Knuckle Down for Disappointment
February 2nd, 2005 by Ian
I downloaded Ani DiFranco’s new album titled “Knuckle Down”. Overall, I’m unimpressed and disappointed. I fell in love with Ani about 6 years ago when she released “Little Plastic Castles”. That album had so much raw energy in it. It really grabbed you, slapped you around a bit, and left you reeling. As I began to purchase her older cds, I began to find out all her music was like this.
Unfortunately, her style has changed over the past couple of years. Her music has mellowed, and not in a good way. Many of the songs on Knuckle Down sound like long ramblings with no point. Her usual sharp and insightful criticism of politics, entertainment, relationships, and the world is nowhere to be found.
“Manhole”, “Modulation”, and “Studying Stones” are two tracks that do stand out on the album as harkening back to her roots. Even though they are not up to par with her older work, they are still good listens. In these songs, Ani adds a force to her voice that draws you in. This force is not present in the rest of the music.
Overall I don’t recommend this CD unless you are a huge Ani fan who must own all her work. For those who have an interest in Ani DiFranco, I suggest two of her earlier albums “Little Plastic Castles” or “Dilate”. You’ll be much happier
On a side note, I’m finally going to see Ani live! I’ve been wanting to for years but she has never come near me. This Thursday I will finally get to see her perform. I only hope she plays some of her older stuff and little of the new.
cmusic=Untouchable Face by Ani DiFranco (on the album “Dilate”)
cmood=Bleh
I wonder if this is going to be one of those things where you like it later after you listen to it more.
Tim Dayton and I were having a discussion about this (artist mellowing/evolution) over e-mail recently about R.E.M. I think that most artists with any degree of longevity tend to mellow or change their music quite a bit. R.E.M. is very different now but they are much older now than when they first start putting out music, or even from when they first started getting attention (eg “It’s The End of the World…”) which was years after their first few albums.