ghost on this album artwork - kinda matches the sad ass proletariat music in which it contains!!

8/10 una sorpresa que me gustó mucho

Great album!

Great singer song writer album. The three singles are absolute classics. With fast car one of the best songs ever written. The rest of the album does get a bit repetitive though musically and lyrically, hence doesn’t get the full 5 stars.

Excellent record that contains one of the finest songs ever recorded in Fast Car. Is there a line that evokes as much emotion as “your arm felt nice wrapped ‘round my shoulder”? To me the album is good start to end with Fast Cat being a masterpiece of a track.

beautifully observed stories, told with an amazing voice - delicate or powerful as needed.

Really, really excellent. On the verge of five stars, but there's not a ton of range here, and no real bangers outside of the already mega-famous tracks. It's all great, but nothing popped in a way I was hoping it would.

I'm not much for singer/songwriter music, but at least this is genuine. Unlike T-Swizzle, I am not rolling my eyes throughout the entire album. 3.5/5

After 1,000 tepid copycats since its release still one of the best singer/songwriter albums out there. 4.5*

Have always liked Tracy Chapman sound. Don’t love every song, but love the overall vibe of the album.

Talkin' Bout a Revolution Fast Car Baby I Can Hold You

Has clear peaks that are much better then the rest, but those peaks are so high that its still a 4

I’m a known hater folk. And I don’t know if it’s nostalgia (Tracy Chapman’s music was everywhere when it was released) or not but something about the combination of her voice and guitar work is just captivating. Her lyrics are powerful and moving without ever seeming forced or contrived. Her ability to impart desperation as well as hope feels unique.

Great album. Hard to believe this was released in 1987. I listened a couple of times and enjoyed it.

Songs that are intimate enough for the coffee shop with ideas big enough to propel a revolution.

I've loved this album dearly since I was a teenager.

Really powerful voice with a powerful personality, the project speaks on deep issues but can get boring at times

This was very good and it will get another listen some day. 4 stars for me.

I'm glad this album's on the list, as otherwise I probably never would have checked out Tracy Chapman. I initially wished there was a little more pace, but I ended up really enjoying the chill vibes on this album. Great vocals and overall an enjoyable listen.

Really good. Enjoying the sound and her voice. Will come back to this. 8/10

Folk rock. Un megahit. Un 4.

.

Enjoyed this classic. It's on the border, but can't put it in five-star territory.

Fast Car is an all time classic song. Overall great album just not exactly what I seek out. Huge respect for Tracy as a lyricist and vocalist. 3.5

"Tracy Chapman" is a stunning debut album that introduced the world to the soulful voice and poignant songwriting of Tracy Chapman. Released in 1988, the album is a masterclass in folk-pop, combining Chapman's powerful lyrics with her emotive vocals and acoustic guitar. The standout track, "Fast Car," is a timeless classic that resonates with listeners to this day, exploring themes of hope, struggle, and the desire for a better life. Other tracks like "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" and "Baby Can I Hold You" showcase Chapman's ability to tackle social and personal issues with grace and sensitivity. One of the album's strengths is its simplicity. Chapman's stripped-down arrangements allow her lyrics and vocals to take center stage, creating an intimate and deeply affecting listening experience. Overall, "Tracy Chapman" is a landmark album that solidified Chapman's status as a talented singer-songwriter. Its enduring appeal lies in its timeless themes and Chapman's ability to connect with listeners on a profound level.

Sometimes less is better, simple songs can be profoundly moving, and just a voice and words can be the forefront of a piece of music. This album didn't fit into what was going on in the mainstream music scene of 1988, yet was a breakthrough success. Truly gives you a feeling that she is speaking from her heart in every note.

One of the best storytellers of a generation. Tracy Chapman successfully tackled injustice when the rest of the pop chart was filled with love songs and hair bands. Her voice is mesmerizing. Mountains O Earth is a standout.

