Up Up Up Up Up Up (CD - 1999)

Personnel: Ani DiFranco (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, accordion, piano); Jason Mercer (banjo, bass, background vocals); Julie Wolf (accordion, piano, Wurlitzer piano, Clavinet, organ, background vocals); Andy Stochansky (drums, background vocals); Goat (drum machine).

Recorded at The Congress House, Austin, Texas and Kingsway, New Orleans, Louisiana.

"Jukebox" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

Personnel: Ani DiFranco (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, accordion, piano); Jason Mercer (vocals, banjo, upright bass); Julie Wolf (vocals, accordion, piano, Clavinet, organ, Wurlitzer organ); Andy Stochansky (vocals, drums); Goat (drum machine).

Audio Mixer: Andrew Gilchrist.

Recording information: Congress House Studio, Austin, TX (1998); Kingsway, New Orleans, LA (1998).

Photographer: Scot Fisher.

DiFranco made a name for herself by turning acoustic singer-songwriter conventions inside out and virtually reinventing the genre with her unique, unfettered vision. Throughout her prolific career one of DiFranco's greatest strengths has been her willingness to let it all hang out, both musically and lyrically. On UP UP UP, though, she explores the added dimensions found in the use of sparseness, minimalism and dynamic contrast. While never less than nakedly emotive, many of the songs here have the feeling of a passion or fury that's just barely reigned in.

The socio-political observations of "Tis of Thee" simmer with anger, but the acoustic-based arrangement remains low-key. "Juke Box" is undeniably funky, but there's a sense of control that makes its off-kilter rhythms that much more effective. On the epic-length "Come Away From It," DiFranco tells a heartbroken tale atop a sonic landscape that is a study in the effective use of minimalism, breaking down to near silence for long stretches. The combination of irrepressible energy and tastefulness makes UP UP UP one of DiFranco's most mature, effective recordings. minimize