Ani DiFranco: 'Red Letter Year'
Charlotte Downes
Issue date: 9/24/08 Section: The Edge
"Present/ Infant" is yet another sweet song, this time about her daughter and overcoming her own feelings of insecurity. Teamed with the opening track, "Red Letter Year," fans are provided an insight into DiFranco's feelings about her new role as a mother. "Present/ Infant" and "Way Tight" are two of the few tracks that feature DiFranco's notorious guitar picking. "Way Tight" is reminiscent of The Be Good Tanyas. Never overproduced, subtle effects compliment a pretty fantastic bass line.
However, it isn't all saccharine tracks. In "Emancipated Minor," DiFranco employs a captivating electric guitar hook. In "Good Luck," DiFranco plays with lyrics that are haunting, employing somewhat terrifying snapshot imagery, such as, "A lock with a key that ain't turning. Smoke filling up behind a door. A hire with a purpose being ignored." And in "Round A Pole," DiFranco sounds like a raspy, new-age Rosemary Clooney.
Because the album is so mellow, the sheer variety of instrumentation is easy to miss at first listen. The smooth acoustic picking that DiFranco fans love only makes a center stage appearance on three tracks of the album. When it does though, it outshines the lyrics.
DiFranco's acoustic heavy songs are more reminiscent of Nick Drake than Dave Matthews, which is a feat considering that acoustic songs can become boring fairly quickly.
"Red Letter Year" was worth the two-year wait. It is rich, well-produced and intimate. It is reflective without becoming self-indulgent. DiFranco newbies and hardcore fans alike will enjoy this album.
However, it isn't all saccharine tracks. In "Emancipated Minor," DiFranco employs a captivating electric guitar hook. In "Good Luck," DiFranco plays with lyrics that are haunting, employing somewhat terrifying snapshot imagery, such as, "A lock with a key that ain't turning. Smoke filling up behind a door. A hire with a purpose being ignored." And in "Round A Pole," DiFranco sounds like a raspy, new-age Rosemary Clooney.
Because the album is so mellow, the sheer variety of instrumentation is easy to miss at first listen. The smooth acoustic picking that DiFranco fans love only makes a center stage appearance on three tracks of the album. When it does though, it outshines the lyrics.
DiFranco's acoustic heavy songs are more reminiscent of Nick Drake than Dave Matthews, which is a feat considering that acoustic songs can become boring fairly quickly.
"Red Letter Year" was worth the two-year wait. It is rich, well-produced and intimate. It is reflective without becoming self-indulgent. DiFranco newbies and hardcore fans alike will enjoy this album.
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