Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco tabs Ani DiFranco discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

Ani DiFranco guitar tabs

CD reviews

Red Letter Year

Ani DiFranco - Red Letter Year Audio CD

A fair review of the Ani DiFranco "Red Letter Year" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Ani DiFranco reviews here, or go back to the Ani DiFranco tabs.

Band: Ani DiFranco
Title: Red Letter Year
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-09-30
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Red Letter Year 2: Alla This 3: Present/Infant 4: Smiling Underneath 5: Way Tight 6: Emancipated Minor 7: Good Luck 8: The Atom 9: Round A Pole 10: Landing Gear 11: Star Matter 12: Red Letter Year Reprise

Another dose of TRASH fron a Once Amazing Artist
Once an amazing guitarist and lyricist with wicked hooks and brilliant metaphors and use of symbolic visuals, she is now one step away from puting out an over-produced album of her banging on pots and pans with her "band-mates" howling in the background and playing xylophones. Ani has become the Lindsey Buckingham of her generation. Everything since Evolve has been complete trash. And don't think she doesn't know it. How many more live albums does she have to put out to cover the wasted effort of all her new stuff. I have seen Ani in concert over 20 time over the past 15 years but after seeing her last year I cant take it anymore- It's like going to the funeral of someone you once admired and loved. Please Ani, pick up a guitar again and take another creative writing class at the New School or NYU, or maybe just walk down a ghetto street- please do something to get it back, cause baby, you have lost it- take that metaphorically if you like.

Not what I had hoped.
Her voice really began to become injured, and the music became far too overproduced. I used to LOVE Ani, but she lost me at to the teeth. She continues this trend with this album. Hopefully some day she will get back to where she excelled- but this album, unfortunately, is not it. That comment is not just for her voice and the overall music production, but the songwriting. Better luck next time, I hope!.

Somewhat Alienating
There were always people around to say how her work was getting worse- blah blah. I've been a hard core Ani fan for over a decade and have all her albums (except this one which after listening to it a couple of time I've decided I will not buy). I loved all her albums. My least favorite being To the Teeth which I still liked enough to buy & listen to over & over. Well that's not my least favorite album anymore. I was surprised by the stellar reviews- until I actually read some of them. Even people who give this album 5 stars are stating it's her worst. Some say that they hated it the first 5 - 10 times they listened to the album, but now they love it??? If you have to make yourself listen to an album that many times to make yourself enjoy it there's something wrong with it, sorry. I suppose the ratings are given out of loyalty to the artist from her fans. I can certainly understand that, but I try to be objective myself regardless of how it hurts me to give my favorite artist only 2 stars.
The problem I have with red letter year is many of the songs lack alot of the poetry that Ani has been known for. She just comes out and says that War Sucks, That Republicans Suck, that Anti-Feminism sucks. . . A lot of it is just flat out her opinion (which we ALL know by now) being stated. And though I agree with her ideals it really gets old hearing the same stuff over and over after so many albums. After listening to this album I started thinking about why it is her earlier work continues to be popular while her later work falls by the way-side. The problem is that Ani's work has become more and more complex. In every art form the masters always say that simplicity is key. The best & most renowned chefs make their recepies as simple as possible, The best painters and sculptures use the simplest techniques, The best poets often use the most basic vocabulary- In music it is the same way. Very often a basic accoustic guitar with a slow & romantic tone is more moving than the most synthasized and worked with piece. Ani was simpler- more basic then. She has evolved well through the years and has added a little spice now and then- but this album is more bulk than spice. It seems that Ani believes that the more complex you get the more you're growing as an artist and most masters would disagree with that concept. The fact that she makes so many songs about what "she" thinks in so many words can come across a bit narcisistic and deprives the listener from being included at times. Regardless of the fact that I believe in her idealisms, who wants to sit there and listen to anyone rant about what 'they personally' believe for hours on end? What another reviewer said about Ani's feminism lyrics has some truth to it. I definitely consider myself a hard-core feminist, but some of her lyrics in this album can come across as anti-man. I don't think Ani realizes how many male fans she has. Though you see mostly woman at her concerts here in nyc her I once knew a few heterosexual guys who collected all her albums and proudly displayed them. I found this album to be alienating both musically and lyrically. I still love this Ani and when people ask about my favorite musical artist she's still my #1, but I'm sad to say this will be the firt & only Ani cd not to be found in my collection.

Red is the color of love!
Our generational troubadour is seeing the prime of her life as she basks in the glow of motherhood. Ani Difranco has a lot to sing about. Our government is more corrupt than ever, this lends a whole arsenal of funked out Anified tunes to enlight the masses of the misgivings of our ruler of the white race.

From first listen I was so sold on this album, Ani in her utter brilliance released the album for free on her website ([. . . ]) so her fans could embrace, devour and dissect her latest incantation to the goddess. The first song is sets the tone for the album. Hardcore fans will note that she included a live version of this song on her 2007 "Reprieve (Bonus Version)" album, but the studio is masterfully crafted and delivers a whallop of poetic genius.

I think Ani is ready to make it to the big time, mainstream success, this album is jam packed with promise. It drips with a kind of passion that we only have heard in little packets previously from this folkish siren. I mean, sit down and listen to "Alla This" I recommend headphones and a glass of wine. She is speaking volumes in an orchestral anthem of freedom, free thought, and self salvation.

I saw ani recently when she played the Cain's Ballroom, here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she was amazing. For some artist (sarah mclaughlin comes to mind) motherhood sorta seems to be restraining to their creative flow but, ani seems to flourish in her new mommy duds. Both on the record and live Ani delivers the goods on "Smiling Underneath" which is a textured layer of of relentless ear candy.

I will admit I am an Ani fan through and through. I loved her from the first time I heard her sing "As Is" from the "Little Plastic Castle" album. She has never failed to impress me both in concert and in her albums. For my sisters who have left the Ani trail due to her escapades into heterosexuality I beg you to give "red letter year" a chance. You won't be sorry.

.

My First Ani DeFranco Album
I have heard great things about Ani DeFranco and decided to finally check her out. I really enjoyed the songs on this album. This is a good introduction. I can recommend this to novices without hesitation. I look forward to listening to more of her work. .

You can see a complete list of all Ani DiFranco discography, or go back to the Ani DiFranco tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.