Ani DiFranco

The prolific singer-songwriter is a new mom with a new mantra: "Don't forget to have a good time." Ani DiFranco continues to give us her thoughts on bummer topics like searing loneliness, melting icecaps and unforgiving presidents, but on Red Letter Year she also gushes about her "Present/Infant" and shrugs off daily annoyances in the name of love ("Smiling Underneath"). DiFranco's loungey croons are backed beautifully by dancing guitar, strings, synths, pedal steel, horns and brass that match both the soulfulness of her protests and the satisfaction of all that she is thankful for.