Ani Difranco’s newest CD is nothing less than poetic.

Her live solo CD was recorded less than five months after 9/11, yet she had already written a graphic poem explaining how Americans felt that day and each day following. She questions the thoughts behind George W. Bush’s actions to gain the presidency in 2000 and his decisions following 9/11, and how it keeps getting thrown in Americans’ faces that we must “perpetuate retribution.”

This track amounts to the most powerful piece I’ve heard about the tragic events of that day, and she did it less than five months after it happened. With her track number eleven, “Self Evident” is the exclamation point near the end of her moving performance on April 6, 2002 at Carnegie Hall.

However, this is not the only high point on this CD. “Gratitude,” “2 Lil Girls” and “2nd intermission” are all great tracks as well.

She jumps back and forth between quick guitar picking and fast lyrics to slow emotional pieces set to no music at all.

She breaks the tension with anecdotes about trips over seas and other aspects of everyday life, giving you a piece of herself in almost every track.

Although it may slow down in some areas, a little slower than what I may personally like, she will keep your attention.

I tried to nonchalantly listen to this CD while looking up random stuff on the Internet, yet I kept finding myself sitting, staring and doing nothing while being entranced into a state of bliss by Difranco’s beautiful voice and deep lyrics.

After listening to this CD, I have come to regret once placing Difranco in the category of “man-hater” music, along with several other mainstream artists who one can clearly tell have been hurt by a significant other.

But, that is not Ani at all.

She is just a passionate person with lyrics pouring from her soul.

From her beginning tracks “Subdivision,” explaining how America is still divided into neighborhoods based on ethnicity, and “God’s Country,” a song about middle America, to her later tracks like “Gratitude,” about a guy who doesn’t know what it is to do a favor and expect nothing in return, she keeps you thinking.

This CD is a must-buy for anyone who enjoys good guitar-picking music spiked with politics.

And Ani is as entertaining as ever with her story telling and general thoughts on life.