I was cautious about getting this album because I was pretty new to Ani's stuff, just having Dilate and Little Plastic Castle before it. I loved those two albums, but had heard that this one is very different, and since it was her first album, I wondered if it would be as polished as her later ones.

I had no reason to worry. This is an absolutely gorgeous album, worth it for anyone who likes Ani or anyone who is genuinely interested in the music of a young woman whose perfectly structured lyrics just about any female who is at least 16 can identify with. The entire album features only Ani and her guitar. The melodies are addictive and Ani's voice is pure and does not yet have the gruff and often sarcastic quality that it does now, and she sings very clearly, so the lyrics are easy to understand.

The lyrics.. Ani writes some of the best lyrics I have ever seen. This album is no exception, and has some of my very favorites. It has songs about love and its disappointments ("Both Hands", "Letting the Telephone Ring", "Fire Door", "Every Angle", "Work Your Way Out", "Rush Hour"), women in society ("The Story", "Dog Coffee", "Pale Purple", "Talk to Me Now"), abortion ("Lost Woman Song"), exhaustion ("Out of Habit"). Every song on the album is a gem, even though I don't identify with all of them.

So, now I have this along with Dilate, Little Plastic Castle, Puddle Dive, Living in Clip, Not a Pretty Girl, and To the Teeth. This album is my favorite of those.

i try to listen to it at least once a day, if not more... because each time i hear this cd, i hear something new. every one of her songs speaks to me- i bought this cd after being an ani fan for quite a while, and when i put this in my stereo, i nearly started to cry. this album is the reason why we ani fans are so loyal- because she is real. her reality isn't censored or compromised... it's straight up, and it speaks the truth. this album is personal... like your best friend came over with her guitar, sat down, and decided to tell you exactly who she is. an amazing beginning....

Ani DiFranco has in large part lost me over the years as she's continued to overlayer her songs with whatever styles and instruments she happens to be interested in the moment. I do admire her ability to change and progress, but I'm just not particularly interested by it.

What I'd like to see from Ani Difranco is what she gave the world on her self-titled debut CD, which is her showing off her considerable talents as a songwriter. These are beautiful, wonderful songs, showcased by just her and her guitar. "Fire Door", "Work Your Way Out", "Rush Hour"--lots of gems here. It's open, elegant, and searingly honest, and it's free of the clutter of her most recent recordings.

An absolutely essential acoustic classic.

I think that she combines just the right amount of feminism and toughness in this CD. I believe that her lyrics mean something. They tell a story.

The first thing that got me hooked on DiFranco was "Both Hands" (surprise, surprise) heard in a dressing room my first year of college. Actually, this *is* the soundtrack to my first year of college. While "Both Hands" is by far the best song on this album, "Talk to Me Now" and "The Story" are also commendable. This is probably one of Ms. DiFranco's most accessible albums, especially from a folk perspective. By the way, Alanis Morrisette has a career only because the big boys at the record companies couldn't buy Ani DiFranco.