¿Which Side Are You On? Explained
¿Which Side Are You On? is the 17th studio album by singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, released on January 17, 2012.
The title track is a revised version of the 1931 Florence Reece song "Which Side Are You On?" which was popularized by Pete Seeger. Seeger also provides accompanying vocals and banjo on the track.[1]
Critical reception
The album has a score of 69 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews". The Boston Globe gave it a favorable review and stated that most of it "strikes a natural balance between matters of the heart and causes close to DiFranco's heart."[2] The Independent gave it four stars out of five and called it "Ani DiFranco's first album in three years [that] finds the self-proclaimed Righteous Babe in feisty, thoughtful form."[3] Blurt gave the album seven stars out of ten and stated: "The melodies aren't so easily embraced; loping, ephemeral and often sounding blithely disconnected, they defy any attempt at grasping an easy hook or chorus. What's more, the loose grooves sometimes run counter to the tunes' sense of profundity."[4]
Mojo gave it three stars out of five and said the album was "sweet and to the point." Now also gave it three stars out of five and stated that the album "works best when DiFranco points to contradictions within herself, and worst when her lyrics get preachy or black-and-white."[5] The Daily Telegraph likewise gave it three stars and said that DiFranco's "worthier sentiments are balanced by maturing wit, self-awareness and the distinctive snap'n'slap of her funky guitar grooves."[6] Entertainment Weekly, however, gave the album a C and said that DiFranco "gets stuck in too many clunky Big Idea statements about equality and social politics."
Personnel
Adapted from the credits.[7]
- Ani DiFranco – guitars, electric guitar, baritone guitar, tenor guitar, 12-string, percussion, synth bass, keyboards, synthesizer, harpsichord, drum, bells, voices, atmospherics
- Todd Sickafoose – bass, bowed bass, electric bass, wurlitzer piano, mellotron, piano, harpsichord, theremin, sk1, bells, pump organ
- Andy Borger – drums and percussion
- Mike Dillon – vibraphone, tympanis, tubular bells, percussion, triangle, atmospherics
- Allison Miller – drums, backing voice
- Adam Levy – distorted electric guitar, electric guitar
- CC Adcock – clean electric guitar
- Pete Seeger – banjo, backing voice
- Derrick Tabb – snare drum
- The Rivertown Kids – backing voices
- The Roots of Music Marching Crusaders – horns and drums
- Michael Juan Nunez – pedal steel guitar
- Dave Rosser – electric guitar
- Ivan Neville – keyboard bass, synthesizer, backing voice
- Cyril Neville – drums
- Anaïs Mitchell – backing voice
- Jeffrey Clemens – percussion
- Ashley Toman – harp
- Ben Ellman – tenor saxophone
- Mark Mullins – trombone
- Matt Perrine – tuba
- Mike Napolitano – drum loops
- Skerik – tenor saxophone (solo) and atmospherics
Production
- Produced by Ani DiFranco and Mike Napolitano
- Recorded by Mike Napolitano at Studio in the Country, Bogaloosa, LA
- Additional Engineering – Ben Mumphry
- Assistant Engineer – Jay Wesley at Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, NY
- Additional Engineering – Andy Taub
- Assistant Engineer and Pro Tools Operator Extraordinaire – Ben Liscio
- Mixed by Mike Napolitano and Ani DiFranco
- Mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen
- Art Direction – Ani DiFranco and Brian Grunert
- Design – Brian Grunert, Annie Stoll, and Maria Taczak
- Peacock Photograph – Michael Napolitano
- Ani Photographs – Patti Perret
- Funnel and Feather Photographs – Biff Henrich[7]
Charts
The album debuted at No. 82 on the Canadian Albums Chart[8] and at No. 26 on the Billboard 200.[9]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Ani DiFranco new album out in January. Windy City Times. November 29, 2011. November 7, 2011.
- Web site: Ani DiFranco, '¿Which Side Are You On?' . James . Reed . . January 17, 2012 . June 29, 2013.
- News: Album: Ani Difranco, Which Side Are You On? (Righteous Babe) . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-ani-difranco-which-side-are-you-on-righteous-babe-6288749.html . May 7, 2022 . subscription . live . Andy . Gill . . January 13, 2012 . June 29, 2013.
- Web site: Ani DiFranco – ¿Which Side Are You On? . Lee . Zimmerman . . January 17, 2012 . June 29, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120122013335/http://blurt-online.com/reviews/view/3577/ . January 22, 2012 . live.
- Web site: Ani Difranco – ¿Which Side Are You On? . Sarah . Greene . . February 23, 2012 . June 29, 2013.
- Web site: Ani DiFranco: Which Side Are You On, CD review . Helen . Brown . . January 13, 2012 . June 29, 2013.
- Web site: Ani DiFranco-Which Side Are You On? . November 29, 2011. November 7, 2011.
- Web site: CANOE – JAM! Music – SoundScan Charts . https://archive.today/20041226005640/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Charts/ALBUMS.html . usurped . December 26, 2004 . Jam.canoe.ca . June 26, 2013 . July 24, 2013.
- Web site: [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=ani difranco|chart=all}} Ani DiFranco – Chart Positions]. Billboard.com. July 24, 2013.
