DiFranco still roaring on 20th album

09/11/08 - Feminist icon Ani DiFranco has gone through many genres in her music career. And it's really not surprising. After all, she's only 37 years old but has already released 19 records, and her 20th, Red Letter Year, comes out this Sept. 30. Red Letter Year offers another 50 minutes of cheerful, more-power-to-everyone lyrics mixed in with folk rock. With her signature speaking style, DiFranco offers the kind of introspective words you would usually find in self-help books. Add in the guitar strumming and the random pop beats, and Red Letter Year turns out to be a mix of eclectic, uplifting music.

Frankly, I find it all hokey. Imagine going to a hypnotist and having him convince you that you are strong, you are great and you are awesome. Put some background music on and that's the only way I can describe the experience of listening to most of this CD. But with her strong grassroots fan-base (after all, DiFranco is a star), I'm sure many people will spend the money for the CD and enjoy the collection.

If nothing else, this album is interesting. The album opens with the title track and in the first few lines, she sings, "New Year's eve we dropped mushrooms and danced round the house, making music with everything that we found." Tell me that isn't interesting.

Another song that caught my interest was "Good Luck." DiFranco fills her songs with metaphors and while her work is very poetic, the lyrics just make me want to tilt my head and say, "Huh?"

In this one she talks about "an avalanche of detour signs," "a lock with a key in it that ain't turning," and "an alarm clock still drunk and high." The song is short but she makes good use of her band, which makes it all the more dramatic as the music fits her voice very well.

Many of DiFranco's songs are autobiographical and two from this collection,

"Parent/Infant" and "Landing Gear," are about her daughter, Petah. In the former, she talks about how having a baby has made her happier while the latter urges said daughter to come out already because the world is wonderful. "Parent/Infant" has a more earthy tone to it, with her guitar accompanying the song, while "Landing Gear" is more lively, making good use of synths.

DiFranco's lyrics can also be full of subtle political attacks. In "Red Letter Year," she mentions "a man with a monkey for a face" representing the white race. Hmm, wonder who she's talking about there? But she comes on the strongest in "Alla This" where she says she "won't pray to a male god" and she "won't support the troops cuz every last one of them is being duped."

All in all, Red Letter Year offered me some food for thought. The songs all pretty much sounded the same but with her great voice speaking clearly, it's hard to miss her message whether you agree with her or not, or whether you just don't care at all.