If there's any CD in the DiFranco collection that could be considered the "breakthrough" album, Not a Pretty Girl is surely it. This is the first record I ever heard, probably because Ani's face was suddenly on the cover of every single magazine known to womankind. I've never been really sure what it was about this record that made mainstream press suddenly pay attention. Maybe the Righteous Babe Machine did some marketing changes that year, or something.
Gone are the hissing esses, and in their place is Ani on pretty much every instrument ever created. Her status as a guitar pioneer was probably solidified with this record, too, as she went nuts with the alternate tunings and very-difficult-to-duplicate plucking rhythms.
There's also more of the great DiFranco-Stochansky groove collaboration on here, particularly on "Shy," the final recording of which was the first take. This record also features "The Million You Never Made," which these days, in retrospect, should really be titled "The Millions You Never Made," as well as the outstanding title track, "Cradle and All," a reprise of "Coming Up" (originally on Imperfectly), and many more good songs.
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Track Listing
- Worthy
- Tiptoe
- Cradle and All
- Shy
- Sorry I Am
- Light of Some Kind
- Not a Pretty Girl
- The Million You Never Made
- Hour Follows Hour
- 32 Flavors
- Asking Too Much
- This Bouquet
- Crime For Crime
- Coming Up