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Track Listings
| 1. Worthy |
| 2. Tiptoe |
| 3. Cradle And All |
| 4. Shy |
| 5. Sorry I Am |
| 6. Light Of Some Kind |
| 7. Not A Pretty Girl |
| 8. The Million You Never Made |
| 9. Hour Follows Hour |
| 10. 32 Flavors |
| 11. Asking Too Much |
| 12. This Bouqet |
| 13. Crime For Crime |
| 14. Coming Up |
| 15. Bonus Track |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Ani DiFranco's fondness for cheeky self-effacement marks her fourth album, Not a Pretty Girl. Having redefined our whole concept of cult following, the funky, punky singer/songwriter has parlayed her prowess for six-string blues guitar into an unique alternative acoustic sound. This album marks real growth for the musician. Songs like the title track or "Worthy" are more fully realized than many of her earlier pieces that lean toward artful scat or spare guitar and vocal arrangements. It also precedes DiFranco's more experimental work, a characteristic recurrent with increasing frequency on subsequent recordings. --Nick Heil
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
By "joycephil"
Format:Audio CD
I own Not So Soft,Imperfectly, Living In Clip, Little Plastic Castle, The First Album, Out of Range, and Puddle Dive, and although I love each and every one of these albums, I keep returning to Not a Pretty Girl again and again. This album marks a transition from Ani's more acoustic and light sound (The First Album, Imperfectly) to her more hard-edge music (Dilate, Little Plastic Castle). I love both phases but I'd have to say I'm happiest in the middle. This CD combines folk and rock for the best glimpse of Ani that i have found. If you are a new Ani fan, this is the best album to own because it really showcases her talent. You are able to hear her loud, passionate work in "The Million You Never Made" ( the song that has my favorite lyric- life is a sleazy stranger flirting with a bimbo named disaster at the end of the bar...I'm telling you I'm different than you are), her softer work in "32 Flavors" and "This Bouquet", her spoken poetry in "Tiptoe", her acoustic edge in "Cradle and All", and her lyrical mastery in nearly every track but especially in "Hour follows Hour" and "Shy". Ani is a singing poet, a true musical genius. If you are tired of everyday bubblegum pop and you want to hear a true artist who thinks of her music as art, pick up an Ani CD. You won't be disappointed. I never have been. She isn't for everyone, but she may just be for you.
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By Donn Hart
Format:Audio CD
Every Ani album is a masterpiece, if you ask me. I've followed her for a long time now and I've watched her grow and expand her range with each passing record, from the spare folk of her self-titled debut, to dueting with the former artist usually known as Prince on her latest, "To the Teeth."
"Not a Pretty Girl" remains a favorite of mine. I connected to "32 Flavors" from the first time I heard it. I love "Shy," "Hour Follows Hour," and "Cradle and All," but one of the finest tracks I've heard in a long time is "The Million You Never Made." She sorta turns into Wendy O. Williams at the end of the song...not that that's a bad thing.
To sum up: worth every penny.
31 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By bethtexas
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you don't know Ani DiFranco yet, she's the straight-talking, "Why don't more singers say it this plainly?" independent singer/songwriter who's built up such a following that it proves -- yes, there IS room for smarter music in this world.
She's got a killer voice. (How does she sing like that?) And she plays guitar so well that even if you don't know much about the instrument ... you can tell she's good.
NOT A PRETTY GIRL is the perfect album to buy first. And don't worry, once you get hooked -- there are gazillions more from which to choose. That's the great thing about discovering an artist like Ani -- if you find you love her, you can just keep buying more and more!
Is she folk? Is she 'women's music'? Is she punk? Who knows. She's just a very forthright singer/songwriter who writes lyrics no one else dares to produce. (The advantage of having founded her own music company, as I understand it!)
Some of the highlights on this "Absolutely must have" album include THE MILLION YOU NEVER MADE -- a hardore tell-off to the music industry, LIGHT OF SOME KIND -- repenting for being unfaithful, sung with heartfelt, bang-it-up umph, and CRADLE AND ALL -- a beautiful, gut-wrenching ballod that just goes on and on about a rough day in the life of a city girl. Then of course, NOT A PRETTY GIRL is a great feminist song.
NOT A PRETTY GIRL is where it's at -- make it your first Ani album, but don't make it your last.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favorites.
This is one of my favorite Ani albums. She's an amazing artist who has amazing lyrics and a great sense of melody.
Published 5 months ago by Rachel
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of my favorite albums ever
I also love a lot of Ani's other albums, but NOT A PRETTY GIRL might be her best. SHY, NOT A PRETTY GIRL, and 32 FLAVORS are amazing. All three top my most-played songs on iTunes.
Published 16 months ago by J.T.
3.0 out of 5 stars
The beginning of the end, actually
It is exceedingly obvious how it is very difficult to balance the ultra-machisma of radical feminism with genuinely musical gentleness and melody - the two are simply too opposed... Read more
Published on December 13, 2010 by mianfei
5.0 out of 5 stars
I give 'Not a Pretty Girl' 6 *s!!! I have almost all of her CDs, &...
I have been an Ani di Franco fan since I was 15-yrs-old, 11 yrs. ago. This is like her 6th or 7th CD I think, & it's one of her best. Read more
Published on September 21, 2009 by Emily G. Myers
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favorites....
This cd is like one of my first loves...simply because w/ this cd i was introduced to the wonderful voice,music and soulful oh so true lyrics of Ani Difranco. Read more
Published on January 7, 2009 by S. J. Young
5.0 out of 5 stars
I ain't no damsel in distress.
This album, so far, to me, has been her best. It is raw and emotional, and I feel that she spends a lot of time apologizing and, at the same time, refusing to apologizing for what... Read more
Published on October 1, 2008 by Caitlyn Fasse
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Favorite Ani Album
As a person that owns every CD that Ms. DiFranco has made must say that Not A Pretty Girl is my absolute favorite. The songs are edgy and completely rocking. Read more
Published on January 20, 2008 by ILuvtheGoldenGirls
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ani rarely dissapoints
Yeah, sure, Ani is a pinko commy, and I vehemently disagree with almost all of her politics(which she discusses very bluntly in her music). Read more
Published on September 11, 2007 by C. Whitt
2.0 out of 5 stars
two and a half
We are all pretty familiar with the concept of over-acting. You know, like Al Pacino in Scarface. But is it possible to "over-sing. Read more
Published on July 28, 2006 by thescalpel
4.0 out of 5 stars
A little out there just to be out there, but worth it
I don't know, maybe it's me but I get a little "activism-for-the-sake-of-activism" from this album... Or maybe "shock-value-for-the-sake-of-shock-value"... Read more
Published on February 23, 2006 by D. Weller
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