The Best Record of 1989: Day 28
#37 Tracy Chapman, Crossroads vs. #92 Emmylou Harris, Bluebird
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a look at records from Tracy Chapman and Emmylou Harris
Note: As many of you know, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 1989 challenge and noted that I'd be occasionally writing some of these up.
I've started doing some quick hits of each matchup and posting them directly to the page. Some will be longer, some won’t, and some might just be a handful of sentences. There'll probably definitely be some typos.
Check 'em out and let me know your thoughts! Chin wags & hot takes welcome! Sharing and restacks are always appreciated.
KA—
If it felt like Tracy Chapman came out of nowhere with 1988's "Fast Car," it's cause, well, she did. We loved the song (and record), but we really liked her backstory of busking while in school, etc. We love us a well-constructed pop song, but we really love the story of someone hitting it big- whether on the baseball field or in music. Rooting for the underdog is in our DNA.
Her self-titled debut checked a lot of boxes.
Love song? Check ("Baby Can I Hold You").
Protest song? You bet ("Talkin' About a Revolution.").
And then, of course, there's "Fast Car," about a couple down on their luck—you know, a couple of underdogs. Of course, we liked the track! Those are just the singles; the rest of the album is equally solid.
In 1988, we were ready for Chapman's voice and talent for storytelling.
So how'd she follow that record up? By making one suspicious of the very trappings of wealth and fame that had just arrived at her feet. I can imagine record execs listening to this with furrowed brows, wondering what to do. There's no obvious single here. Carried on the momentum of her debut, it sold well enough, and those who bought it were rewarded with a record as in-depth and soulful as her first. There might not've been a blatant hit here, but this is no sophomore slump.
Indeed, the album sees Chapman tackling some of the same prickly subjects as before: social (in)equality, politics, and her own relationships. "Born to Fight" is a highlight, as are the title track and "Subcity.”
Crossroads is the sort of record that takes a few spins to soak in, but it's grown on you before you know it. It showed both that Chapman was a force to be reckoned with and that she was going to stay true to herself and her style.
How Emmylou Harris manages to sound both like a songbird and someone who has seen some things is a magic outside the scope of this blog. That said, both are true no matter what (or whose) material she’s signing. The world got its first real glimpse of her as the singing partner of Gram Parsons on his Grievous Angel record (yes, there was Gliding Bird before that, but let’s be real; it’s not good). As for Grievous Angel? You should totally own it- at least buy a digital copy.
And grab one soon. It’ll change your life.
At any rate, something happened between the Gliding Bird and 1975’s Pieces of the Sky. Maybe it was Parsons (I mean, just listen to “I Can't Dance!), maybe something else- but whatever forces collided, this is for all intents and purposes where things start- and where they get good.
Fast-forward 15ish years, and Emmylou’s a bona fide star with at least a fistful of good records and a couple of S-tier ones to boot. She’s sung her own songs, lent her voice to the work of others, and sang with others (Trio with Dolly and Linda). There have been peaks and valleys.
Then, we get to Bluebird, which is a both of both. And maybe that’s its downfall. It's trying to be earlier Emmylou while matching the style of the day. She can still knock ‘em out of the park, though. Witness her take on John Hiatt’s "Icy Blue Heart." If it doesn't move you, check your pulse. There’s no shortage of heartbreak here, no lack of being hard done by. Again, by this point, Harris has been through it. Even "Heartbreak Hill" is deceptively upbeat.
So there’s a couple of standouts and a bunch that are, well, kind of forgettable. Not even so bad as to stand out. Just midpack anodyne stuff.
To be clear, Harris could sing a grocery list and make it sound good, but we’re judging records here, and this one just isn't that strong. There’s a reason a lot of lists of her discography slot this in mid-pack or worse.
Pick a couple of tracks for your playlists and put your money toward grabbing a copy of Grievous Angel instead.
Bottom Line: Two singers with one-in-a-million voices. Neither record is the hallmark of their respective careers, but when looked at as a whole, Chapman’s Crossroads is the better of the two.
My vote: Both my bracket pick and my vote will be going toward Chapman.
Any thoughts on either of these records? Agree/disagree with my takes? Which one of these would you vote for? Sound off in the comments!
Check out the full bracket here.
Info on the tourney, voting, and more is here.
As always, thanks for being here.
KA—
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One of the things I love the most about this series is that you help me reacquaint myself with records I haven't listened to in a very long time (years, I would say) whilst at the same time you bring a new perspective or some interesting context for me to relive the record with a fresh pair of ears. Thank you, sir!