Chris Beaumont

beaumont@ifa.hawaii.edu
2680 Woodlawn Drive
Honolulu, HI 96822

Publication Date: Fall 2006
Calvin College Uncompressed

In The Margins
Reflections on Ani Difranco’s Reprieve

Chris Beaumont

Ani Difranco released a new album in August. Depending on how you count, Reprieve is Ani’s 16th or 18th studio album in 16 years. Add to this collection three EPs, two DVDs, 11 collaborations with other artists, and an almost continuous touring career since 1992, and the result is a performer whom few would hesitate to label as prolific.

It is generally true that, when an artist’s career has this kind of stamina, the artist is doing something correctly (one may make the argument that the 17 albums of Mariah Carey provide an interesting counterexample). In the case of Ani DiFranco, many things are being done correctly. DiFranco invests an uncommon amount of deliberation and sincerity into all aspects of her music. From the style of the guitar to the presence or absence of drums to the character of vocal grunting, Ms. DiFranco’s music is pregnant with intentional meaning.

In this context, Ani’s new album is worthy of careful deliberation. The sound of Reprieve is particularly intriguing. The album finds Ani in a unusually reflective mood – both lyrically and musically. Typical Ani signatures – frenetic guitar picking, aggressive vocals – are infrequent or altogether missing in these songs, replaced instead with an emphasis on soft acoustic fingerpicking, a mellow upright bass, and a sparse arrangement of background sounds.

It strikes me that this choice of style deserves some thought. Why might Ani have chosen to release such a contemplative record? In what ways does the album’s minimalist style communicate to the listener? What is the significance of the presence and placement of ambient sounds? In other words – and to borrow the title of the album’s third track – what is happening in the margins of this album? It is my attempt in this space to elucidate some of my thoughts on this matter.

Reasons for Reflection

There have likely been at least three events which significantly shape Reprieve. The first is an uncharacteristic break from touring and writing that DiFranco took in mid 2005. Though the break was motivated by a developing case of tendonitis, DiFranco has remarked that the rest provided her with time during which she was able to “stop putting out and just listen…to be quiet and still.” The album bears the impact of this contemplative period.

Another significant influence is the romantic relationship that Ani has been developing with the album’s producer, Mike Napolitano. DiFranco recently announced that she and Napolitano are expecting a baby girl. This relationship has likely influenced both DiFranco’s style and the songwriter/producer dynamic through which the album was created. I attribute this fact to my opinion that the album’s treatment of relationships is significantly less bitter than her other works.

Of final note is the impact that Hurricane Katrina has on the album. While production of Reprieve began in New Orleans, DiFranco was forced to relocate after the storm and finish her album in Buffalo. Such an exodus has had two distinct effects on the album. First, as Rolling Stone journalist Brian Orloff observes, Reprieve “sonically reflects her travels [to and from New Orleans] over the last year.” There are themes of disconnectedness on the album that likely have origin in the fact that production took place in two locations. The second effect is that much of DiFranco’s equipment was unavailable in New York. In light of this, the album’s earthy, bare-bones feel is seen as a new language which, while forced upon DiFranco by situation, has opened up new nuances for her art.

Speaking Through Absence

DiFranco often uses the deliberate absence of noise in Reprieve as its own form of art. An example of this is in the excellent track “Nicotine,” which deals with the interplay between infatuation and addiction. The song’s minimalism is present everywhere from Ani’s delicate vocals to the slow, lo-fi bongo track to the simplistic melody. When this mellowness is juxtaposed with the song’s sometimes-dissonant chords and eerie lyrics like “I hate you sometimes / but I love to be your queen,” the song becomes paradoxical and intensified. This technique is also present in “Unrequited,” a lyrical rationalization the end of a relationship. In these songs Ani gets under the skin, arguing that love is often ugly.

Another excellent use of restraint is in the closing track, “Reprise.” The song is a brief instrumental ballad featuring a quiet keyboard chord progression which is slightly elaborated upon by an acoustic guitar. The song provides a summary for the predominant mood throughout the rest of the album. My favorite element of the song is the final chord that yearns for another, resolving one. Ani follows this chord with eight seconds of silence, leaving the listener waiting for a resolution that is not delivered. It is a beautiful and sad song which closes the album wonderfully.

In the Background

DiFranco uses electronic and recorded sounds more heavily in this album than some of her other works. Many of these sounds are used to transition in between songs, which provides coherence throughout the album. My favorite of these transitions is between “Nicotine” and “Decree.” Following “Nicotine” is roughly a minute-long superposition of urban background noise, monkey cries, and the mechanical breaths of a respirator. These then fade into “Decree.” The disturbing sound both reaffirms the dissonance of “Nicotine” and introduces the aggression and tension in “Decree.” The respirator then becomes a recurring motif in Decree, which fades in and out to complement the other instrumentation.

“Millennium Theatre,” a reflection on the early 21st century and, musically speaking, the most active track on the album, also makes excellent use of electronic sounds. Some of Ani’s vocals in the song are echoed through the sound of a fuzzy loudspeaker, which gives the impression of being at a cheesy circus and asserts the absurdity of spectacle. A sound that can only be described as a squeaky wheel is barely audible throughout the track, and a mixture of static and electronic feedback fades in at the end to engulf the song. This Radiohead-esque use of electronic sounds creates a feeling of unease throughout the track. Such a feeling is apt, as DiFranco’s intention is to disturb her listeners with what she is singing about.

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As has been suggested above, Repreive is an intentional album in which few elements are left unconsidered or hastily presented. Ani Difranco’s album is a showcase of the artist’s ability to communicate in concert through multiple avenues. She has demonstrated here the goal of many artists: to communicate in a way that deliberately reflects upon and critiques one’s subject in an effective and creative way.