Some really killer songwriting here. It's not my favorite album of all-time by any means, but I can definitely return to this one. 3.5/5

LP

Pretty good, some lesser tracks but overall enjoyable

Overall it’s a good album. Some classics like Fast Car and Baby Can I Hold You, and some great songs I’d never heard like She’s Got Her Ticket. Liked the bouncy, reggae ish feel of that one. Very clearly political and motivated by her own experiences as you can hear in Tracy’s voice. Happy to have listened: 8/10 Would listen the whole way through again: 6/10

Nice, the Fast Car album! There have to be other good songs besides Fast Car right?! No idea where I know Talkin' Bout A Revolution from but what a great song. It inspires revolution or more importantly just change. And it is so sad to me that a song (and album) like this is still absolutely relevant (and perhaps always will be) 36 years later. This album came out a year after I was born and we still need to talk about a revolution because our society is still failing so many people and it is not right. For this universal song to lead into a song that is also universal but moves to a more singular and personal level is an amazing transition. Fast Car is not only a very deep song but frankly it is über catchy. In sitting and reading the lyrics and really trying to comprehend the story Chapman is telling I can see the depth of the lyrics and the multiple meanings she has instilled within the song. After this the album kind of deflated for me... on the first listen. I listened to this twice because I was walking my dogs and didn't feel like getting my phone out to change the playlist. On the second pass of the album I found some of the rest of the album to be more beautiful and interesting than I first found it to be. There are still a couple of songs that feel out of place on such a political album, but I also realize Chapman is also interested in the politics of private relationships and love and the ways in which humans treat each other. There aren't many albums that are so straight to the point about what they are trying to say but also as layered and varied thematically as this. I can't say I want to listen to every song again, but as a whole this album is very good.

I liked this, obviously fast car is very good but the rest is also very solid imo!! 8/10

7/10 - Good and relaxing music. Fast Car is probably the best song by far but the other songs arent bad

Really nice voice, chill and enjoyable album

# Playlist track - Baby Can I Hold You # Notes - Impressive vocal control, interesting range. Sometimes a bit TOO minimalistic. - Great album.

She is a great song writer and vocalist. Certainly not afraid to tell her opinion on all sorts of social aspects.

I knew fast car and she has a great voice along with some interesting lyrics

Very solid album. I love Tracy Chapman's voice and the guitar is great too, very melodic and fits the feel of each song, and has nice variety too. Her songwriting ability is tremendous and she does such a good job of telling a story and making you feel what she's feeling from the song. That's a powerful gift. The only reason this album isn't a 5 is because I have to hear enough about racism, violence, and how broken the world is regularly on the news and I don't necessarily want to be reminded of that in the music I listen to. However, Tracy Chapman does such a good job of making it personal that it doesn't feel preachy or showboaty, she sounds very genuine and that is something that is also very difficult to do in the music industry.

Fast Car is an absolutely fantastic song. Enjoyed listening to rest of album-did feel that the songs with just her and her acoustic were much stronger than others.

This album is already going to get a high score just based off 'Fast Car,' it's such an amazing song. I haven't spent much time with the rest of this album, but man it's such a powerful work. I love that there is an interesting mix of production choices - acapella, folk work, African drums. It's really interesting and every choice seems to fit beautifully both as a whole and to each individual song. Really great, will definitely listen to this again and again. 4/5

Good Acoustic Stuff

Tracy just has so much emotion and aching in her voice that she can bring so many songs to life. The first 2 were hits. And then she got a lot more recognition when Luke Combs did fast car. But the rest of the album is very good too.

I was not familiar with anything Tracy besides Fast Car, but this is a really good acoustic album. It doesn't stand out as a best ever, but it is very, very good.

Excellent. My toddler was even singing along “run run run run run run.”

‘Fast Car’ is obviously the big hit here, but there’s heaps to enjoy, and as much as I want to say this album’s renewed popularity is due to the Luke Combs cover of the song and his duet with Chapman at the 24’ Grammy’s, the reality is this record has always been loved by seemingly everyone. Classic AOR production coupled with politically and socially charged lyrics, but with vivid and compassionate storytelling from Chapman ensure this record will remain universally relevant and popular forever.

Really good

Know many of these songs, but never listened all the way through. Very solid top to bottom.

