{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox album | name = Red Letter Year | type = studio | artist = Ani DiFranco | cover = Ani DiFranco - Red Letter Year.png | alt = | released = {{Start date|2008|09|30}} | recorded = 2008 | venue = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|folk rock}} | length = {{Duration|m=46|s=58}} | label = Righteous Babe | producer = {{hlist|Ani DiFranco|Mike Napolitano}} | prev_title = Canon | prev_year = 2007 | next_title = ¿Which Side Are You On? | next_year = 2012 }} {{Album ratings | MC = (79/100)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/red-letter-year/ani-difranco/critic-reviews|title=Critic Reviews for Red Letter Year|work=Metacritic|accessdate=June 29, 2013}}</ref> | rev1 = About.com | rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://folkmusic.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/AniDiFrancoRed.htm|title=Ani DiFranco – 'Red Letter Year'|author=Kim Ruehl|work=About.com|accessdate=June 29, 2013|archive-date=April 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421040520/http://folkmusic.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/AniDiFrancoRed.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev2 = Allmusic | rev2Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1421974}}</ref> | rev3 = BBC Music | rev3Score = favorable<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rmdp/|title=Review of Ani DiFranco – Red Letter Year|date=September 30, 2008|author=Michael Quinn|work=BBC Music|access-date=June 29, 2013}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Billboard'' | rev4Score = favorable<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3i29d155e77cad05e878c618c300c7de2d|title=Red Letter Year|author=Kerri Mason|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=June 29, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007094111/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3i29d155e77cad05e878c618c300c7de2d|archivedate=October 7, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev5 = ''The Boston Globe'' | rev5Score = mixed<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2008/09/30/anis_got_a_point_but_what_is_it/|title=Ani's got a point, but what is it?|date=September 30, 2008|author=Marc Hirsh|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=August 4, 2011}}</ref> | rev6 = ''The New York Times'' | rev6Score = favorable<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/arts/music/29choi.html?_r=1|title=Critics' Choice: New CDs|date=September 28, 2008|author=Jon Pareles (second item)|work=The New York Times|accessdate=August 4, 2011}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Paste'' | rev7Score = (7.4/10)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/10/ani-difranco-red-letter-year.html|title=Ani DiFranco: Red Letter Year :: Music :: Reviews|date=October 2, 2008|author=Andy Whitman|work=Paste|accessdate=June 29, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004163425/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/10/ani-difranco-red-letter-year.html|archivedate=October 4, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> | rev8 = ''The Phoenix'' | rev8Score = {{rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/68671-ani-difranco-red-letter-year/|title=Ani DiFranco – Red Letter Year|date=September 23, 2008|author=Red Drozdowski|work=The Phoenix|accessdate=August 4, 2011}}</ref> | rev9 = PopMatters | rev9Score = (8/10)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/63806/ani-difranco-red-letter-year/|title=Ani DiFranco: Red Letter Year|date=October 2, 2008|author=Quentin B. Huff|work=PopMatters|accessdate=August 4, 2011}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Slant'' | rev10Score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/ani-difranco-red-letter-year|title=Ani DiFranco: Red Letter Year|date=September 20, 2008|author=Sal Cinquemani|work=Slant Magazine|accessdate=August 4, 2011}}</ref> }}
'''''Red Letter Year''''' is the 16th studio album by singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, released on September 30, 2008.
Says DiFranco about the album: “When I listen to my new record, I hear a very relaxed me, which I think has been absent in a lot of my recorded canon. Now I feel like I’m in a really good place. My partner Mike Napolitano co-produced this record – my guitar and voice have never sounded better, and that’s because of him. I’ve got this great band and crew. And my baby, she teaches me how to just be in my skin, to do less and be more.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shock.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=914 |title=Shock Records: "Ani DiFranco to Release New Album Red Letters |accessdate=August 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722044508/http://www.shock.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=914 |archivedate=July 22, 2008 }}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = Ani DiFranco | title1 = Red Letter Year | note1 = | length1 = 4:17 | title2 = Alla This | length2 = 3:13 | title3 = Present/Infant | length3 = 3:02 | title4 = Smiling Underneath | length4 = 4:59 | title5 = Way Tight | length5 = 3:50 | title6 = Emancipated Minor | length6 = 4:30 | title7 = Good Luck | length7 = 2:35 | title8 = The Atom | length8 = 5:26 | title9 = Round a Pole | length9 = 2:58 | title10 = Landing Gear | length10 = 2:55 | title11 = Star Matter | length11 = 2:48 | title12 = Red Letter Year Reprise | length12 = 6:26 | title13 = Good Luck (alternative version) | note13 = iTunes bonus track | length13 = 2:31 }}
==Personnel== *Ani DiFranco – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, tenor guitar, 12 string guitar, guitar synth, ukuleles, optigan, Wurlitzer, synthesizers, percussion *Todd Sickafoose – Fender bass, bowed basses, piano, Wurlitzer, pump organ, synthesizer *Mike Dillon – marimba, vibraphone, percussion, tubular bells *Allison Miller – drums, percussion *String quartet on tracks 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 (arranged by Todd Sickafoose) **Jenny Scheinman – violin **Megan Gould – violin **Jessica Troy – viola **Marika Hughes – cello *C. C. Adcock – electric guitar on tracks 3, 4 *Richard Comeaux – pedal steel guitar on tracks 3, 5, 10 *Animal Prufrock – piano on track 4, percussion on track 6 *Jeff Klein – vocals on track 6 *Rene Lopez – percussion on track 6 *Jon Hassell – trumpet on track 11 *The Rebirth Brass Band on tracks 1 and 12 **Phil Frazier – tuba (band leader) **Derrick Shezbie – trumpet **Glen Andrews – trumpet **Stafford Agee – trombone **Corey Henry – trombone **Vincent Broussard – saxophone **Byron (Flee) Bernard – saxophone **Derrick Tabb – snare drum **Shorty Frazier – bass drum
===Production === *Produced by Mike Napolitano and Ani DiFranco *Recorded and mixed by Mike Napolitano at The Dugout, New Orleans, Louisiana and at Dockside, Maurice, Louisiana *Additional engineers at Dockside – David Rashou, Corie Richie *Rebirth Brass Band recorded by Jack Miele at Fudge, New Orleans, Louisiana *Jon Hassell recorded by Jesse Voccia *Rene Lopez recorded by Ken Rich *Strings recorded by Tony Maimone at Studio G, Brooklyn, New York *Additional recording by Ani DiFranco and Todd Sickafoose
==Charts== '''Album''' {| class="wikitable" |- !align="left"|Year !align="left"|Chart !align="left"|Position |- |align="left"|2008 |align="left"|The Billboard 200 |align="left"|55 |- |align="left"|2008 |align="left"|Top Independent Albums |align="left"|8 |- |}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{Metacritic album}}
{{Ani_DiFranco}}
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Category:2008 albums Category:Ani DiFranco albums Category:Righteous Babe Records albums