I am a huge Ani fan, so of course I want to get all of her very many albums eventually. I came into the game rather late (became a fan around the time Educated Guess was released) so I have a lot to catch up with! I bought this one when Verses was released, to benefit from the 15% off in the Righteous babe store.

I chose this one (the third official one, of about 18) for a variety of reasons. First, I knew some of the songs on it were “classics” but I didn’t know them very well, because she never plays them in shows (I am an official bootleg fan too!). Also, I really really liked the viola on Served Faithfully and wondered if the rest of the album was like that. (Turns out it wasn’t, but I like the girl-and-her-guitar just as much.)

It’s a really good album! It’s easier to approach than her later stuff. It’s more political, too – not that she isn’t anymore, but it’s more in-your-face on this album. I am glad to own it because it fits really well in Ani’s setting her own genre, as do most of the early albums. I can’t wait to listen to Puddle Dive, which I just bought, to see how she evolved in just a year.

Some songs I really like: What If No One’s Watching, Good, Bad, Ugly (hits close to home!) and the aforementionned Served Faithfully. It’s a must-buy for all Ani fans, and also a good way to get into her! :)