2008 Woodie Awards
Ani DiFranco - disgruntled housewife of rock 'n' roll
Justin Bontrager
Issue date: 2/6/04 Section: College Life
Ani DiFranco
"Educated Guess"
Righteous Babe Records
Ani DiFranco (or "Ahhhnee," as her disciples like to pronounce her name) has been the heroine of National Public Radio listeners, bumper sticker activists and teenage feminists for over a decade now.
She has transformed herself from a coffee shop open mic act to a veritable icon of slogan folk. At this point in her career she doesn't have to live up to any expectations. She can put out a recording of herself singing the phone book and her fans would pronounce it the greatest work of genius since the sports bra.
As a journalist I'm supposed to be objective. Yeah, right. How objective is Dan Rather? I could try to come up with cleverly-placed language to conceal my opinion, but why bother? I hate Ani DiFranco! More often than not her music is mediocre and her lyrics (in all their misspelled glory) seem like they were culled from some 16-year-old's lost Hello Kitty notebook. However, I have to give her credit where credit is due. She's damn prolific, releasing at least an album a year, and she tours more often than Metallica. At least she's out doing something other than putting a "Free Tibet" sticker on her run-down Volvo.
She likes to espouse her "do it yourself" ethic almost as much as her fans like to credit her for it. I thought it was all bullshit (since she's appeared in People magazine and on nationally-syndicated television), and I dislike her mostly for that. I had an argument with a friend over this, so I decided to do some research. I was wrong. I called her label, Righteous Babe Records, that gave me the name of their distributor, Koch Entertainment, that had me talk to some guy who convinced me they were indeed independent. I wasn't quite satisfied so I dug a little deeper and found that this appears to be true.
The only thing that made me raise my eyebrow a little is that "Ahhhnee," a champion of women's rights, has her records distributed by the same corporation that distributed Death Row Records (champions of "women are bitches, yo"). I can let it slide though, at least she's not distributing through EMI or Sony (both very nasty corporations).
As far as the music on this disc, I must admit I was also surprised. Her lyrical approach has become more subtle and, as a result, more profound (still nothing compared to Patti Smith, whom most Ani fans don't have the faintest clue about). Her singing has improved, too. And, perhaps most importantly, she has learned how to play the guitar - even with a distinctive, if somewhat irritating, style. This is the best thing I've heard from her since "Not a Pretty Girl," which really wasn't as good as it was unique.
Her sound still owes a lot to Patti Smith and Kate Bush, but hey, that's better than Lisa Loeb. This is a disc definitely worth checking out if only to reevaluate your stance on Ani DiFranco.
Grade: B-
"Educated Guess"
Righteous Babe Records
Ani DiFranco (or "Ahhhnee," as her disciples like to pronounce her name) has been the heroine of National Public Radio listeners, bumper sticker activists and teenage feminists for over a decade now.
She has transformed herself from a coffee shop open mic act to a veritable icon of slogan folk. At this point in her career she doesn't have to live up to any expectations. She can put out a recording of herself singing the phone book and her fans would pronounce it the greatest work of genius since the sports bra.
As a journalist I'm supposed to be objective. Yeah, right. How objective is Dan Rather? I could try to come up with cleverly-placed language to conceal my opinion, but why bother? I hate Ani DiFranco! More often than not her music is mediocre and her lyrics (in all their misspelled glory) seem like they were culled from some 16-year-old's lost Hello Kitty notebook. However, I have to give her credit where credit is due. She's damn prolific, releasing at least an album a year, and she tours more often than Metallica. At least she's out doing something other than putting a "Free Tibet" sticker on her run-down Volvo.
She likes to espouse her "do it yourself" ethic almost as much as her fans like to credit her for it. I thought it was all bullshit (since she's appeared in People magazine and on nationally-syndicated television), and I dislike her mostly for that. I had an argument with a friend over this, so I decided to do some research. I was wrong. I called her label, Righteous Babe Records, that gave me the name of their distributor, Koch Entertainment, that had me talk to some guy who convinced me they were indeed independent. I wasn't quite satisfied so I dug a little deeper and found that this appears to be true.
The only thing that made me raise my eyebrow a little is that "Ahhhnee," a champion of women's rights, has her records distributed by the same corporation that distributed Death Row Records (champions of "women are bitches, yo"). I can let it slide though, at least she's not distributing through EMI or Sony (both very nasty corporations).
As far as the music on this disc, I must admit I was also surprised. Her lyrical approach has become more subtle and, as a result, more profound (still nothing compared to Patti Smith, whom most Ani fans don't have the faintest clue about). Her singing has improved, too. And, perhaps most importantly, she has learned how to play the guitar - even with a distinctive, if somewhat irritating, style. This is the best thing I've heard from her since "Not a Pretty Girl," which really wasn't as good as it was unique.
Her sound still owes a lot to Patti Smith and Kate Bush, but hey, that's better than Lisa Loeb. This is a disc definitely worth checking out if only to reevaluate your stance on Ani DiFranco.
Grade: B-
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
Patti Jones
posted 5/06/08 @ 3:46 AM CST
I am going to be the first to say that you are so wrong its mind blowing. Sure you might not like her music, but Ani Difranco is one person who is never afraid to say what she feels in any sense. (Continued…)
Patti Jones
posted 5/06/08 @ 3:49 AM CST
and I dont disagree with your comments on Patti Smith, she for sure has done more musically. But polictally she has not. Kathleen Hanna had done more then Patti Smith. (Continued…)
@
posted 5/06/08 @ 4:13 PM CST
Wow Patti, you really can't spell at all. Must have been in the same Northern school system at your buddy Ahhhnee.
loretta
posted 9/07/08 @ 3:18 PM CST
On the radio just moments ago came Ani...
My friend who is working outside heard it coming through
open window, we stopped what we were doing, listened for a moment and then had to turn it off before our heads exploded. (Continued…)
Jackie
posted 10/31/08 @ 4:55 PM CST
THIS IS NOT TO DIRECTLY BEAT DOWN ANI FANS,JUST MY OPINION
BEING A WOMAN AND ALL.GO AHEAD AND LIKE WHO YOU WANT FOR THE REASONS YOU HAVE,I JUST DONT GET IT AND I DONT NEED TO. (Continued…)
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