Music review of Tracy Chapman's Telling Stories
Telling Stories (East/West)
In 1988, Tracy Chapman became an overnight success. With her self-titled debut album, the introverted Afro-American spoke to a generation of women eager to address such issues as abuse, equality and troubled relationships. With great emotion and a simple, yet gripping style, Chapman delivered Grammy-winning material. Regrettably, in the 12 interim years, the Cleveland, Ohio, native has lost her edge. Telling Stories, her fifth album, offers more of the same, yet lacking the infectious melodies and depth of her first two works. No surprises for the listener — the CD is just plain boring.
