Product Description The music on Ani DiFranco's latest CD is as stunning as ever, packed with irresistible melodies, poignant lyrics and viruoso performances. But for the first time in her career, Ani has invited a fellow singer-songwriter to work with her as co-producer is the none other than Joe Henry. She is also joined by more than half a dozen guest musicians, many of whom have played key rols in Ani's recent career, including Todd Sickafoose, Julie Wolf and Andrew Bird. Through 12 new songs as intricatly crafted as short stories, DiFranco creates another unforgettable musical self-portait of a woman coming to grips with love's twists and turns confronting the legacy of her family and learning to live on her own terms. About the Artist Ani DiFranco is a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist perpetually on the move. From the raw "folk punk" of her early albums through the jazz/funk grooves she created during her years touring with a five-piece band to her current work as a solo artist, Anis restless creativity leads her and her listeners into ever more exciting territory. Born in Buffalo, New York, DiFranco was singing and playing guitar in public before she was old enough to drive. As a teenager, the poems shed been writing in "long skinny columns" soon evolved into lyrics, and music became a way for the teenager to talk about the things that mattered most to her: the power dynamics of romantic entanglements, the fragmentation of her family, the choices she watched her friends making, and the state of life in her hometown and her country. The early 1990s brought a temporary relocation to New York and classes in poetry and politics at the New School, but her real education came on weekends, hitting the road with increasing frequency and growing confidence, developing her signature percussive finger picking and dynamic range in order to grab and hold the attention of noisy bar crowds. After just about every one of her funny, outspoken, intimate gigs, shed leave behind a fresh batch of converts eager to spread the word to everyone they knew, via cassettes at first and then CDs. Rather than waiting for some A&R bigwig to sign her, Ani created her own record label, Righteous Babe, eventually turning down potential deals when she realized they had nothing to offer that she couldnt provide herself. Nearly a decade and a half of hard work, glowing word of mouth, and relentless touring later, the self-described "Little Folksinger" is packing joints like Carnegie Hall and amphitheaters around the world, though she still makes each venue she plays feel as cozy as a living room and as sweaty as a neighborhood dive. Over the years, Ani has swapped album appearances with Prince and Maceo Parker, produced recordings by Dan Bern and Janis Ian, performed orchestral versions of her compositions with the Buffalo Philharmonic, helped find new fans for the songs of Woody Guthrie and the stories of Utah Phillips, had her own tunes covered by the likes of Dave Matthews, and Chuck D, recorded duets with both John Gorka and Jackie Chan, and inspired countless other musicians to rewrite the rules of the recording industry by striving for self-sufficiency and refusing to allow art to be subsumed by cold commerce. Through her Righteous Babe Foundation, shes been able to support grassroots cultural and political organizations around the country, and has lent her time and her voice to such diverse pursuits as opposing the death penalty, upholding womens reproductive rights, promoting queer visibility, and preserving historic buildings back in Buffalo (including a long-neglected church currently being transformed into the new headquarters of Righteous Babe). Ani DiFrancos career has been full of surprisesand shes no stranger to change, both sudden and slow. But some things remain unchanged, like her commitment to speaking the truth, as she sees it, without fear or concession. Bruce Cockburn recently observed in Performing Songwriter that Ani considers it part of her job description "to try and reflect real life in [her] songs. The life of the streets; the life of nations; the lives of people coping with power or its absence, looking for joy through the loneliness and pain and the complexities of relationship; the life of the spirit. All these are the stuff of human experience, and human experience is what we all share." She does so with two basic instruments, both of which are also constants in her ever-evolving world: her trusty guitar and her unforgettable voice. Vanity Fair describes the latter as "astonishing. coolly, permanently urgent, tugging at the sleeve or close at the ear, like the murmur of a lover who knows every last secret and decides to stay."
N**L
Waiting for This ONE
This cd is perfect. I own all of Ani cd but this one is by far my favorite. It is just simply put beautiful and the songs are sonic and lush. The strings add an element that is surreal and incredible, plus the song are just like little stories. Most of her cd take a little getting use to but with this one just let it play and you will be hypnotized! Studying Stones, Sunday Morning, Manhole and Callous are little master pieces and they alone will take your breath away.
V**A
Acoustic greatness
Ani's new cd is full of great songs well written and enjoyable to listen to i dont get tired of this cd .To me these are some of her modern day classics.
