Telling her stories again

Let's face it. There are few female songwriters today who can really touch their audience with their songs and truly tell a story that goes beyond a catchy musical arrangement and chorus. Certainly, Tracy Chapman is one of these women. Her newest long player, aptly titled Telling Stories, could be one of those albums easily overlooked in a year-end review, because it "only" offers one truly radio-friendly hit. But commercial radio play should not be a measure of the Tufts alum's fifth CD, which follows on the heels of her 1995 multi-platinum record New Beginning.