Product Description Which Side Are You On? marks Ani DiFranco s first studio album in more than three years. The collection features 11 new songs alongside a radically reworked rendition of the classic title song, famously popularized by the one and only Pete Seeger nearly five decades ago, but no less relevant today. Backing DiFranco is a remarkably diverse line-up of stellar musi cians, including members of her own crack touring band as well as such guest players as Ivan and Cyril Neville (of New Orleans first family of funk and R&B, The Neville Brothers), avant-saxophonist Skerik (Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, The Meters), acclaimed singer/songwriter (and Righteous Babe recording artist) Anaïs Mitchell, guitarist Adam Levy (Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman, Amos Lee), and a host of New Orleans-based horn players known for their work in such outfits as Galactic, Bonerama, and The Rebirth Brass Band. What s more, Ani is joined on her stunning new version of 'Which Side Are You On?' by the aforementioned Pete Seeger, whom she praises as 'my elder, my forefather in folk music and political song.'DiFranco was inspired to record the famed protest anthem after being invited to perform at Seeger s 90th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in May 2009. She contributed her own straight-from-the headlines verses to the song and has used it to close her own live shows ever since. The newly recorded version of 'Which Side Are You On?' is a funk-fueled epic, incorporating not just Ani s band, but Seeger himself on banjo and vocals alongside The Rivertown Kids, a Hudson Valley-based children s chorus, and The Roots of Music Marching Crusaders, a brass band consisting of students from The Roots of Music, a music education program for at-risk middle-school students in New Orleans. 'All of my musical community, my comrades, are in there,' says Ani of the crossgenerational recording. Which Side Are You On? was co-produced by DiFranco and her longtime collaborator Mike Napolitano over a series of sessions in 2010 and 2011. The basic tracks feature two slightly different versions of Ani s touring band, recorded at Bogalusa, Louisiana s renowned S tudio In The Country, Brooklyn, New York s Brooklyn Bridge Studio, and her own New Orleans home studio, The Dugout. 'I m testing deeper waters with the political songs on this album,' she says. 'I feel a little bit frustrated, politically desperate. After having written hundreds of songs over decades, I think, Now what? How far can I go with this? Can you sing the word abortion, can you sing the word patriarchy what can you sing and get away with? I guess I ve been pushing my own boundaries of politics and art. Seeing what people have the ears to listen to. How big is my mouth? What can I get out of it successfully?' Review Engrossing music every bit as fiery as her earliest work - CD Of The Week. --Sunday Times, January 15th, 2012The general tone is melancholy, thoughtful and as you would expect from a talent of this calibre fiercely intelligent. --Daily Express, January 13th, 2012
J**N
Which side am I on??.....Ani's!!
Pete Seeger makes a welcomed return to provide vocals and banjo for the title track `¿Which Side Are You On?' No less than 71 YEARS since he originally recorded the song. He was an iconic figure in the mid-20th century American folk music revival. Can Ani DiFranco create a folk revival of her own with this record? Well it must be said, 20 records into her career she has, in my opinion, fashioned a beautiful collection of songs which might just do this!! The tight rhythmic pulses harmonize beautifully with DiFranco's charming lyricism whilst maintaining her simplistic, earthy folk-roots. A great album! 10/10
R**N
Ani di Franco - back on form!
Ani di Franco is back with her new album "Which side are you on". In all honesty, I wasn't sure what to expect of the accomplished singer/ songwriter's new piece of work - has the music scene progressed quite a lot since her last release. However, I am pleased to say that the break seems to have done Ani di Franco very well. The new album seems more thorough than any of her previous ones. The songs are compact and powerful as well as intricate in their musical arrangements while Ani's lyrics convey a matured mind. She has lost nothing of her rebelliousness, though it seems motherhood has helped her refine her overall approach.For me personally, "Which side are you on" is probably her best album to date - highly recommended!
C**I
A
'90s icon Ani DiFranco is back with a great album that proves she's still got it, some 20 years on from her debut. At traits baldly political, at traits introspective, deep and emotional, Which Side Are You On delivers a nice blend of outstanding tracks, which will leave you wanting to listen to the album over and over again. Definitely recommended, both to long term fans and and those new to her repertoire.
A**R
Five Stars
Excellent
R**R
"Keep the wolves outside"
Eine neue CD von Ani DiFranco ist wie die lang ersehnte Wiederbegegnung mit einer alten Freundin, von der man hofft, dass sie noch immer so zauberhaft ist, wie man sie in Erinnerung hat. Nun ist Ani DiFranco mit Sicherheit das Gegenteil von einer "Fee", die ab und zu mal eben hereinschwebt, dir einen flüchtigen Kuss auf die Stirn haucht und dann wieder von dannen zieht. Eher kommt sie mit Schwung herein in die Tür, zieht die Nase hoch, zeigt schon wieder ein neues Tattoo und sieht dich dabei so lange an, als wolle sie testen, wie lange du ihrem Blick standhalten kannst. Letzteres, also das Standhalten, lohnt sich: Denn am Ende fühlst du dich ja, mit ein bisschen Glück, doch geküsst. Und immer hat sie neue Songs im Gepäck, die sich so lückenlos in ihren Backkatalog fügen, dass man meint, die gebe es schon ewig. Überraschungen findet man da allenfalls mal in der Besetzung, im Arrangement - der Kern ist immer Ani pur. Und die muss man einfach lieben. Oder gibt es jemanden, Mann wie Frau, der solchen Zeilen widerstehen könnte: "i don't wanna strive for nothin anymore / i just wanna lie here with you / keep the wolves outside the door / there is nothin in this world you could ever show me / that could matter more"? Ich nicht.
S**A
Kein Original
Musik ist super, CD war leider kein Original sondern eine Demo-CD.
S**E
Great gift
I got this for my room mate for his birthday. This album was on his wish list, so it was exactly what he wanted:)
M**C
Classic Ani.
I've been a fan of Ani DiFranco since coworkers at Java Joes Coffeehouse introduced me to her music years ago. (I've since moved across the country and am no longer in college). I fell in love with her music then and, after hearing Which Side Are You On? have fallen in love with her music all over.While I own most all Ani CDs (with the exception of the million bootlegs and some of her earlier works), the Ani "sound" I enjoy most is the one on Dilate and Not a Pretty Girl. Her last, Red Letter Year, was okay, but far from my favorite.Which Side Are You On? is a pleasant combination of early Ani (and the sound I like) and the current not-so-angsty-and-angry Ani.Highly recommended.And thanks, Ani, for a great collection.
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