Ani DiFranco is a veteran. By the time artists like Alanis Morissette and Kelly Clarkson struck gold with their "Yay! Women rule!" hits, DiFranco was already the poster child of female empowerment. She started her own record label, Righteous Babe, on which she has released an album nearly every year since 1990. This year brings her latest effort, Reprieve, a rich mix of poetry and politics, DiFranco's bread and butter. One of the album's unique features is that the majority of tracks find DiFranco ditching her grainy, raw vocals in favor of a sweeter, melodic approach. But don't let that fool you into thinking that she is going soft - a fascinating side of Reprieve is that DiFranco is still able to convey strong emotion through her gentle tone.

The title track is DiFranco's take on living in a "man's world." "Reprieve" isn't a traditional song, but rather a spoken-word poem (such as the title track off 1999's To the Teeth), relying on DiFranco's poetics as the standout element. The minimal instrumentation allows the listener to pay greater attention to the heavy subject matter: "Feminism isn't about equality / It's about reprieve." Feminist themes and outspoken opinions lace the album, and "Reprieve" is chief among them.

The politically charged "Millennium Theater" finds DiFranco targeting the state of the world, specifically America: "Patriarchies realign / While the ice caps melt / And New Orleans bides her time." While she again remains collected while singing, her passion still seeps through.

For those eager to hear more of DiFranco's signature slap-folk guitar, "Half-Assed" and "Decree" are the go-to tracks. "Half-Assed" is a beautiful blend of honest vocals and edgy folk riffs. The unique arrangement of "Decree" has the words and music work together - the louder DiFranco's voice gets, the more urgent the playing.

Reprieve suffers when the tracks blend together, making it difficult to tell them apart. While it's nice to hear a true vocalist shine without shouting, at times DiFranco's tone is too calm. That's a shame, too, because the subject matter on the album is too relevant to ignore.

Reprieve is another solid album by Ani DiFranco. But Difranco's formula, while sufficient for her following, lacks a creative dynamism crucial for widespread appeal. Her poetry is relevant and profound, but her albums aren't.

Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Ani DiFranco
Reprieve
Righteous Babe