TRACY CHAPMAN Schallplatten & CDs

Review: The full length of Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut (the 30th Anniversary Edition came out in 2018 and is now reissued again) remains as timeless as its speedometric hit, 'Fast Car'. Encapsulating Chapman's blitzed blend of folk, rock, and social commentary, this one came when the singer and instrumentalist was only just beginning to find her voice. Chapman was relatively unknown when she recorded the album, and much of her early life was marked by a sense of personal introspection: she moved to San Francisco to attend college at Tufts University, where she studied anthropology and African studies. It was during her time at Tufts that she began performing in coffeehouses, eventually leading to her discovery by producer David Kershenbaum. It would prove a challenge for Chapman to square her deeply personal, emancipatory and justice-conscious approach to music with the largely rather carnivorous music industry, but 'Talkin' 'bout a Revolution', 'Let It Rain' and 'Behind The Wall' all further highlight her political awareness and desire for change, essentially clustering around the theme of escaping into a better life.

Review: Who can argue with them for wanting to repress this beauty? It's quite simply one of the best pop albums of all time. Tracy Chapman's voice is inimitable and she is, frankly, a genius. The timeless yet nostalgic 'Fast Car' is the unmistakable standout here - be teleported back to late-80s Britain (when it was a ubiquitous presence in public spaces) but know that if an emerging artist wrote that today it would still be a number one. Strictly speaking this is a 37th anniversary reissue - but who's counting? The label, with Chapman herself involved, have gone to meticulous steps to ensure it's an audiophile delight: Heavyweight vinyl and sourced from the analog master. The trusty Bernie Grundman, who is one of the best mastering engineers in the world, was the honoured hire in bringing this work of art back to life.

Review: 'Fast Car' was a groundbreaking song when it came out. Making Tracy Chapman a household name. The song became an international hit and entered the top ten in many countries including being number one in Canada, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands and Portugal. The single went triple platinum in UK alone. The song was lauded for being a moving account of escaping life's difficulties and achieving some material success only to fail again. Tracy's performance was riveting and the song propelled her to win three Grammy's that year including Best New Artist, Contemporary Folk Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song was also nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The song continues to be an enduring classic having entered the charts multiple times and been covered my many artists. The song is also featured in Rolling Stones 500 greatest songs of all time.