DiFranco mixes styles, instruments on new LP

On her 11th album, Little Plastic Castle, the fiercely independent singer-songwriter employs new instruments and covers a wide spectrum of emotions

Ani DiFranco has always been rather frank in her songs about life.

Little Plastic Castle, DiFranco's newly released 11th album on her Righteous Babe Records label, displays no change in spirit.

It undulates with her energy towards her subject matter, with emotions ranging from angry to blissful to sedate.

She mixes various musical adaptations into her songs, adding such various instruments such as trumpets, trombones and baritone saxophones.

On "Deep Dish," the sixth track, this new style is clear.

The song sounds almost ska-influenced because of the addition horn melodies.

The first tune on the album, "Little Plastic Castle," is sure to be a favorite of new DiFranco fans.

- Ani DiFranco

Other songs on the album sound more like traditional DiFranco, such as "Pixie," a critical look at the pretty upper-middle class "popular" girl portrayed on TV.

It is slow and satirical, and makes its point strongly.

Then DiFranco delves into the mind of a person contemplating suicide on "Swan Dive."

While this may not be the most uplifting theme, it is, as DiFranco points out, an all too familiar one. It relays the person's dissatisfaction in life, and is a cry for attention.

On "Independence Day," DiFranco vocalizes a lover's post-breakup drama.

It is an acoustic song in which the sadness and frustration is so lucid in DiFranco's words and guitar.

Though most of her songs take a direct stab at subjects that DiFranco deems worthy of criticism, some do not come right out to make clear points.

Her almost spoken-word song "Fuel" is more of a poem that leaves the listener to find the theme.

At once a critique of the pop culture industries of TV and music, the fresh and intriguing song also touches on our society's past and why we seem to forget it so often.

Little Plastic Castle is well represented by "As Is," a song urging a lover to speak truth.

DiFranco has always been a proponent of doing things on your own, and impels her listeners to get real, and get out from behind their protective walls. As she sings: "You can't hide behind social graces . . . 'cuz you lie in my face at all places."