Her beautiful, hypnotic voice is the best thing about every single track. The hits are bangers, but the album overall is a little samey and I didn't hear a standout track that I hadn't heard a million times on the radio. Nonetheless, enjoyable through and through

very groovy

Good stuff

I was expecting a very solid album here, considering how much I love the song "Fast Cars", and well that's exactly what I get from this self-titled Tracy Chapman debut. As a vocalist, Tracy's certainly expressive, and honestly it feels like she's been ripped off quite a bit. Not sure why, but it feels like many pop and folk vocalists, especially in the 21st-century wave sorta sound very similar to her. I haven't listened to every 80s album, but from what I've heard, her style seems unique for the time. She has a deeper vocal style but with enough variation to keep it interesting while still remaining relatively subtle. As a songwriter, Tracy's very direct with her lyricism, it's like she's trying to get her message through to the listener as clearly as possible, with no hiccups or room for misinterpretation. I think this is a good thing honestly and works wonders for this album's themes. Tracy tackles themes of poverty, racism, love, and other forms of injustice. Again it's all very direct, especially on the opener "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" and "Why?". I hate the general idea that good songwriting is almost synonymous with abstract and symbolic writing, I find the writing here to be very powerful. The songs themselves are really good too, just as songs. "Fast Car" may be one of the greatest folk songs ever, a tragic tale of yearning for escape and freedom from one's living situation. "For My Lover" is a great depiction of a chase of forbidden love. "Across the Lines" and the acapella "Behind the Wall" tackle the issues of police brutality, with the latter being the most haunting portrayal of it I've heard in a while. I'd say the biggest thing that holds this album back is its lackluster production on certain songs, I just think it's tacked on and generic when extra instruments are introduced to try and fill up the sonic space. The mostly acoustic-only songs are the best here, painting melancholic images that are soft and comforting. I just think it gets sort of repetitive after a while. I don't mind it too much, after all, it spotlights Tracy's vocals more than anything. Really enjoyed this album, pretty much just as much as I thought I would.

Maybe my favourite so far…

Ja, mooi

Between 4 and 5 just given how original and explosive the whole album feels. Spoken word, culturally explicit and harmonic all come to mind.

phenomenal lyricism 4.5/5

It’s good to see Tracy getting some kudos all these years later. I wasn’t familiar with this album besides Fast Car and a few other radio tracks but all of them are pretty decent. Sadly they’re all just as relevant today as they were when they came out. Songs added to Spotify: 5

Two albums in a row that I had been looking forward to and that didn’t disappoint. I thought this was a really strong album. Realistically, I’m not sure how often I’d listen to it, but I think it was really good. More of a 4.5.

That was pretty good. I liked Fast Car and the beats in Mountains O Things

👍🏻

Great album. Fast car is super hot right now so it was nice hearing all the other songs I haven’t heard before. Really liked the songwriting

Very clear memories about how different this album was when it was released.

straight heat

Never heard anything from her but Fast Car. Great collection of songs. I'm not one to pay as much attention to lyrics as I do to music, but she has a way of bringing life to the words that really make each song hit.

Loved it

Easy listening. Again, I'm not lyrics-forward as a listener, but the music is good. The lyrics I did catch were still painfully relevant now as they were in 1988, and were still quite thought-provoking. Favorite tracks: - Fast Car - Mountains O' Things - Why?

7.05/10 Top 3 Songs 1. Baby Can I Hold You 2. Fast Car 3. Why?

This is a great album. Almost forgot that it exists. Great storytelling with music to brake your heart. Love her voice! She clearly was ahead of her time. This album is still great and important. Fast car is not a song it's a little gem. One of the few records I've listened to so far that 100% belong on this list.

M'encanta Tracy Chapman. Potser parlo amb una mica de nostàlgia però aquest disc em sembla gairebé perfecte. L'únic que li falta (per mi) és tenir un parell de temes més icònics enlloc d'algun que falla una mica. Expected Lorenzo rating: 3

Album evokes a big range of emotions while staying artistically and aesthetically consistent. Behind the Wall was a revelation on this listen. Why? did remind me of parody protest songs though (looking at you, Flight of the Conchords).

Fantastic album. Always enjoyed her work.

