Product Description

On her second album, Tracy Chapman goes the traditional singer-songwriter route--think Carly Simon, James Taylor, etc.--by largely writing about the effects on her life of the unexpected success of her first album. The title track, standard blues imagery aside, is as self-analytical and autobiographical as any one of Joni Mitchell's early '70s albums. Othersongs, like "Material World", address the same concerns in more subtle fashion.
Elsewhere, Chapman looks at freedom and oppression in such songs as the Nelson Mandela tribute "Freedom Now" and "All That You Have is Your Soul". Chapman and producer David Kershenbaum add subtle touches like horns,slide guitar (courtesy of Neil Young), and accordion, opening up the guitar-and-voice canvas of her self-titled debut and fleshing out the strongly melodic songs without overpowering them.

Track Listing

1. Crossroads
2. Freedom Now
3. Be Careful Of My Heart
4. Born To Fight
5. This Time
6. Bridges
7. Material World
8. Sub City
9. Hundred Years
10. All That You Have Is Your Soul

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5668 in Music
• Released on: 1989-10-02
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
After the enormous success of her eponymous debut album in 1988, enhanced by her appearance at a Nelson Mandela tribute concert that same year, it was never going to be easy for Tracy Chapman to deliver a similar bolt from the singer-songwriter blues a year later on this, her "tricky" second album. On Crossroads Chapman plays it cautiously from a musical point of view, offering a slightly fleshed-out version of the smouldering acoustics of her debut. But Chapman's subdued sound can't conceal the unabated anger of her lyrics. "Freedom Now", dedicated to Nelson Mandela, "Material World and "Subcity", a scalding diatribe against racism and urban poverty are reminiscent of Nina Simone in their quivering indignation. After this album, however, Tracy Chapman had made her point and seemed to lose interest in her career. --David Stubbs

Customer Reviews

Great But Not as legendary as the 1st Album
A great album though not in the league of the 1st album.However, just watch for some real gems such as 'Born to Fight"and 'All That You Have is your Soul'. Tracy Chapman really raised the ante with her debut album and this effort does well to match it. Four Stars..very near Five but not quite

The best
Crossroads is fantastic. It starts with the brilliantly enthusiastic and up beat 'crossroads' and then Tracy addresses some serious 'matters of the heart.' To anyone with experience of love the songs "bridges" and "be careful of my heart" are simply spell-binding. The choosing of "all that you have is your soul" for the last track on 'the collection' is testimony to the songs perfection. Tracy delivers powerful and highly intelligent advice and at the same time manages to maintain musical genious. This album is not particularly 'popish' but infinitely superior to any other attempts to be anything other than contemplative and/or optimistic, Tracy appears to make the best songs when trying to be melancholy and free of political anger, not to say that there isn't plenty of politics with 'subcity' and 'free.' If you like depressing music and Tracy then this is album is a 'must have' if you'll excuse the cliche.

thought provoking
"We're at a place right now, approaching the new century where we could find new solutions to old problems that are still plaguing society." - Tracy Chapman, 1996

Another great album by this remarkable singer/songwriter. Her soulful, heartfelt lyrics put every bland pop artist in the shade. I've given this four stars because to me, it doesn't quite have the strength or impact of her extraordinary debut album, "Tracy Chapman". These songs have a softer, more subtle feel to them than "Behind The Wall", for instance, yet this is still a moving album, and well worth owning. Again, there is a mixture of songs about relationships and political issues, with some of the more memorable including "Crossroads", the excellent "Freedom Now", and "All That You Have Is Your Soul".