|
When I first received this album I was not impressed, in fact I set the album on my shelf only to be forgotten. After a few months of dust collecting I decided to pull the album out from the depths of my collection. I must admit that I have been known to listen to Tracy Chapman albums in the past, but I never been called a fan of her talent. I do not own any of her previous albums, nor have I had the opportunity to listen to any album in full. I wanted to state that in order to set up the following review to include little to no bias.
While I do admit to allowing the album to collect dust, I am not happy with my decision to do so. This album literally shocked me in regards to overall sound. From the initial to the ending track I found myself engulfed in the music. Her music may not be awe-inspiring, but it relaxing and complete. Tracy Chapman’s newest album "Let It Rain" is a collection of 12 tracks spinning the CD laser slightly under forty one minutes. During the course of that time you will hear the majority of tracks resting in a dark gloomy atmosphere, however, the mood itself is set up perfectly to latch on to your attention and bring you into her world. Chapman may not have outdone herself with this set list, but she has put together an impressive album.
Chapman is not an artist that is caught up in annual album drops, but instead uses however much time is needed to get it right. The extra time that she allows herself is definitely heard on "Let It Rain". This album is the 6th in her collection, but the first in the past 2 years.
Like I stated earlier, her newest album contains 12 original songs. The general sound of each track varies significantly from song to song, but at all times Chapman remains steady and on course. Each song manages to grasp your attention leaving you captivated throughout its entirety. You may think that I am exaggerating in my description, but I really felt that her album as a whole was extremely solid, balanced, and well defined. I am not normally one to listen to this genre, however, during my listen I had to hold back from repeating certain songs over and over again. One of my personal favorites was/is: You're The One; ironically I found out later that this was the single. The song contains an upbeat melody that creates a mellow, yet funky atmosphere. The lyrics are rhythmic and sung at high impact. If I had to use one word to try and describe the song I would choose: Fun. When it comes to an artists CD nothing makes me happier than the artist expressing his/her love for making the music. Chapman has a strong hold on making her music original, fun, and in a sense explosive. "Let It Rain" is a great expressive album that not only shows off the extreme talent that Chapman has inherited, but the album shows off 2 years of converting hard work to perfection.
Usually I use this space to list what I felt was wrong with the release. Fortunately, I was not able to find anything wrong with the album. Each song lives up and exceeds the potential contained within. The dark, moody atmosphere that Chapman creates manages to lure in listeners and make instant fans of them. I know that I have gone from a listener to a fan after the first complete thorough listen. I am not going to become addicted to her music, nor am I am going to search out every Barnes and Noble looking for biographies or any unofficial books on Chapman and her career, but I will keep her album nearby for when the mood strikes me. This album is the perfect album for a certain mood. While it is not an album with many flaws, it is an album that is good for the most part, but excellent during the times when you need this genre most. Therefore, the album is surely not a perfect 5, but instead falls one planet short.
Should you buy this?
I say yes. Not only would I recommend you buy this, but you may want to check out any live shows in your area. Of course some people are not going to enjoy the sound that Chapman relays, but I really believe that the majority of listeners will find this album refreshing and possibly inspiring. The written lyrics are not only original, but they are creative and powerful. Listen close as each song deserves all of your attention. The pop listeners may not find this exciting enough, but once they come off of their cloud then they may see the benefit of an artist such as Chapman. While this isn’t for everyone this is an album for most.
Track Listing:
01 Let It Rain
02 Another Sun
03 You're The One
04 In The Dark
05 Almost
06 Hard Wired
07 Say Hallelujah
08 Broken
09 Happy
10 Goodbye
11 Over In Love (Instrumental)
12 I Am Yours
Ramz Rating: 4 out of 5 Planets
Talk about Tracy Chapman - Let It Rain>>
|
Game News
