Monday, August 25, 2008

Dilate - Ani DiFranco

The first time I came across Ani DiFranco was through madcap's Last.fm charts some two years back. I see 'Napolean' still tops his 'Top Tracks', so anyways on asking who is she, he asked me to listen to 'Dilate', but somehow i was never able to get that album, until last year when i went to US. That time i remember listening to 'Napolean' and falling in love with it but somehow never listened to the entire album.



The first time i 'Listened' to it was probably a few months back. But somehow never got around to blogging about it. Well today again was listening to it after a long time and heard so many things which i didn't remember hearing before. You know thats the weird thing, you have to be in certain moods to totally appreciate certain music. Beauty of a sad song may be totally lost or i may not be able to appreciate it as much, say if 'm in a gay mood. And your impressions 'n interpretations of the song to a great extent depends on your current state of mind. Well, anyways what the hell 'm i doing stating the obvious stuff.

Coming back, 'Dilate' is a brilliant "album". Notice the album in quotes? just to emphasize that all the songs in the record are good and not just one or two, in which case they may just have been released as singles. Darn i do keep shooting off on tangents. Anyways if you haven't listened to Ani DiFranco before, you should defi start with this one. She is an amazing artist with lot of guts 'n spunk which is reflected in her songs. For more info, you can check wikipedia as usual. And this time when i went to US, a colleague there who went to college in Buffalo, NY was telling me that his friends were designing/creating her website when in college.

Anyways, coming back to music, Her talking singing style is refreshingly different. It defi doesn't come under the universally likable category, so i can't say you will defi like it, you will have to just go listen and find out for yourself. An album can't be gr8 without some powerful songs, be it either the music or the lyrics. Pretty much all the songs in this album are great, so can't really pick top songs, but generally i think Napolean and Dilate are more popular.

Dilate

Life used to be life-like
Now it's more like showbiz
I wake up in the night
And I don't know where the bathroom is

And I don't know what town I'm in
Or what sky I am under
And I wake up in the darkness and I
Don't have the will anymore to wonder

Everyone has a skeleton
And a closet to keep it in and you're mine
Every song has a you, a you that the singer sings to
And you're it this time, Baby, you're it this time

When I need to wipe my face
I use the back of my hand
And I like to take up space
Just because I can

And I use my dress
To wipe up my drink
I care less and less
What people think

And you are so lame
You always dissapoint me
It's kind of like our running joke
But it's really not funny

And I just want you to live up to
The image of you I create
I see you and I'm so unsatisfied
I see you and I dilate

So I'll walk the plank
And I'll jump with a smile
If I'm gonna go down
I'm gonna do it with style

And you won't see me surrender
You won't hear me confess
'Cuz you've left me with nothing
But I've worked with less

And I learn every room long enough, to make it to the door
And then I hear it click shut behind me
And every key works differently, I forget everytime
And forgetting defines me, That's what defines me

When I say you sucked my brain out
The English translation is I am in love with you
And it is no fun, But I don't use words like love
'Cuz works like that don't matter

But don't look so offended
You know, you should be flattered
And I wake up in the night
In some big hotel bed

And my hands grope for the light
And my hands grope for my head
The world is my oyster, The road is my home
And I know that I'm better off alone