Customer Reviews

Little Plastic Castle

5 star:		(89)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Not a day goes by when I don't need a fix of Ani and this is the CD I reach for the most. Little Plastic Castle keeps me wanting more. Just when I think I should be getting tired of it I find myself putting it in my CD player again. It is addictive.

My favorite song is 'Two Little Girls' which is a touching love story which I can personally relate to. 'Gravel' and 'Glass House' are good hard folk songs that effectively offsets the beautiful 'As Is'. 'Pixie' is wonderful both for the music and for the simple fact that virtually everyone can relate to disgruntled workers behind the counter, "so just suck up and be nice". How perfect is that!?!? The CD ends with 'Pulse' and the expanded beat that puts you in a whole different world. I think the one weakness of this CD is 'Deep Dish' that doesn't flow with the other tracks.

Regardless of what other Ani fans say, I enjoy her recent work and believe there is much to gain from it. Give it a try, you may find yourself repeatedly reaching for it too!

Ani is an incredible artist -- her lyrics are astounding, her sound unique -- truly a revolutionary artist in this day and age, especially when people succumb to the capitalistic industry and buy hanson, backstreet boys, and the like...Ani is just so unique, and refuses to be labeled and goes with whatever comes creatively in her life, which means it always changes...and I love the fact that she's got the ambition to have her own label.

For Ani fans, [shame on you if you haven't gotten it yet ;) ] this will be a very different experience from her earlier days. The sounds are more "modern" -- more than just her guitar and beautiful voice. For newcomers to her music; this is a great album, but not indicative of most of her earlier music. If you want to hear the folk, get "Puddle Dive" or the first album. All of her albums are amazing in their own ways.

Overall, a great album, although her sounds get a tad repetitive for the --very selective listener.-- I like it a lot -- and I was satisifed paying full price for it. Get it -- you won't be dissapointed -- Ani is truly a gem.

Background info before writing this review will probly help Ani fans reading it. I'm not an Ani fan in the sense of agreeing with all her messages and supporting the things she does. I am a fan, however, who admires her outspoken honesty. She knows exactly what she feels, thinks, and believes and isn't one bit afraid to put it out there & in your face. That takes guts, more power to her. This world we live in (especially this country, USA) could greatly benefit from exercising her unapologetic frankness.

This was the first album I got by Ani, and I have to say my favorite to date. Personally, I'm an eclectic & enjoy ALL music (I tend to stay mainstream [not Britney Spears-type, though], but enjoy many types of music). When I first heard Miss DiFranco, I was really quite turned off by her sound. A friend of mine had been playing her music in the car on our trips & activities, and I almost couldn't stomach it. She played Revelling/Reckoning, To The Teeth, Evolve, and probably Dilate. I just remember thinking "What is this???" Ani has a musical style all her own, very raw and real. I suppose my ears were just so used to sugar-sweet candy pop that I was somewhat disgusted. But even 'alternative' rock like death metal & all that don't have anything on her; she's got something that so many other artists, whether or not I like them, don't have.

Anyway, back to the task at hand: reviewing "Little Plastic Castle." I'm pretty sure the reason I like it so much is it is probably one of the more musically melodic albums she has out. What I mean is someone who is used to pop and things like that would probably do well to buy this CD as their first Ani album because it's closest to what they know. It's very effective in that way because it tunes the pop listner in by using sounds they can handle while presenting very deep messages and opinions that aren't so popular like the sound they are carried by.

Listening to number 1, the title track, really made me step back and think how boring things can get as far as the music industry and TV, etc. Some lyrics from that song are: "In a coffe shop / in a city / which is every coffe shop / in every city / on a day which is every day / I pick up a magazine / which is every magazine / read a story and forget it right away" She has a very good point here about how the media (TV, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc) train us to know what is 'normal,' and keep spoonfeeding us those stereotypes.

The lyrics to song 2, "Fuel," are hard-hitting & heavy. They talk about racism (slavery), politics, and many other things. It's a very good song to sit & ponder because at the end of it she sums all of her scenarios up by describing them each one as "a fire just waiting for fuel." One of my favorites!

Track 5 is good, "Two Little Girls." It's sad and dark but it's a good listen, it compells me all the way through each time.

I reccomend this CD highly because it helped me break out of the pop mindset, even though I was eclectic I never really understood how narrowminded I was musically (as well as politically, etc). Go for it! Do your best swan dive into the bold, bold world of Ani DiFranco.

Like some others who've posted here, I'm not necessarily an Ani-holic, but I have huge respect for her honesty and integrity, and the way she ran her career from a completely outsider approach into what is now a time-honored creative dynasty. She's not someone I listen to constantly, but I return to her regularly for a fix of the kind of blunt and exhilarating earnestness she represents.

That being said, I've always felt that after a certain point she just made too damn many CDs, so that at times musically she covered the same ground again and again. Try making a compilation sometime of your favorite Ani songs and you'll realize quickly just how many have the same tempo, the same key, the same basic structure and feel but (and this is the difference that saves them) new thoughts in the lyrics.

But LITTLE PLASTIC CASTLE probably is the best combination of all of Ani's best instincts along with the greatest variety in style, tempo and overall musical creativity. She also achieved a kind of unusual level of spontanteous vocal excitement on this album where she sounds even more intense and exuberant than her usual standard (which is always pretty intense!).

For me, this album and IMPERFECTLY are her two finest efforts, although I love many things scattered throughout all the rest of the CDs. If you are not already an Ani fan, this CD may be the best way "in," since if you don't like this one, I can't imagine you could generate much affection for Ani, who is so exuberantly accessible here.

