Ani DiFranco's To the Teeth
1999, Righteous Babe

I always used to wonder, when Perry Thompson first turned me on to Ani DiFranco, what she was going to do when she got tired of singing angry songs while beating hell out of her guitar.

The recent collaborations with Utah Phillips, and a subsequent strengthening of her folk roots amid the electronic studio tricks of the last several CDs, have been one answer. Still, the last two full-length solo efforts, Little Plastic Castle and Up Up Up Up Up Up, have seemed to lose their way, as if DiFranco herself hasn't been quite sure where to go next.

With To the Teeth, she's got her feet beneath her again. She's still pissed off, of course, which is a good thing, but the new sound has evolved now to the point where she's comfortable with it. I was one of many who were fearful when longtime drummer Andy Stochansky left, but I think his departure has freed DiFranco to evolve beyond her initial persona and style.

From some people, all it takes is one song to redeem several lukewarm CDs, and for my money that song is "Providence". Backed by the oniony vocals of The Artist, of all people, DiFranco truly rocks here for the first time in what seems like an age, the leaden one-and-three downbeats of her early work tempered by airy vocal cadenzas and nearly-whispered lines. Another notable collaboration is with Maceo and Corey Parker on "Swing", in which we're again teased with what DiFranco can do with a wind section, a lá "How Have You Been" from 1994s Out of Range.

To the Teeth essentially fulfills the promise of several less-well-done recent outings. It's an even, strong work.