Up Up Up Up Up Up (1999)

Somehow, the idea of Ani DiFranco (smart young feminist who writes, performs, and produces her own funk-inflected folk and runs her own label) is more interesting than the reality. She isn't a very inspired melodist — despite all the flashy effects, her 12th album Up Up Up Up Up Up's 11 songs remain stubbornly earthbound (exception: the moving ''Everest''). A first-rate pamphleteer, DiFranco is not yet a first-rate artist. B-