Mesmerizing songwriting. Fast Car was a classic before Luke Combs brought it back to the charts. Talkin Bout a Revolution and Baby Can I Hold You are excellent and showcase Chapman’s ability to craft protest songs and pop songs with equal aplomb. The second half of the album has a mix of hits and misses, but overall a very strong debut.

Way better than I expected for some reason. I knew the album a little, and expected something very middling, but there's such a lyrical power across the album, and really great musicality, that it has to score very highly indeed. A lovely Saturday morning album.

She has such a beautiful voice! Apart from the well-known songs off this album, I really liked Mountains O' Things and For My Lover!

Sometimes, an outburst can have outstanding results. When Stevie Wonder refused to go on stage on Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Tribute concert because a piece of sound equipment went missing, a fresh, young Chapman swooped in and never looked back. Tracy Chapman's debut album warms up the room and cozies up to you, but at the same time she shakes it with her straight-to-the-point wordplay. Opener "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" sets the tone of the album, in which she says that the word of a revolution doesn't come with a scream, but with a "whisper". Chapman tackles racism, domestic violence and poverty, but does it from a homely perspective and genuine innocence. "Fast Car" is still one of the most earnest and authentic songs of all time: she sings about a very much real fantasy of getting promoted, saving up for a car and buying a house. There's this magic in her mellow voice that sounds like a hand-warminf cup of coffee that makes me want to feel the city lights laid out before us, an arm wrapped round my shoulder, and the feeling that I belonged and I could be someone. While not very profound, Chapman still manages to deliver head-scratching one-liners inbetween verses, and surprise audiences with chilling moments, like the accapella rendition of "Behind the Wall", in which Tracy's voice narrates the heartwrenching story of a mortal victim of domestic violence from the porch of the adjacent apartment. Her lyricism leaves very little room for metaphors and understatements, which is very much appreciated. But while I could go on saying that some of these songs lack depth tackling these issues, I wouldn't say, as a white Western European man, it is my place to say. Rather, you can see how Chapman's debut album doesn't want to overcomplicate things. Instead, she speaks in a quotidian conversation with you and you only. She never intends to get loud with you, but rather lets her music do the outburst for her. Her revolution comes, indeed, with a whisper, and very refreshing whisper to revisit from time to time. 8/10 Favorite songs: Fast Car, Behind the Wall, Talkin' Bout a Revolution

Pretty simple formula, no whizzbang gimmicks but all the better for it. Can't help but belt out Baby Can I Hold You.

Atmospheric and emotional but lacked enough zing for a five.

Good. Lots of bangers. Forgot how good Talking Bout A Revolution is.

Very good. Excellent voice.

Me encanta que éste desafío me muestra discos de artistas que o no conocía o sólo conocía por sus hits, como es el caso de Tracy Chapman. Una tipa de voz envidiable. Profunda. Sensible. Pasional sin esforzarse. Disco ideal para bajar un cambio, para arrancar el día con mayor paz.

Ik dacht dat het een man was. Lekkere muziek verder. Echt chill vibes

Leuk album, goeie platen, maar geen perfect album voor mij dan he, wel erg mooi. Zou hem zeker nog een keer luisteren. Had ik maar een snelle auto, of bedoelt ze er toch de Daihatsu mee>

I remember buying this on vinyl when it came out so full disclosure, much of my review probably leans heavily on nostalgia. Still, the 1988 timing of this album is pretty pivotal right at the peak of hair metal. And yet 3 months later it was already platinum. Don’t get me wrong, I loved rokken with Dokken like the rest of ‘em, but there was something that always stood out for me with this one. Most likely rooted in its simplistic approach, both in songwriting and production which completely went against the over the top glam of the time.

Acoustic protest album. Fantastic. Great songs, great playing, great emotion.

Really good album.

Vecka 9

Great meaningful soulful lyrics, this man can SING too, just a fantastic artist/album. 3.8

So much more than “Fast Car” and asks poignant questions about class issues, particularly as they pertain to poverty, women, and the “have nots.”

Lovely cool suave music. Always actual

Amazing debut from a gifted song writer.

Beautiful voice and lyrics, very unique and emotional.

