To the Teeth - DiFranco, Ani (CD 1999)

Ani is probably the most well-known independent singer in music history. Since 1990, she started her own label (Righteous Babe), build up a huge following due to word-of-mouth, and expanded her musical styles from folk to jazz to rock to funk. I discovered her last year with Not A Pretty Girl, I raved about how good it was and that I'll check out her other stuff. But I didn't check out her other stuff cause other artists took my interest and she had to wait. Earlier this year I picked up To The Teeth and at first I was very "eh" about it, but as usual I listen to it more and it grew on me. It's another great piece of her work.

It starts out with the political title track, To The Teeth. The song manages to be angry, mournful, and witty at once. It starts off with just Ani's sad, raspy voice and her acoustic guitar. The more the song continues, the angrier Ani is and the gospel-esque organ helps bring out that quality. The lyrics are so honest, direct, and you can't help but cheer her on for the last lines: and if i hear one more time/ about a fool's right/ to his tools of rage/ i'm gonna take all of my friends/ and i'm gonna move to Canada/ and we're gonna die of old age. After that, it turns into a jam fest with somber horns, waltzing drums, and Ani scatting in sad manner. Soft Shoulder is a bluesly number that has a sad quality all over it. Considering the subject matter (a love that went by too fast), it fits. The electric guitars reek of blues, the organ brings a southern feel, and the flute brings out a sadness. Not to mention, the emotion in Ani's voice is pretty damn convincing.

The funky acoustic guitar, cool rhodes piano, and steady drums bring out an up-tempo funk feeling to Wish I May, but the lyrics are the complete opposite. It talks about self-loathing and who hasn't gone through that. The simple chorus just says how I feel sometimes: don't tell me it's gonna be alright/ you can't sell me on your optimism tonight. The ending has a boys choir that brings out an ethereal atmosphere to the song. Freakshow is an aggressive song with it's funked out electric guitars and Ani's harsh vocal performance sounding like Alanis M. The song is metaphoric speaking of clowns and circuses, but the main point is some people are not what they appear to be. The chorus is catchy with Ani's jaw-dropping acoustic guitar performance and a repetitive lyric: welcome to the freakshow/ here we go. But the main attraction is the ending with Ani's atmospheric, ethereal vocals repeating lot of love like a mantra.

Going Once has a smoky jazz club flavor with it's calm acoustic guitar, somber horns, and it's languid atmosphere overall. The sad, moody lyrics are back this time describing a girl who went on a quest looking for something new only to not be satisfied: and then one day she looked around her/ and everything up til then was showing/ and she worried how did I get here/ without even knowing where I was going?. The sadness fully comes out in the end with Ani scatting and a wailing trumpet. The album takes an even more dark atmosphere with Hello Birmingham. The song is heartbreaking dealing with the murder of a doctor who performed abortions. The way the lyrics are written and the vocal performance from Ani makes this song a highlight. It's the most sparse song on the album relying on her acoustic guitar, a sad piano, and a mournful organ.

Back Back Back is the most funky song on the album. The simple electric guitars, the funky clavinets, and the jazzy horn section create such a fun feeling, but by now you know that the lyrics are otherwise. It's funny how a few songs ago she was full of self-loathing, now on this song she lashes out on those who are self-loathing. The hook is infectious with Ani scatting and a funked out saxophone playing. Swing is another fun song with it's bluesy acoustic guitar, bouncy horns, a well-played wurlitzer, and it's hip-hop drum machine. But it's another song with deplorable lyrics speaking of your self-conciousness. The fun quality raises up when Corey Parker starts rapping and more instruments are added (handclaps, bells).

Carry You Around has an excellent moody atmosphere. The music relies only on basses and drums that creates a trip-hop sound, but the main focus is on her multi-tracked vocals that are so versatile and each sound like a different person. The lyrics border on being introspective, sad, and happy at once and it feels uncertain. Cloud Blood keeps the moody feel going. The acoustic guitar is moody, the organ is heavy, and the rhythm section creates a reggae-feel to the song. This song deals with a love going wrong, but you don't know exactly why it did. The electric guitar solo at the end is screeching, dramatic, and adds a more remorseful feel to it. The Arrivals Gate is the one true happy moment on this album with it's country acoustic guitars and banjos blended with a frantic trip-hop drum machine. The lyrics speak of people greeting each other at the arrivals gate and it's very light-hearted. Ani, herself, sounds happy and bouncy on this song.

Providence is a bluesy ballad featuring Prince. The verses are calm with it's simple acoustic guitar and churchy organ, but the chorus is rocking with it's thundering drums. The song is remorseful as an old time couple meet again, Ani captures it perfectly: it's an narrow margin/ just room enough for regret/ in the inch and half between/ hey how ya been? and can I kiss you yet?. Ani and Prince offer great vocal performances especially at the end. I Know This Bar is the best closer for this album. It's a quiet, somber tune talking about Ani visiting a place she once knew. The melancholy acoustic guitar, out-of-tune piano, and quiet drum machine create that gloomy feel perfectly. Combine it with Ani's emotional performance and you got a great song.

This album is way different from Not A Pretty Girl, lyrically and musically. The former had all the feelings of a woman in her youth, this here is a maturing person near her 30s. The music here is more diverse and more moody than "...Pretty Girl", not to mention her voice is more mature and a bit raspy from smoking cigarettes. This is an album that needs to grow on you a bit before you make your opinion on it.