ANI DIFRANCO - Little Plastic Castle (25th Anniversary Edition)

Twenty-five years later, Little Plastic Castle feels like a greatest hits collection. Her highest charting release on Billboard (peaking at #22) and containing her third Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance - Female ("Glass House"), Ani DiFranco's ninth studio album shows the Little Folksinger grappling with her independent career bubbling up into the mainstream - dissection of her fashion choices, a newly expanded listenership encroaching on the die-hards, examination of what it means to sell out - encapsulated in singalongs so indelible that they're staples of her live set decades later.
Ani returned to one of her favorite places to record-the live-in-studio called the Congress House in Austin, Texas. In this relaxed setting, she commented, "This album seemed to happen more organically than earlier studio releases." Ani is joined by drummer Andy Stochansky and bassist Jason Mercer who played with her on her 1997 tours, as well as bassist Sara Lee who toured with Ani in 1996. LPC also prominently features outside musicians, drummer Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel, Indigo Girls), and the horn section composed of three Austin session musicians who add flavor to "Little Plastic Castle" and "Deep Dish." In addition to these guests is the distinguished trumpeter Jon Hassell from Los Angeles, an avant-garde composer who has worked with such diverse figures as Brian Eno, LaMonte Young, Talking Heads, and k.d. lang. Jon provides the sustained subtle solo on the 14-minute final track "Pulse." The Grammy Awards committee selected "Glass House" for Ani's third nomination in the Best Rock Performance - Female category. Filled with all of the humor and irony that it takes to get through the day, Ani remains timely and timeless.

Vinyl release of Ani Difranco - Little Plastic Castle (25th Anniversary Edition). Released through RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS and available on 2LP.