... Telling Stories
2. Less Than Strangers
3. Speak The Word
4. It's OK
5. Wedding Song
6. Unsung Psalm
7. Nothing Yet
8. Paper And Ink
9. Devotion
10. The Only One
11. First Try
Tracy Chapman must be a name practically everybody on the planet recognises, or at the very ... Read review
Advantages: 10/11 good tracks Disadvantages: 1 bad track
1. Telling Stories
2. Less Than Strangers
3. Speak The Word
4. It's OK
5. Wedding Song
6. Unsung Psalm
7. Nothing Yet
8. Paper And Ink
9. Devotion
10. The Only One
11. First Try
Tracy Chapman must be a name practically everybody on the planet recognises, or at the very least they know her song 'Fast Car' released in 1988. This is her fifth album release ... ...Another favourite of mine, she’s telling us what we should know already, material possessions are not important She sings about how material possessions really aren’t that important and money is only paper and ink 10/10
9.Devotion - A very short religious song, sending out the message that if your devoted to your word then you'll go far, whatever kind of problems you have, you have to have faith in yourself. 5/10
1. Telling Stories 2. Less Than Strangers 3. Speak The Word 4. It's OK 5. Wedding Song 6. Unsung Psalm 7. Nothing Yet 8. Paper And Ink 9. Devotion 10. The Only One 11. First Try
Tracy Chapman must be a name practically everybody on the planet recognises, or at the very least they know her song 'Fast Car' released in 1988. This is her fifth album release and is one of my favourites.
1.Telling Stories - This is a song about dishonesty, making yourself appear something you’re not, making yourself more interesting to. I love the lyrics to this and it is one of my favourites. 10/10
2.Less Than Strangers - This is a song about meeting an ex lover ex-lover; the sad reality that the person whom you spent a huge part of your life with is now a complete stranger. Beautiful. 10/10
3.Speak The Word - The vocals on this track are amazing, it‘s about love, sharing love, peace. 9/10
4.It's OK - This song has a great beat to it .It’s about loving someone so much that you can accept them exactly as they are. Being prepared to accept that you have to work at a relationship but that it really is ok to be you. 10/10
5.Wedding Song - This is the song that stands out most to me, it’s basically about really giving yourself to someone who you love. it’s a beautiful song, the melody is wonderful, the lyrics are touching and she sings it superbly. This is my definitely my favourite song on the album. 10/10
6.Unsung Psalm - With love being the main theme for this album there is also an underlying religious theme. This is a nice down tempo ballad. 8/10
7.Nothing Yet - It‘s a shame to admit but I am not overly keen on this track. The guitaring doesn‘t quite work for me, and the lyrics seem to say “things can only get worse”. Not one of her best. 3/10
8.Paper And Ink - Another favourite of mine, she’s telling us what we should know already, material possessions are not important She sings about how material possessions really aren’t that important and money is only paper and ink 10/10
9.Devotion - A very short religious song, sending out the message that if your devoted to your word then you'll go far, whatever kind of problems you have, you have to have faith in yourself. 5/10
10.The Only One - This is a song I really like with background vocals by Emmylou Harris, it’s a nice laid back song with a country feel to it. Perfect song to wind down the album with. 9/10
11.First Try - This is a mellow song with a gentle, jangly guitar riff that gives it a sombre feel. It has an air of mystery to it, I get the feeling it’s about sexuality but it could be taken to mean different things. The vocals in this track are flawless, another favourite of mine. 10/10
Advantages: Diverse, gorgeous sounding. Disadvantages: Can't live up to some predecessors
When a new album comes out from an artist I love there's aleays that mixture of excitement but also of worry that the new album won't live up to past glories - fortunately TellingStories won't disappoint. As a big fan of Ms Chapman owning all her albums to date I do expect a lot of her - and even after 12 years in the business Chapman still manages to sound fresh and up-to-date covering a wide range of themes {take note pop acts, not all the songs here revolve around love}. Admittedly this isn't her best album but that's a mean feat in itself - her eponymous debut is an album which still enters the top 20 around the January Sales which is an amzing achievement - how could she be expected to better it - but this album still hold some classic songs - It's Okay and The Only One being two standout tracks - the sound of the album is relaxing ...