C**Y
New to Ani DiFranco
My friend saw Ani DiFranco at JazzFest in New Orleans and recommended the CD. I liked it so much I bought Not a Pretty Girl
T**C
Four Stars
Excellent
R**A
Transitional Record For Ever-Evolving Legend
Although Ani Difranco has been directed away from her usual extensive touring - doctor's orders - and has thus been unable to promote her umpteenth studio album, "Knuckle Down" as heavily as previous releases, that in no way prevents it from being an outstanding achievement, much like the majority of her LPs. Though it does not quite match the sheer, uniform brilliance of its predecessor, 2004's lo-fi "Educated Guess," a triumphant collection of songs that fused the melancholy embers of her recent divorce and current political state of the US, it nevertheless is home to a new host of essential Difranco tunes.The disc is initiated by the frantic, frothily produced self-exploration of the title track, which Difranco ends by observing, "still that star-struck girl is someone I miss." Then comes lead single "Studying Stones," where she delves as deeply into her personal life, outside of her divorce, as she ever has on record. The song is, simply put, amazing."'Course numb is an old hat/Old as my oldest memories/See that one's my mother/And that one's my father/And that one in the hat, that's me/It's a skill I'd hoped to abandon/When I got out on the open road/But any more pent up emotion/And I think I'm gonna explode."To be sure, she has not finished immersing the subject of her divorce in her music, as the likes of "Seeing Eye Dog," Modulation" and "Manhole" are the furthest thing from subtle, revealing Difranco as the epitome of bitter. All are on the sarcastic side, clearly evident of her newfound sense of freedom and sensible approach to remedying her life's tribulations, while the former tells a story all too accessible to many who have been through similar circumstances."I threw myself a little role reversal and followed you home/Just dying to be chewed/The dog was chosen by the bone/Be my seeing eye dog/'Cause I am blind."She is rather hard on herself in the anthemic "Lag Time," proclaiming with her confidant delivery above hooky guitar chords that she wishes to become far more capable of making sound judgments concerning her relationships with others in her life, and thus "tighten down on the lag time." Further on, in "Parameters" she narrowly talks her way out of getting raped by coaxing an intruder and would-be rapist "off the ledge of a very bad idea.""New as you are, really, to the idea that/Even after you've long since gotten used to the parameters/They can all change/While you're out one night having a drink with a friend/Some big hand may be turning a big dial/Switching channels on your dreams/Until you find yourself lost in them/And watching your daily life with the sound off."She also reminisces specifically of the high-maintenance side of her ex-husband in "Callous" and "Minerva," the latter in which she likens herself to the wise, stalwart Roman goddess. The ultimate highlight of the album, however, is "Paradigm," the only track on the disc which finds Difranco dishing up more of her political psyche."(I had to) teach myself to see each of us/Through the lens of forgiveness/Like we're stuck with each other (God forbid!)/Teach myself to smile and stop and talk/To a whole other color kid/Teach myself to be new in an instant/Like the truth is accessible at any time/Teach myself it's never really one or the other/There's a paradox in every paradigm."The album concludes on a high note with "Recoil," where she realizes she has not been held "since I've been his" and that that's "probably all it is" that's made her recoil from her friends in her solitude. She also fondly recalls her father "who time travels mostly now," and ends the song with an invitation."To all the people out there tonight/Who are comforting themselves/If you should happen to see my light/You can stop and ring my bell/I'm just sittin' here in this sty/Strewn with half written songs/Taking one breath at a time/Nothin' much going on/Nothin' much going on."Overall, "Knuckle Down" is a transitional record for Difranco, finding her surfacing between two different phases of her life. Listening to her contemplate her situation and those that surround her is thus all the more absorbing.
