‘ ‘ ‘ Folk singers are notorious for their social commentary through highly lyrical,… ‘ ‘ ‘ Folk singers are notorious for their social commentary through highly lyrical, self-written songs that stir up emotions and please the ear. ‘ ‘ ‘ Ani DiFranco is one such artist who has released almost 20 albums in almost as many years, and she hasn’t lost her social and political edge yet. From sparse acoustic solo work to fully orchestrated bombasts, DiFranco’s work has long been centralized on her words. Fittingly, then, observations and opinions abound in her latest album, Red Letter Year. ‘ ‘ ‘ While her subjects range from motherhood and relationships to religion and politics, DiFranco expresses herself without the feeling that she’s standing on a soapbox. Her spoken word-like rhythmic vocals would put any poet to shame, and her lyrics always impress. ‘ ‘ ‘ There is no subject that she can’t turn into an intricate metaphor for life, love and values. Ani DiFranco fully appreciates the little things in ‘The Atom.’ The song is a tribute to the ‘smallest unit of matter uniting bird and rock and tree and you and me.’ How she can turn a song about a unit of matter into a statement about consumerism, religion and activism is incredible. The lyrics set to simple guitar and sung with soft vocals allow the listener to really hear the words of the song. ‘ ‘ ‘ If there is anything you should take away from listening to DiFranco, it is that she always has something to say. And that something is usually worth listening to. Her thoughts on everything from global and environmental issues to religion to her own family and relationships are the creative fodder for her music. ‘ ‘ ‘ The songs are definitely lyric-driven, with each word evoking vivid images in the listener’s mind. The diary-style thought catharsis that happens here gives substance to the words DiFranco sings. There is personal and passionate meaning in every verse. ‘ ‘ ‘ The piano-accompanied ‘Smiling Underneath’ uses strong imagery to show the songwriter’s devotion to and contentment with her companion. She says she doesn’t mind all the unfortunate things in life if she’s ‘with you.’ Her idea of unfortunate ranges from spilling hot sauce on her shirt to delayed flights to being stuck in traffic with teething quintuplets to wearing a flaming Christmas wreath. Safe to say DiFranco is pretty happy ‘with you.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ The vocals range from almost spoken words to appropriately subtle vocal expression to a wordless instrumental piece. ‘ ‘ ‘ The heavy words DiFranco speaks do well accompanied by instrumentals that never overpower the vocals. The way she expresses herself is reminiscent of a slam poet in a crowded coffee shop whose words are answered with a chorus of enthusiastic snaps. The rhythmic words fit perfectly with the subject matter ‘mdash; nothing gets your point across like a rhythmic spotlight. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Alla This’ employs a semi-spoken vocal style to great effect. Focus moves from the words of staying true to self to the string solo with hushed backing vibraphone notes. DiFranco uses her band well, with lyrics taking a backseat to the instrumentals at intervals that show the versatility of the outfit. ‘ ‘ ‘ Despite the fact that ‘Red Letter Year Reprise’ has no lyrics, just a myriad of horn instruments, the song bursts with expressive feeling. It is difficult to get an inanimate object to emote, but DiFranco and her band get it done. Never has a metallic object made audiences feel so joyful since the dance of ‘The Brave Little Toaster.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Expression is key for DiFranco. This songwriter’s thoughts become more than just fleeting ideas. A thought is a song and a chance to let the world know how she feels. With so much to say, how can one not listen to this ultra-cool activist, mother, singer and, maybe most importantly, fellow human being?