A Righteous Babe Indeed! (Ani Difranco in general)

Name: DiFranco01

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Ani Difranco in general
Date:	25/11/01 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Talented, Bold, Diverse

Disadvantages: None

In 1990, folk musician Ani DiFranco borrowed money from her New York friends and launched Righteous Babe records - an independent label designed for musicians such as herself, songwriters and performers who did not want to get sucked into the giant corporate world of the music industry. Since then, the Buffalo-based record label has seen a bit of growth, and much success: Ani herself has released close to twenty full-length albums, and has signed other promising acts such as Utah Philips, B*tch and Animal, and even Sara Lee (former Ani DiFranco bassist).

But, we're not here to talk about my favorite record label - hey, it's not even the beginning of Ani's successful career, as she toured for a LONG time before she even considered recording a record!
On a side note, I'm not Ani DiFranco. I don't even know her personally (Ani, if you're reading, you MUST return to Texas for another tour, as I was gone into the United States Army when you rolled through Austin).

In the past twelve years, Ani DiFranco has grown and matured musically. What started as angry and slightly immature folk rock with much promises has grown and evolved into something much bigger. Her self-titled debut was a wonderful introduction to her work: A very simple and honest recording filled with her very own folk songs, ranging in topics from love to the record industry of that time. She does not hesitate to say what's REALLY on her mind, and refuses to sell out in order to please fans or management personnel. This is quite the bold young woman, one that I admire very much!

As Ani's career progresses (still heavy on the touring, with well over 100 days each year devoted to the road), we notice that she is progressing as well. She incorporates spoken word between tracks to create an eerie, moody setting for the next song. She lets more of her funk, blues, jazz, classic rock, and even country-western influences show in later recordi
ngs such as Little Plastic Castle. In 1997, she released Living In Clip - the ultimate live recording. This two-disc set features the best tracks from her recent tours through the United States and Canada, and does not fail to capture the electrically-charged atmosphere of her shows - often played in small venues such as nightclubs. In between tracks she rambles on about whatever is on her mind, something that would normally annoy me. However, in Ani's case it only adds to the "authentic" feel of the recording. She did not edit out the missed notes, forgotten lyrics, or other tiny mistakes that were made while she was performing, as many live recordings do. Instead, she keeps them - accurately showcasing the imperfections that she has as a human being as well as proudly displaying the intense and passionate feelings that she pours into every line and note of her work.

This gutsy young singer is gaining popularity in the mainstream world - instead of MTV and other pop culture icons, young Americans are really beginning to put her indie releases into their disc players. Just a few short years ago, I could ask "Have you ever heard of Ani DiFranco?" and people would shake their heads. Now, eight times out of ten, I am met with "YEAH! She's awesome!" Even with the increased popularity, her messages are still being listened to with an open mind: Many listeners are getting positive influences from her despite the fact that she is often considered mellowed-out and depressing. I for one think that her self-empowered attitude does not scream feminism: Rather, it boasts individuality in the face of a conformist culture that we all exist in. She definitely refuses to think inside the box, instead preferring to speak her mind regardless of who or what is listening.

I do not yet own the entire Ani DiFranco record collection, as they are still hard to find in my tiny little town (with a population of 500 people an
d 1500 cows - one record store that carries whatever is on the MTV or Billboard charts - lovely). However, I own several of her recordings: Her self-titled debut, Living In Clip, Puddle Dive, Little Plastic Castle, and Dilate. These recordings are released in various stages of her career - from the first record to about 1998 and many years in between. From this tiny sample of the broader spectrum of Ani's work, I can accurately and honestly say that she is changing and evolving into a more complete musician, but her messages are still heartfelt and thought-provoking. Normally when musicians change, it is to appease the higher gods of the recording industry: With DiFranco, it's to please herself and to form a living tribute to the human nature that insists upon growing and becoming a larger, wiser entity.

With all of this babbling aside, I definitely suggest that you check out this musician. She will get political a few times, and she will often sing or recite messages about love lost and other emotional traumas, but you will generally find yourself smiling because the courage that Ani shows throughout the work is quite admirable.

If I had to recommend just ONE recording to you, it would have to be her debut record. It is one of the older recordings in my collection (I've owned it for about three years now), but it still receives heavy rotation in my disc player. I listen to it at least once a week, but still find new messages within its contents each time I listen.

Summary: