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'Canon' by Ani diFranco
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album reviewed by Magda Knight
On September 11th Ani DiFranco (singer, songwriter and activist folk-hero) released a career retrospective entitled 'Canon'. It spans all 19 of her albums, including those on her own label 'Righteous Babe Records'. As one of the few DIY-ethic anti-establisment people to have made it, Ani DiFranco has reworked the face of modern folk and deserves a place in musical history. At the very least, she deserves to have you listen to her 'Best Of'.
Explore and buy 'Canon' by Ani DiFranco
On September 11th Ani DiFranco (singer, songwriter and activist folk-hero) released a career retrospective entitled 'Canon'.
And it's a vast career, worth distilling into one album for anyone who hasn't heard her stuff yet. With 19 albums in nearly two decades, and most of those released on Righteous Babe Records, the music label she set up herself, Ani's been a busy lady. If you don't know her stuff already, a back catalogue of 19 albums is hard work to plow through – so we say there's no worthier 'Best Of' album to buy. When it's Ani DiFranco, there's no shame in it...
'Canon' comes as 2 CDs and all the songs have been chosen by Ani herself. She's chosen well, picking songs from both the first album and the 19th so that the album almost becomes a musical autobiography.
Ani DiFranco has been one of the few anti-establishment heroines to be consistent in her beliefs and approach to the musical business over the years. A bisexual songstress who's had nose rings, green hair, shaven skull, Ani's stood out from the crowd, but primarily she's a powerful folk songstress who sings about politics, both social and sexual.
Disc One contains the earlier stuff – '32 Flavors' is, rightly, pretty much everyone's favourite, and 'Fire Door', God's Country' and 'Untouchable Face' are fantastic.
The power behind Ani's work is that her voice is strong and sweet, but her lyrics are grippingly honest and sometimes heartfelt to the point of brutality, and her understanding of melody is cathartic because it makes you feel emotion, whether it be love, melancholy, anger or passion. Musically, Ani is a giver, not a receiver.
That's why she's such a great folk singer – she doesn't just give a great live performance and have ideals worth aspiring to. She knows how to make her songs connect with their listeners.
Even if you're an Ani completist, 'Canon' has some surprises: namely, reworkings of 'Napoleon', 'Shameless', as well as 'Your Next Bold Move', 'Overlap' and the live classic 'Both Hands'.
Canon's track list:
'Canon' Disc one:
"Fire Door"
"God's Country"
"You Had Time"
"Buildings and Bridges"
"Coming Up"
"Cradle & All"
"Shy"
"32 Flavors"
"Dilate"
"Untouchable Face"
"Gravel"
"Distracted"
"In or Out"
"Joyful Girl"
"Fuel"
"Little Plastic Castle"
"As Is"
"Napoleon" (re-recorded)
"Shameless" (re-recorded)
'Canon' Disc two:
"Everest"
"Wish I May"
"Marrow"
"Subdivision"
"Here for Now"
"Evolve"
"Animal"
"Rain Check
"Manhole"
"Studying Stones"
"Paradigm"
"Hypnotized"
"78% H2O"
"Your Next Bold Move" (re-recorded)
"Both Hands" (re-recorded)
"Overlap" (re-recorded)
About the author
Magdalena Knight is one of the co-creators of Mookychick. When she isn't dancing, drinking, eating, trawling second hand shops or watching horror flicks she edits this site, writes shorts, and basically puts herself about a bit. She would like some freelance writing work please. Or a pony. She loves you all.
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