WOMAD

Ani DiFranco

From United States

A righteous babe, and no mistake. With a rare talent for gutsy lyrics and elegant melodies, this "one-woman acoustic punk band on a mission" is a hidden delight of guitar-strumming attitude."If you don't live what you sing about,Your mirror is going to find out." Refusing to play ball with the corporate music industry, she set up, and runs, her own Righteous Babe record label, thus giving herself total creative control over every aspect of her work. Turning down record deals has become a matter of principle. "I may not be able to change the whole fucking world,But I can be the million that you'll never make." She started at the age of nine, playing Beatles' covers in local bars. At 15, she left home and started writing songs. Aged 18, she moved to New York and hit the road for a tour of North America which is still rolling. She has a phenomenal reputation as a live performer, and her constant touring has built up a fiercely loyal following."Ani brings tears to your eyes, makes you laugh, rocks you to hell and back, and holds your mind at gunpoint the entire time." The music is a harmonious fusion of occasionally ferocious virtuoso guitar picking and poetically polemic lyrics. Anger at "them" blisters and pops beneath the surface, occasionally erupting into an explosion of wrath. The coaxing, playful warmth of her voice is reserved for "us". The drums, played by Andy Stochansky, carefully punctuate her statements, receding to jog alongside the guitar patterns in the dreamy interiors of the songs. Her latest album, 'Not a Pretty Girl', leaves you with a burning desire to see her perform and catch some of the canned charisma in its wild, live state."Last night's underwear in my back pocket, Sure sign of the morning after."