The record in context

Rhino’s Atlantic-albums collection dates Chapter Two to 1970. The album also appears in Roberta Flack’s official discography.

Listen closely

A close vocal recording can make the listener aware of decisions normally hidden by scale. The beginning of a phrase, a slight change in tone or the release of a sustained note can carry the emotional movement. Flack’s music invites that kind of attention without requiring the singer to sound fragile.

Listen to the accompaniment as an active part of the performance. A stable setting can make a small hesitation audible; a new colour can change the meaning of a vocal return. The relationship between the parts matters more than deciding whether the record belongs to one genre or another.

As the start of this collection, Chapter Two is a good place to establish a listening habit: follow one complete phrase before judging its effect. A performance may gather its force gradually. What sounds understated at the beginning can become vivid once the musical thought has reached its end.