At the Top of My Playlist Lately

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan of Tracy Chapman's music. Her latest album, "Our Bright Future" (November 2008), is an inspiration to independent artists everywhere in that it shows how a music career can be sustained outside of the confines of modern pop radio. The first song to grab me was "Thinking of You". Listening to the album the first time through on my drive to work, I made a mental note to come back to it for my evening commute. I'm a sucker for moody piano textures with smart yet subtle use of electric guitar, bass, and percussion. Throw it underneath Tracy's warm vocals, simple yet profound, understated but sincere, and I'm sold. The lyrics are inherently Tracy, painting a picture of a person who is incredibly in touch with her emotions, though not devoid of wit and humor. Some songs work on a level that goes beyond words-to-music within a style, to a point where there is a natural connection between textual themes and musical expression. This is one of those songs. Loneliness, obsession, heart-ache, emptiness, monotony... All of these themes come out as much in the music as they do in the lyrics, delivered in a manner that is both emotive and cerebral. Kudos to Tracy.