Throughout her career, Ani DiFranco has given her own take on tired rock star clichés. When other artists answered to major labels, she opted to start her own. While other guitarists relied on electric heroics, she pounded on a strangely tuned acoustic. And when faced with the task of releasing a career retrospective, Ani created anything but the traditional “greatest hits” package. With Canon, fans will get an unprecedented look at how the artist sees her prolific career, and newcomers will get the ultimate primer in DiFrancology. Because like everything else she creates, Ani made this record to her precise specifications, carefully selecting 36 songs from her voluminous back catalog, including tunes from her first album and her 19th. . . . Because sometimes, for us to move forward, there’s nothing healthier than taking a long, fruitful look back.

2007