With the exception of the title track (Little Plastic Castles), there isn't anything that I get even close to disliking. And Little Plastic Castles isn't a bad song it just didn't really "sing" to me I guess. I am, admittingly, a Ani Difranco "rube", but none the less I am also a music buff who tends to over analyze album. This album has such intricate guitar riffs and stunning production, that is a true must own. And truthfully most "must own"'s become "must not hear agains" after a few years. I am offically writing this review after owning it for 4 years and listing to it hundreds of times.
Musically stunning tracks:
Two Little Girls
Swan Dive
Glass House

Lyrically stunning tracks:
Two Little Girls
Swan Dive
Gravel

Best Song (in my opinion):
Swan Dive

I am trying to be objective and write a truly helpful review, but I really can't find anything I dislike about this album except the annoyingly blue cover.

Last year in April, I was depressed. It was one of the lowest points of my life. Then I discovered this album. I still say that Ani is the person who dragged me out of my pool of self pity and self hatred back into being an active participant in my life. "Swan Dive" was my saving grace. "I don't care/if they eat me alive/I've got better things/to do than survive" and "that i can jump ship and swim/that the ocean will hold me/that there's got to be more than this boat i'm in" . Not to mention her other beautiful words in "As Is", "Gravel", "Two Little Girls" ("and love is a piano/dropped from a four story window/and you were in the wrong place/at the wrong time"), "Loom" and "Independence Day". Then this year, when life started looking dark again I kept Ani playing in the car for a week...and things weren't as bad as they had seemed anymore. BUY THIS RECORD. Its an alternative to prozac...;)

This album was my introduction to Ani and a very good one because I'm a big fan now. Some of her best songs are on this album. "Swan Dive" is excellent as well as "Independence Day." "Feul" is one of her smartest songs, a groovy rap with lyrics reminiscent of Dylan. The arrangements are great and you get to listen to a couple of different bass players and drummers (I like Sara and Andy the best). If you are a fan, get this album. If not, this could be a good place to start (it was for me).

This was Ani DiFranco's first really synthesized, fancily-produced album. And it's a whole different world from the style she was known for before this. Listening to this is definitely like being introduced to a whole new artist. There are more electronics, more experimental song styles, and even her voice has changed a little -- it's a tad raspier.

The lyrics are still just as good -- but don't buy it expecting the old Ani ... you have to love it as something completely new.

And I DID love it!

The songs are made not more watery, but more powerful by the elaborate compositions. The topics capture so many sides of life -- from the pretty to the dark.

One song urges rude people to "just suck up and be nice".

Another song, whose entire atmosphere tells of a desperate hour proclaims, "If you think you know what I'm doing wrong, you're gonna have to get in line."

GRAVEL has a catchy, hardcore beat and really gets across the humor in having an ex that you just seem to keep taking back, no matter what he does.

And it all leads up to the climax -- the final song -- that is more of a hypnotic symphony than a song. It only has a few spoken words -- the rest it says in its swaying rhythm -- but it is absolutely powerful. An expected pinnacle.

The first song or two on the album are just warm-ups. Skip past them to really delve into the riches of this outstanding record.

This album is not to be missed by anyone who likes true-to-the-heart, poignant, powerful experimental music.

After I first listened to Little Plastic Castle all the way through, I thought, "Why the hell did it take me so long to start listening to this?", and I went out and bought as many of Ani DiFranco's albums as I could lay my hands on. I haven't stopped listening to them since. Normally, I don't go crazy like this after I hear a singer that I like, but I don't know how to explain it-- Ani's music just does it for me. I love EVERY song on Little Plastic Castle... All I can say is that this woman is VERY talented- she's got the voice, the guitar skills, the intelligent & humorous lyrics, and the ability to be amazing LIVE. It's no wonder that she has so many dedicated fans, despite the fact that she never gave in to signing to a major label-- every single one of her albums were made by her own record company, Righteous Babe Records, and she's said that he loves performing live more than anything else.

My favorite songs on this CD are definitely FUEL - more a spoken word piece than a song, with a steady bass backbeat, GRAVEL - a bit angrier than the others on this album, fast-paced guitar and screaming Ani, AS IS - a pretty, simple song about looking past imperfections, TWO LITTLE GIRLS - as far as I can tell, it's about losing a friend/lover to heroin... I love the line "love is a piano dropped from a four story window, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time" and SWAN DIVE - bold and daring, about taking chances and not caring what anyone thinks... favorite line: "'cause I don't care if they eat me alive, I've got better things to do than survive".

I'd recommend Little Plastic Castle to anyone, whether you've never heard anything by Ani DiFranco but are curious, or if you are already a fan but haven't gotten around to getting this one yet... it's definitely one of her best, up there with Out of Range, Ani DiFranco and Not a Pretty Girl. If you are skeptical, give it a chance... you could surprise yourself.

I have not stopped listening to this CD since the day I got it home. "Swan Dive" is inspiring and daring, "As Is" is a love song for the imperfect among us, and "Deep Dish" is what I'd like to hear the next time I go to a club. The sound on this album marks the next level in Ani DiFranco's ever- evolving sound. She is a bit more experimental, veering away from the strict acoustic style of some of her earlier recordings, and playing with some more electronic sounds. The result is fun and refreshing, yet not frivolous, as the lyrics still convey the strong messages for which Ani DiFranco is known and adored.