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Ani di Franco | Revelling/Reckoning

CD, Righteous Babe

Tekst: Nathalie Claeys

Publicatiedatum: 01 juni 2001

A feisty Suzanne Vega with multi-coloured braids. Or is it just dark plaids now? Strumming on her acoustic guitar like a Righteous Babe, Ani DiFranco does it DIY-style: She writes, records, and releases music on her own label, fighting the corporate enemy. Her legion of fans might suck up every single word she sings - gosh, she even uses words like "fucker", so she must be for real - I however can't help but raise an eyebrow. Business-wise she has been standing outside for over a decade, musically she merely sounds bland and unexciting on 'Revelling/Reckoning'. Singer-songwriters always walk that fine line between being utterly endearing and self-absorbed creatures. Joni Mitchell balanced it well on 'Blue'. Ani DiFranco, however, fails to grasp my attention. So how does she lose me? In the self-centered lyrics. Ani DiFranco is self-conscious and self-exposing to the extreme. How can a listener connect when there is only room for the singer? Moreover, this latest release entitled 'Revelling / Reckoning' is a double record, another sign of arrogance. In some cases this is substantiated, in some cases it fails. The Beatles struck gold with the 'White Album', and, more recently, Steve Wynn displayed his talent at writing psychedelic punk gems on the double whammy 'Here Come the Miracles'. Sadly, Ani DiFranco fails to realize that sometimes it is better to serve your music in small doses. Albeit the negative criticism, there are some gems to be found on the record. On songs like 'Heartbreak Even', when the band is on a laidback funk groove, it is hard not to swing your hips. This is stripped-down music, which begs to be played on a stage. Communal music in a sense, but only if she can use that stage as a confession stand. This is background music when you are slurping a cafe latté in your local coffee shop. Never bold, never daring, and certainly never moving.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/ani-di-franco/revelling-reckoning/293/
Meer Ani di Franco op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/ani-di-franco