Rating: NNNN
Man, somebody – possibly Rebecca Walker? – did a real number on Tracy Chapman. On her seventh LP, the preferred singer/songwriter of the socially conscious Sapphic set is nursing a broken heart so bad it makes Me’Shell NdegéOcello’s Bitter sound like Ode To Joy. Happily, the emotional roller coaster (and the help of co-producer Tchad Blake) has resulted in her best and most relevant album since her self-titled debut. Though the writing here is achingly specific, whether Chapman’s taking on a stubborn lover after she’s already lost the fight, or the U.S. government’s hypocrisy and neo-colonialism, it’s the sensitive production that makes Where You Live so great. Every track is stripped down to exactly what’s needed, a sometimes shimmery, sometimes stark backdrop for Chapman’s inimitable voice. Even guest bassist Flea keeps it in check. These are songs you want to clutch to your chest as a security blanket to keep you safe or weep into.