Ani DiFranco
Educated Guess

THE REVIEW

Punk folksinger.
Just from these two words, which perfectly define her (I would also add a "jazz": "punk jazz folksinger", especially after the album "Evolve"), it's clear that Ani DiFranco (Buffalo, NY, 1970) is a unique musician. A unique artist. A unique person.

Independent, very much so.
She released her first album by refusing offers from various labels (both indie and major ones) and creating her own record label for that purpose (Righteous Babe Records). All of this around the age of twenty. She writes lyrics and music, oversees every aspect of the production of her albums, from recording to the cover artwork. She surrounds herself with people on her same wavelength. She remains independent, even in the distribution of her albums. In short: a great mind, a consistent person.

Feminist.
I happen to find her latest album, "Educated Guess", in a shop window right on March 8th: I cannot not buy it.

"I love my country / By which I mean / I am indebted joyfully / To all the people throughout its history / Who have fought the government to make right [...] People, we are standing at ground zero / Of the feminist revolution / Yeah, it was an inside job / Stoic and sly / One we're supposed to forget / And downplay and deny [...] I mean / Why can't all decent men and women / Call themselves feminists? / Out of respect / For those who fought for this / I mean, look around / We have this"

It makes one think of the image of women portrayed on Italian TV, indeed (even though I must admit I'm speaking by hearsay, not having owned a television for about a decade). And if only it were just on TV. Honestly, at the very least, any decent person should feel bad. But that's not the case: "we are standing at ground zero of the feminist revolution," the new millennium seems so reactionary that it makes one long for the Christian Democrat Italy, damn it!

Talented, indeed.
This album is a completely solo work: DiFranco does everything (playing, singing & backing vocals, recording & mixing). A guitar and voice album, but what a voice! Those who have listened to DiFranco know that she uses it, along with the backing vocals, as an instrument. Sometimes absolutely dissonantly from each other, sometimes with the sweetest tones, and at other times spitting out very intense and passionate lyrics with anger.
Several songs contain spoken parts because the lyrics are important: DiFranco has a lot to say, and it's worth taking the time to listen to her.

In short, I would recommend this album (and others by Ani DeFranco) to those who, at least occasionally, love to put the same type of concentration into listening to an album as is required when reading a book. Not because we are faced with an unmissable literary work, no; more simply because the music alone, in this album, is not enough. If you don't feel like reading and listening, it's better to leave it on the shelf.

"Life knocked me off my platforms / So I pulled out my first pair of boots / Bought on the street at Astor Place / Before New York was run by suits / And I suited up for the long walk / Back to myself / Closer to the ground now / With sorrow / And stealth"