Where You Live

For nearly two decades, Tracy Chapman has been a truly individual voice on the modern musical landscape, charting and artistic path that owes nothing to trend and fashion, and everything to personal spirit, intelligence, and integrity. An eloquent teller of stories that are at once deeply intimate and yet speak to universal human concerns and a wider social conscience, Chapman has created a body of work that has been as consistently compelling as it is honest and uncompromising.

For Where You Live musician Tracy Chapman wanted to keep the production and performance aspect simple. According to Tracy, "this approach creates an opportunity for more emotion." The lady speaks the truth. Where You Live is straight-up raw and gets high marks for achieving that pared-down effect. "Talk to You" is nothing short of perfection--four minutes of sparse, sad soul music sung to a departing lover. The next cut "3,000 Miles" is about a different longing, a poetry-rich track that captures the desperation of isolation, alone in a city filled with violence, and a yearning to be in a safe space. By virtue of being a folk singer with deep convictions, Chapman has not been shy about tackling difficult topics. On this release, "America" is easily the most political, a dialogue on appropriation starting from Christopher Columbus to the present day. Surprisingly, the disc’s first single, "Change" is one of the least gut-wrenching, so those who aren’t fans of the song best not be put off by it. Incredibly, Where You Live marks Chapman’s 20th anniversary as a recording artist. Along the way, songs such as "Fast Car," "Talkin’ 'Bout a Revolution" and "Give Me One Reason" have demonstrated her amazing power. On Where You Live, her testament to musical simplicity is a good move, allowing this important singer/songwriter a chance to showcase beauty, fragility, and a magically incendiary spirit. --Denise Sheppard