P**L
She came home and her guitar had something to say to me
With Knuckle Down, Ani has completely won me back. As for the songs themselves... wow. For me, this is her single best collection of new songs on one disc since before the turn of the century... by far. It's one of her best albums, period. Also, along with maybe the first couple albums, this is the best sounding album Ani has ever made. I couldn't figure out how she managed to make some of the recent albums so dry and lifeless. Knuckle Down is the exact opposite. Warm, rich, natural and full sounding.Where some of her other recent stuff seemed to be looking outward, and bordering on preachy at times, Knuckle Down is sometimes stark and introspective though each song is its own galaxy. This isn't an album where all the songs sound rather alike. At times it makes me nervous for her, though. This album largely paints a picture of a person who is very much alone right now. There are a few lines throughout this album that truly make me hope she is okay. "But there's no me left for me, no incidental time of day. No wild adventures except in darkness, so dark I'd rather not say." Maybe it's just me, but that line and the mood of the song to which it belongs (Minerva) always makes me think of the personal life of Jerry Garcia in the darkest years of his life. I hope Ani isn't going down that road.Knuckle Down has everything I could want from one of her albums. Lyrics that will tear your heart out and lyrics that will leave you sitting there in the darkness of your own stunned silence. Parameters for instance is her most haunting spoken-word piece thus far. This disc also has quite a few instances of Ani's best, most emotional singing on record, in my opinion. Puddle Dive is one of my favorite Ani albums but if you don't like her vocal style of that era, this is an album for you. I've listened to this album more than any other Ani album of the past decade because I can't stop. Studying Stones, Sunday Morning and Recoil are 3 of her best songs of all time. There are great things throughout her albums. Even great songs on some of her worst albums. Knuckle Down though... something special happened here. It all came together. There are no "Oh this one has some great one-liners but the overall song is unengaging". Or "This one has potential in concert, at least". No, it all came together here. Not only are the songs and sound excellent but this band (quartet or larger, for my purposes here) is her finest ever. For as much as I disliked the ever-growing, trite funk-lite band of recent years, Ani put together her perfect band for this album. Secondary to Ani herself, Todd Sickafoose (bass) is the emotional star of this album. How great it must be to spend part of your time creating and playing perfect basslines on songs as fantastic as these, and a chunk of the rest of your time playing with Nels Cline.It's hard to think that Ani would seem to be in a tough (or at least very lonely) spot in terms of her personal life but if that's the case she certainly morphed her internal struggles into one of her best albums. She even has a lyric contained herein that would seem to illustrate that she's conscious of the fact that maybe emotional pain is her greatest catalyst.
A**N
Good Lyrics, Abysmal 'Singing'.
I just saw Ani DiFranco live the other night, but I went for her opening act, Erin McKeown. The two have the obvious parallel of skilled guitar playing and a folkish sound (though DiFranco's on the deep end of it.) The problem is that, like McKeown, DiFranco can serve up some good lyrics...but unlike the skilled McKeown, Ani Difranco simply cannot sing. The whole time at the show - and on this disc - she just talks very fast in a sing-song voice over skilled guitar playing, but that's not deserving of attention at all. Lots of personality, but that can't compensate for her "singing". She'd make a good background guitarist providing backing vocals maybe, but she can't fill up the center of a stage.
S**E
The usual high quality penmanship and intimate beauty.
Starts off impressively with the early Joan Armatrading acoustic guitar sound.Second is a haunting double bass and cello with lighter guitar and nice vocal harmonies.Track three begins as classic solo Ani before heavy bass and drums briefly crash the party...Ani always delivers!Great poetry and performance with enchantment at every turn. 5☆
A**0
熟成。でも熱い。
一曲目の始めのギターの音でもうAniらしさが放たれてます。感情ダイレクトな声、ギター。自分らしさを深めつつも、変に落ち着かず。音楽が好き、という人お聞きあれ。技術うんちくよりも音にこめられた魂、がこんなに心をゆさぶるんですよ。
S**T
Pure Schönheit - schon wieder!
Ich finde es immer noch (und immer wieder) unfassbar, wie es Ani DiFranco schafft, Lieder zu schreiben, die von solch einer verschrobenen Erdigkeit und Anti-Eleganz sind, daß sie einfach nur als "schön" zu bezeichnen sind. Angefangen hat dieser Faden durch die Alben 1994 mit "Overlap", bis heute ein Klassiker für mich. 1996 kamen dann die genialen "Adam and Eve" und "Joyful Girl". 2001 berührte sie mich mit "So What" und "Your Next Bold Move".Und der Hammer ist - das ist nicht alles, was diese Frau als Musikerin ausmacht. Neben Schönheit, weiß sie auch schräge Töne zu beherrschen und hörbar zu machen (so geschehen auf "Evolve", weniger auf dem eher mißlungenen, da zu kopflastigen und spürbar bekifften "Educated Guess") und echte Kracher zu produzieren ("Jukebox" von der UpUpUpUpUpUp und "Crime For Crime" oder "The Diner" in den Liveversionen).Und nun das! Zum ersten Mal nicht ganz allein produziert und schon wird die Frau (für ihre Verhältnisse) Mainstream. Aber das macht sie so beeindruckend, wie es sonst allenfalls CHRIS WHITLEY (siehe "Rocket House", 2001) zustandebrächte. Der Chorus von "Studying Stones" ist purer Nashville-Country. "Sunday Morning" klingt wie das saftigste Fallobst von Carole Kings "Tapestry", "Modulation" wie die heterosexuelle Schwester von Melissa Ferricks "Drive" - nicht die schlechteste Anleihe.Auch die grafische Gestaltung der Platte mit einem wunderschönen Retro-Booklet, tollen Fotografien und Zeichnungen ist eine Augenweide, wie bei fast allen von DiFrancos Alben.Wiedermal ein echtes Runderherum-Traumalbum, und für mich das beste seit "Reckoning/Revelling".
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