Chapter Two
View on Discogs
View on Wikipedia
Album Summary
Chapter Two arrived in 1970 on the storied Atlantic Records label, the second full-length offering from the incomparable Roberta Flack, a Washington D.C. schoolteacher-turned-vocal-phenomenon whose debut had already turned serious heads in the know. Produced by Joel Dorn, who had helmed her first record and understood that Flack's voice was something you framed rather than decorated, the album continued the intimate, unhurried approach that set her apart from the louder currents of the era — a woman who could make a room go absolutely still just by opening her mouth.
Reception
- Chapter Two was met with warm critical appreciation from those who recognized Flack as a singular interpretive voice, reinforcing the reputation she had begun building with her debut.
- The album did not produce a massive crossover hit upon release, but it deepened her standing among jazz, soul, and sophisticated pop listeners who appreciated her restrained, emotionally precise style.
- Atlantic's continued investment in Flack following this release reflected confidence in her long-game artistry, a patience that would pay off handsomely in the years just ahead.
Significance
- Chapter Two stands as a document of Flack's extraordinary range as an interpreter — moving across soul, folk-inflected balladry, and theatrical material like 'The Impossible Dream' with a grace that defied easy genre categorization.
- The album reinforced Flack's identity as an artist rooted in emotional depth and vocal restraint at a moment when soul music was pulling in many directions, from raw funk to lush orchestration.
- Tracks like 'Let It Be Me' and 'Just Like A Woman' demonstrated Flack's gift for taking well-known material and making it feel entirely, unmistakably her own — a quality that would define her legacy throughout the decade.
Tracklist
-
A1 Reverend Lee 176
4:31
-
A2 Do What You Gotta Do 106
4:09
-
A3 Just Like A Woman 109
6:14
-
A4 Let It Be Me 77
5:00
-
B1 Gone Away 139
5:16
-
B2 Until It's Time For You To Go 135
4:57
-
B3 The Impossible Dream 67
4:42
-
B4 Business Goes On As Usual 84
3:30
Artist Details
Roberta Flack, born in Black Mountain, North Carolina in 1937 and raised in Arlington, Virginia, was a classically trained pianist and vocalist who emerged from the Washington D.C. jazz club scene in the late 1960s to become one of the most soulful, tender voices of her generation — her silky blend of soul, R&B, jazz, and pop touching hearts in ways that few artists ever could. She burst into the national consciousness with her breathtaking 1972 smash "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," a song that moved so slow and so deep it felt like time itself stopped, followed by the unforgettable "Killing Me Softly With His Song" in 1973, earning her back-to-back Grammy Awards for Record of the Year — a feat that had never been accomplished before. Roberta Flack wasn't just making music; she was creating intimate, cinematic experiences that spoke to the beauty and pain of love, and her artistry helped pave the way for sophisticated Black female artists who refused to be put in any one box.
