Ani DiFranco's performance at the Orpheum last October left many of her fans fearing that the queen of do-it-yourself female folk had sold out. She appeared to have abandoned the audience's favorite classic Ani tunes, and the concert was over before 11 p.m. Those who had been listening to her for years walked out of the Orpheum worried that she would never again be the Ani they had grown to love.
All those suspicions, however, are banished with her latest release, a double album entitled Revelling/Reckoning. Her variety of influences - ranging from folk to funk to jazz - are finally reconciled, culminating in a collection of 29 songs that range from the traditional "Ani and her acoustic guitar" style to "Ani and her five-piece band." Some tracks are reminiscent of earlier albums, like 1995's Not a Pretty Girl, while others are like nothing you've ever heard from her before.
"There's probably more of a jazz sound on these new records than people may expect from me," DiFranco said in her press release. While she insists that the influence has always been there, it is true that it has never been as prominent as it is on Revelling/Reckoning. The addition of a horn section, as well as her innovative use of both electric and acoustic guitars, contributes to the jazzy vibe of the album.
The undeniably different feel of the album can also be attributed to the construction of DiFranco's own studio. It has given her much more freedom to play with both her music and songwriting. As a result, Revelling/Reckoning covers a wide spectrum of styles.
Her funk and jazz influences are more apparent on Revelling, the first disc of the album. She puts her band to work, incorporating horns, bass, drums, and even an accordion here and there. "Ain't That the Way," the opening track, is driven by powerful bass lines of Jason Mercer and drums of Daren Hahn. "Kazoointoit" as a similar feel to it - in addition to the bass and drums, the use of an answering machine message played over and over again gets incorporated into the track.
While the majority of the 13 tracks on Revelling are experimental and play with sounds and texture, some of the songs are familiar throwbacks to older Ani styles. "Tamburitza Lingua," for example, is a variation on DiFranco's infamous spoken word tradition. In addition to speaking, DiFranco is also featured playing the tamburitza and the tongue drum. The result is a spoken word track very different from "The Slant" from her debut album or "Tiptoe" from Not a Pretty Girl.
Reckoning has less of a studio-produced feel to it than Revelling, and as a result sounds more like the Ani the world has grown familiar with since she began releasing records on her own label, Righteous Babe Records, in 1990. Some of the songs, like "Your Next Bold Move," "So What," and "Imagine That," will probably sound familiar if you've been to any of her concerts lately. The album has been a work in progress and, as a result, DiFranco has already had a chance to try out some of these songs on stage. While the recordings are not identical to the versions she has presented in concert, you are still sure to recognize them. Moreover, you will also be happy to hear how she has softened the edges on the album to create a couple of near-perfect songs.
Reckoning uses a lot of instrumental bridges to connect its songs, resulting in a seamless wash between tracks that keeps the groove of the album going. DiFranco has admittedly used this idea before - with short, wordless bridges first appearing on To the Teeth - but this time around, they're much more prominent. She attributes the use of these musical interludes to her work on a documentary soundtrack. When her guitar-based instrumental music wasn't used in the film, she decided to use it on this album.
"They became interludes," she explained to the press, "so that the listener could pause and digest a song without being marooned in silence."
DiFranco's penchant for experimentation and her acoustic guitar have finally found a middle ground on Revelling/Reckoning. Some tracks rock hard, others are softer and soothing. It may take a little open-mindedness to accept the changes in DiFranco's style as a musician, singer, and songwriter, but the tried and true fan will not feel betrayed or barraged by the array of new sounds on this album. For every "different" song on the CD, there's another to remind you of old-fashioned Ani, and that's what keeps everyone hanging on.
