Singer/songwriter Tanita Tikaram's debut album, Ancient Heart, stands as one of the most underappreciated albums of the 1980s, and she, along with Tracy Chapman, preceded the 1990s' onslaught of female singer/songwriters by almost a decade. Tikaram, who was only 19 when this album was released, created a melancholy and wistful work, mature beyond her years, of startling originality and honesty. While this album may be considered folkish and artsy, it never stoops to the clichés that dominated those styles of music in the later Lilith Fair years. Her near perfect signature song "Twist in My Sobriety" is a stark, sinuous, desperate orch song that managed to garner a bit of radio and video airplay in its day and sounded like nothing else then or since. Other highlights include the lovely and more upbeat "Cathedral Song," "World Outside Your Window," and "Good Tradition"," as well as the jazzy "For All the Years" and the haunting "I Love You" and "Valentine Heart" -- the latter being one of the album's true highlights. Ancient Heart is a smoky, world-weary album, that, years after its initial release, does not sound one bit dated and has effortlessly stood the test of time. The definite highlight of Tanita Tikaram's career.
After Elektra had a huge Tracy Chapman hit with "Fast Car" in 1988, other record labels rushed to sign socially and emotionally conscious female singer songwriters to capitalize on Chapman's success. A window had opened at radio and MTV, and while there were mediocre acts that got signed, there were gems too. Among these was UK artist Tanita Tikaram, with her debut record "Ancient Heart". It wa...
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After Elektra had a huge Tracy Chapman hit with "Fast Car" in 1988, other record labels rushed to sign socially and emotionally conscious female singer songwriters to capitalize on Chapman's success. A window had opened at radio and MTV, and while there were mediocre acts that got signed, there were gems too. Among these was UK artist Tanita Tikaram, with her debut record "Ancient Heart". It wa...
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...but she has done so much more. Mellow, often jazzy, with a unique voice that drwas you in. Her recent cd "Sentimental" was something of a comeback after some weaker efforts, but also try her first "Ancient Heart" and second "Sweet Keeper" to get into her.
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Good Tradition |
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| 2 Cathedral Song |
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| 3 Sighing Innocents |
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| 4 I Love You |
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| 5 World Outside Your Window |
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| 6 For All These Years |
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| 7 Twist in My Sobriety |
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| 8 Poor Cow |
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| 9 He Likes the Sun |
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| 10 Valentine Heart |
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| 11 Preyed Upon |
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 "Ancient Heart")