Advantages: Amazing lyrics and very powerfull Disadvantages: Not really a album to have in the background
This is the first I have heard of Tracy Chapmann however I have been won over by the lyrics and immense power she has behind her songs. The whole album is very thought provoking, and in some cases almost frighteningly horrific. The power behind the words is awe-inspiring and this album definitely deserves to be heard. This album can?t really be compared to anything else because I?m not sure there is anything like it, but if you want a soulful album then this is definitely a must. It?s not really an album that you can have in the background but it is definitely a great album. ...
Advantages: lyrical sublime Disadvantages: a couple of average tracks
committed.
The final track, 'I'm Ready', washes the rest of the collection's pains away and faces bravely forward.
There is something for everyone on this CD; it's all easy listening with a little blues and much storytelling. A must have if you enjoy TracyChapman's talent. If you don't know much about her get it and you'll be amazed.
I would truly recommend it to anyone and is probably one of favourite chill-out albums. ...
Product Information for "Telling Stories - Tracy Chapman" »
Product details
Title
Telling Stories
Performer
Tracy Chapman
Genre
Rock & Pop
Sub Genre
Singer/Songwriter
Release Date
14/02/2000
Recomended Retail Price
16.99 GBP
Original Release Year
2000
Label / Distributor
Elektra / Cinram Logistics
Engineer
Duane Baron
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
75596247825
Catalogue Number
7559624782
Additional notes
Album Notes
Personnel includes: Tracy Chapman (vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, melody harp); Emmylou Harris (vocals); Tim Pierce (acoustic & electric guitar, dobro, mandolin, sitar, strum stick); Steve Hunter (electric guitar, lap steel, dulcimer); Jaydee Maness (pedal steel); Scarlet Rivera (violin); Eric Rigler (low whistle, Uillean pipes); Patrick Warren, Tommy Eyre (organ, keyboards); Mike Finnigan (organ); Howie Hersh, Larry Klein, John Pierce, Andy Stoller (bass); Denny Fongheiser (drums); Alex Acuna, Denny Fongheiser (percussion); Iki Levy (programming); Glenys Rogers, Rock Deadrick (background vocals). Producers: Tracy Chapman, David Kershenbaum. Recorded at Royaltone Studios, North Hollywood, California. There's nothing particularly fancy about Tracy Chapman's particular brand of folk-rock; she just blends the folk into the rock more appealingly than most anyone out there. Her music has enough verve to have vaulted her out of obscurity twice. Her fifth jaunt, TELLING STORIES, continues her charming consistency with an alluring set of picture-perfect tunes. The bouncy title track opens the album with a clever circular play on a deceptively simple line, "there's a fiction in the space between...," which makes it clear from the start that Tracy remembers the value of a good pop song. Good pop songs abound on TELLING STORIES, from the country-rock of "Less Than Strangers" to the singer-songwriter folk of "Unsung Psalm" to the upbeat dance of "It's OK." Between her acclaimed debut and TELLING STORIES, very little about Chapman has changed, which is both comforting and good, the world needs good, well-meaning folk-pop songwriters and good, well-meaning folk-pop songs.
Album Reviews
Rolling Stone (3/2/00, p.96) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...there's a comforting consistency about [this album] - you can hear layers of confidence behind Chapman's sound....Her silvered-gauze voice...shows no signs of stress....It's surprising how well she keeps running on cool." Mojo (3/00, p.102) - "...Chapman alights on a lyric of such universal insight that the world stops for four minutes while it washes over you....TELLING STORIES is an uplifting affirmation of eternal values..." Entertainment Weekly (2/18/00, p.86) - "...folkish, watercolor-hued meditations on love and good ol' social consciousness....[She] remains an enigma: an intelligent, levelheaded craftsperson unable to convey any emotion beyond resignation..." - Rating: B NME (3/18/00, p.34) - 6 out of 10 - "...intense, folksy songs, voicing personal dismay and sufferation on a wider scale....consistently mournful, the music rarely developing beyond a polite skank..." Uncut (3/00, p.92) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...This is an album of honesty and compassion that will continue to have a shelf life long after the din and clamour of current pop fad and fashion have faded from memory..." CMJ (3/6/00, p.31) - "...incorporates subtle technical effects and flavorings from electric sitars and uillean pipes into Chapman's neo-folk sound....mellow, yet intense and expressive..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Telling Stories
2.
Less Than Strangers
3.
Speak The Word
4.
It's OK
5.
Wedding Song
6.
Unsung Psalm
7.
Nothing Yet
8.
Paper And Ink
9.
Devotion
10.
Only One
11.
First Try
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
21/06/2001
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