**THE ARTIST**
Tracy Chapman is an American singer and songwriter from Ohio who has been around in the music industry since 1988. Music has been a huge part of her life, she started playing guitar and song writing at the age of 11! She is probably most recognised for her singles 'Fast Car' and 'Talkin' Bout A Revolution'. These days she is not as well known which is a shame because she is hugely talented. It was actually my parents who introduced me to this new soulful style of music and I have been a fan of Tracy Chapman ever since. All of her albums, this one included have a great mixture of folk, blues, rock and soul. So far she has released an outstanding 9 albums:
Tracy Chapman (1988)
Crossroads (1989)
Matters Of The Heart (1992)
New Beginning (1995)
Telling Stories (2000)
Collection (2001)
Let It Rain (2002)
Where You Live (2005)
Our Bright Future (2008)

**TRACKLIST**
1. Talkin' Bout A Revolution (2:38)
2. Fast Car (4:58)
3. Across The Lines (3:22)
4. Behind The Wall (1:46)
5. Baby Can I Hold You (3:16)
6. Mountains O' Things (4:37)
7. She's Got Her Ticket (3:54)
8. Why? (2:01)
9. For My Lover (3:15)
10. If Not Now... (2:55)
11. For You (3:09)


**MY FAVOURITE TRACKS**

**2. Fast Car**
This is probably the most well known Tracy Chapman song out of everything that she has released. It starts off with a very soft guitar riff which is followed by an amazing soulful voice that's not too powerful but not too soft and full of raw emotion, you know from the way that she sings that this song is meant, there's a passion there that is hard to find in more modern artists. The chorus picks up the pace a bit with some catchy lyrics that'll definitely have you singing along. This artists style is very unique which is a great thing. It's not a song that's likely to cheer you up if you're down and not a party song but one that is more relaxing and contemplative, perfect for sunbathing in the garden I think! My favourite lyrics from this track are: "Starting from zero got nothing to lose, maybe we'll make something, but me myself I got nothing to prove, you got a fast car and I got a plan to get us out of here" I would rate this song 9/10.



**3. Across The Lines**
This is a very raw song about racism, a pretty daring thing to write about at that time but it's such an emotional song that it's hard not to get drawn into the lyrics, it's very powerful. It's obviously not an up beat song due to the subject its quite soft but not too slow. My favourite lyrics from this track are: "Across the lines, who would dare to go, under the bridge, over the tracks that separate whites from blacks, choose sides or run for your life, tonight the riots begin, on the back streets of America, they kill the dream of America". 10/10.

**4. Behind The Wall**
This track is probably the most powerful on the whole album. The lyrics are very strong with lots of emotion behind them. It is about domestic violence. I don't know whether it was written based on personal experience or domestic violence in general, but you can tell that she means every word that she sings as she belts her way through the short verses without any instrumental backing, a very daring move but her voice is so soulful that there is no need for any backing music. My favourite lyrics from this track are: "Last night I heard the screaming, then a silence that chilled my soul, I prayed that I was dreaming when I saw the ambulance in the road". again, 10/10.


**9. For My Lover**
Again there is another catchy acoustic intro to hook you into wanting to hear more of this song. It's more up beat than a lot of songs on the album and a bit more positive. Apparently this song is about a gay relationship, I'm not sure on the accuracy of this but it would fit in with the lyrics. It is a very powerful song almost filled with determination. I love it. My favourite lyrics from this track are: " Everyday I'm psychoanalyzed for my lover, for my lover, they dope me up and I tell them lies, for my lover, for my lover, I follow my heart and leave my head to ponder, deep in this love no man can shake". 10/10.


**MY OVERALL OPINION**
This has got to be one of the most powerful, emotional albums that I have ever heard. I love Tracy's rawness and her talent for being able to turn the most upsetting subjects into something amazing, musically. She is a hugely talented writer and singer, I think that it's a shame that more people don't listen to her music because it is brilliant. I would definitely recommend this album to everyone, at least to give it a try because there is such a mixture of different styles that I think everyone should be able to enjoy at least one or two tracks. Overall I would rate this album 10/10.

Thanks for reading!