One of my oldies but goodies!

digg å høre på starten av dagen

Good soulful more modern folk music that you can appreciate for what it is.

Bursted on to the scene. Very talented on this album. What happened. No doubt any Saturday afternoon in the village someone is playing this in the west village

Not much has changed since this album debuted years ago. Urgency of the lyrics still resonate today. Deserves the accolades from yesterday & today.

Immediate thoughts: it will be a lowkey vibe that will be enjoyable, however, I do not believe anything will stand out immediately. Half-way thoughts: I understand the hype now; this is incredible. Done: I LOVED IT:D

Um álbum com uma forte componente de crítica sócio-económica. É muito mais do que "Fast Car."

Maybe it was that I was listening to this in what seemed like the perfect conditions (crisp, morning trail walk with Karma), but I really loved this one. Her voice is amazing, and the themes she touches on throughout still resonate today.

Thoroughly enjoyed this album. Chapman is a poetic storyteller and observer of the human condition. Her songs resonate and often strike somber emotional chords in a sharp way but portraying scenes you can almost visualize.

Glad for den var på listen, det er en af dem jeg altid har villet lytte til men aldrig har fået gjort. Fantastisk stemme, gode sange. Synes måske godt produktionen kunne være lidt mere rugged eller sådan noget, synes ofte det lød lidt for fint

Rating: 4/5 stars Pros: - Beautiful, distinctive voice - Wonderful accompaniment & instrumentals - Good variation in energy throughout album - Powerful individual songs Cons: - The message is simultaneously one-note and muddled. Half of the album attempts to be soft-spoken protests & reflections against/on society, and half of the album attempts to be anodyne love/relationship songs. The clearest protest songs (Talkin' Bout a Revolution, Why?, Mountain of Things) fall flat to my ears. Perhaps an artefact of age/time since the album was released, but these songs had little to say that has not been expressed a million times before with far deeper consideration. The best songs are those which (at least appear to) convey personal experiences - Fast Car and Behind the Wall (to the extent it can be called a song). - The majority of the love/relationship songs are forgettable, though still quite enjoyable.

Funny this popped up. She is all over the place after performing at the Grammies for the first time in a very long time. Fast Car is such a great song - looking forward to listening to full album. Nice album. Nothing groundbreaking. Solid easy listening chill album.

very pleasent voice, great production.

Wonderful

Good album

Fascinating that this came up the day after social media is all atwitter at Chapman's performance with Luke Combs at the Grammys. Wonder if that's intentional? Even so, I'd never heard anything from this outside of Fast Car and Talkin Bout a Revolution. It's a lovely album. Straightforward and poignant. Like that it's getting revisited by a new generation. Unexpected bangers: Mountains O'Things, For You.

I've always maintained that "Fast Car" is a perfect song: great melody and lead from the guitar, fantastically depressing lyrics... Love it. Listening to the full album, it turns out that I prefer Tracy's story songs, as opposed to her bluntly political ones, even when they convey the same message. Everything here is solid, I love how sparse the arrangements can be, but there are one or two duds (the reggae-tinged "She's Got Her Ticket", in particular) that keep this from perfection. Still, it's an incredible album. Favorite tracks: "Fast Car", "Mountains O' Things"

Only knew that one song from her but I liked most of it

Love her voice…great breakout album

Very impressed by this! While I liked the popular songs from this, diving into it, made me appreciate her music more! Standout tracks: Talkin’ Bout A Revolution, Fast Car, Across The Lines, Baby Can I Hold You, Why?, For My Lover, For You 8,5 out of 10

One classic song, two that are very good, and overall very solid. 4 stars.

I can't believe I never listened to this album before. "Fast Car" is a classic, of course, but I only really knew her radio hits. It's up there with the greats of the singer songwriter genre. Hard to believe she was only 22-23 when this came out. The first four tracks are a fantastic series of songs that sound timeless and (unfortunately) timely even today. The naive optimism of the opening track is almost heartbreaking given where we are today. The a capella delivery of track four (Behind the Wall) is incredible and a really effective way to set the atmosphere of the song's tragic story. Starting around track five a few of the songs have a noticeably late 80s/early 90s sound to them. They're still great songs, but they don't have the same timeless feel to them. Other standout tracks: "Mountain O' Things" "Why?" and "For My Lover"

What a storyteller. Navigating through issues both personal and political, Tracy's original vision stays captivating as it pulls you in for just one more tale. Her discovery and initial challenges she faced leading up to this album really cemented its message. The music isn't always complicated, but the simple chords and multi-cultural influence of the drums provides excellent framework for Tracy's voice to shine as the main event.

