Tracy Chapman - "Tracy Chapman"

I bought this album from Tower Records somewhere around the year 2001. I kept hearing the song "Fast Car" on the radio and thought it was awesome and in reading glowing reviews of this album I decided to buy it.

Tracy Chapman's eponymous debut did not disappoint. A true singer/songwriter album and it was definitely a throwback to the 1960s and 70s style of music when it was released. In 1988 the era of dance music, hair metal, and lots of effects and big sounds this was an oddity but it caught the ear of many listeners making it an unexpected big hit. There is the hit single "Fast Car" a quiet heartbreaking tale of someone who just can't get out from under the mud of life. But every song is a winner on this album produced very simply with Chapman on acoustic guitar and vocals. Some songs feature piano and drums but overall the only instruments are an acoustic guitar and Chapman's deep textured strong and beautiful voice. Other notable tracks include the excellent "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" and "Baby Can I Hold you," but like I said earlier every track is strong. The songs focus on often dark subjects but the album is consistently appealing and the honesty of the whole enterprise keeps me coming back to this album. A great debut.