Chapman completed 20 years as a recording artist when she released her eighth effort ‘Our Bright Future’ (2008). Chapman is known for her socially conscious folk enfused guitar songs, following the same winning formula she established way back in the synthesized eighties when she hit on the scene with Fast Car in 1988.

Sadly after that Chapman’s music has failed to take off commercially and it’s just a select audience who tune in. Even ‘Where You Live’ (2005) her last effort plunged badly on its release.

Chapman takes the help of producer Larry (Herbie Hancock's Grammy wining album ‘River: The Joni Letters’) Klein who also plays bass on this album and also co – produces the album with Chapman in a mix of folk, pop, soul and a little country into a 11 package play list. Sing For You is a happy go lucky piece that gets off pretty well.. Chapman even adds a few sounds with a pump organ to emphasize the flow of the song.

All the tracks on the album have crisp vocals, clear lyrics that are simple and honest.Chapman keeps her trademark songs about love and commitment, with a little spirituality and political commentary in between.

Something to see speaks on how many things are not yet known to her and how much there is to see in the world. She gives philosophical advice on The First Person on the Earth addressing a person on planet Earth and who has not experienced pain, betrayal and desperation and those who have. It’s about the Katrina disaster sometime back. Chapman also deals with matters of the heart in Thinking Of You and the gentle country riffs in A Theory and Conditional. Save Us All speaks of verses from the Bible with a reference to Jesus.

Tracy Chapman sings for me and Sings for You and in that dialogue she brings forth her message to her fans and everyone who came to her mind. The title track poignantly questions the point of war while she croons sadly on The First Person On Earth that speaks of victims affected by natural disasters

There is not much work in the songs though a few country elements come out on Save us all and A Theory that combines Chapman’s vocals with an instrumental background very cleverly. Our bright future also uses organ and banjo. The ‘First person on the earth has a well orchestrated sounding violin that magnifies a disaster the song speaks of. 44 year old Chapman plays well on all the tracks.     

Chapman sounds the same, her music showing little growth or change. Her die - hard fans will notice the sad and depressive nature running through the album and may tune in or tune out, but one thing that can just add a flicker of hope for Chapman, would be her rating going one step higher for her thougtful lyrics, her soft vocals, and simple arrangementsthat express all her emotions that exist within her and reach a listeners heart. A winninig album  for sure, but targetted to a very select audience. 

Rating: ****

Reviewed By Verus Ferreira

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