Close to a 5 - so close, for once I could have taken an extra few songs.

Really good voice, playing and production

Beautiful voice, particular in Behind the Wall. I don't love all of the songs, but I appreciate why she's considered influential.

Hadn't heard this in years - enjoyed it.

Good album

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Powerful work, musically and lyrically. And what a voice!

This is a brilliant bit of recording. Great voice, especially good writing, as well as a complete work - 3 hits and not a dead spot on the disc. A very nice listen.

Didn’t realize how much activism there was in this debut work. Good listening. Can’t believe it’s 35!

- Ein wirklich tolles Album. - Ein so zurückgenommenes, größtenteils akustisches Album aufzunehmen und dabei drei so große Hits zu kreieren ist gar nicht mal so leicht/wahrscheinlich. Der Grund dafür ist aber simpel: Das Album geht unter die Haut und trifft die Menschen ins Herz. Mit ehrlichen, gefühlvollen, wie leicht verständlichen Texten und eingänigen Melodien. - Neben den drei Hits, hatte ich "Across The Lines" schonmal gehört, was mir jetzt nochmal richtig gut gefallen hat. - Größtenteils arbeitet sich das Album meines Erachtens an den USA ab: Dem gescheiterten Amerikanischen Traum, der Ungerechtigkeit, dem alltäglichen Rassismus, der großen Spaltung innerhalb der Gesellschaft (die auch schon in den 80ern lange vor Trump kein Geheimnis war). - Ich find Tracy Chapman MEGA. Sowohl sie, als auch das Album. Rating: 4,25-4,5/5

- Ist einfach ein wholesome album - Häufig gelungene Verschmelzung von Genres - Tracy Chapman hat einfach eine einzigartige Ausstrahlung und Stimme - Tolle, nachvollziehbare und vor allem zeitlose Texte - Lässt nach hinten raus etwas nach meiner Meinung. Liegt aber auch an der Stärke der ersten Hälfte 3,75/5

2024-01-19

Great album. Never listened to it.

Love it

country/folk; lots of great songs lamenting the system

This is hard to rate. On the one hand, this has some incredible highs. Her song writing and singing ability is insane and is super talented obviously, could be a 5. I also do think that some of it can feel a little dated and 80s especially the production of it. I’ll go with a 4

I knew the first 2 songs but had no idea they were Tracy Chapman - 2 great songs at that, and the rest of the album followed in quality

Lyrics were amazing

Behind the Wall is a dumb song.

It's a nice relaxed album with a couple songs that still stand up and have even had (less good) covers done of them.

Was really intrigued by the balance between folk and rock here. Had some captivating background instrumentals (marimba/xylo was particularly interesting), and lyrics were poignant as well. Definitely worth a revisit

Poetic and delicate.

I love Tracy Chapman and this album is actually great. There are some songs that especially stand out, like "Talkin' Bout a Revolution", "Fast Car" and of course "Baby Can I Hold You", but many of the other tracks are just as worthy a listen. Except "Behind the Wall", despite the important message behind the lyrics. The song wasn't really a good a capella candidate, in my opinion.

Great folk-pop album, great voice and great song-writting. It's too rare nowadays to have pop music with such meaningful lyrics. The stripped down songs are the best (hell, Behind the Wall shows that she doesn't need additional instruments), the others are a bit too overproduced (welcome to the '80s I guess).

Listened to this album a lot when it was new, but not in the last maybe 20 years. It seems I still like it, and I still know almost all the lyrics. Though the music seems to be "simple" and there is only limited use of musical instruments, the music appears somehow "rich" to me. The a cappella track "Behind the Wall" is one of my highlights. Not a single filler on the album.

4- Stars (10/15)

Lovely album, easy to listen to