There are three songs on this album that really stand out and they have nothing to do with politics or social issues, they have to do with love and relationships. DiFranco has always had a great lyrical ability to talk about personal issues and at times has been able to tap into that ability to write songs about social or political issues, like with "32 Flavors," but on this album she can never get that voice right. With an album title like Which Side Are You On? you know this is at its heart a political album and it is. DiFranco's youthful anger has turned into middle age frustrations with politics, society, etc. The problem with the political songs on this album is that they come across as too preachy, condescending, and frustrated. No matter what side you are on I think it's hard to write political songs that don't sound preachy, condescending, and frustrated and so I'm beginning to realize that you have to really respect people who are good at writing political songs.
As I said though there are three songs on this album that are very good songs and one, "Albacore," is one of the best love songs I've heard in years. DiFranco has been putting out albums now for over 20 years and one thing that comes across on this album is that she has not lost her passion for her art.
Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad.
Except for the guy going "WHOO" at one point this is a good version of Albacore.
At least two different women I dated before get married were huge Ani DiFranco fans, and I've subsequently married an even bigger Ani DiFranco fan still. So, anyway, I've spent a fair amount of time listening to Ani DiFranco over the last 20 or 25 years without ever having sought her out (because I never needed to), and I'll have to say that I like her music a great deal and respect her career even more.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is a very good version of a very good song, "Albacore." My guess is the guy who went "WHOO" was drunk and knew he was about to become the ex-boyfriend of an Ani DiFranco fan.
Ex-boyfriends of Ani DiFranco Fans would be an outstanding name for a Marshall Tucker Band tribute band.
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