On "Educated Guess," Ani DiFranco [ tickets ] goes minimal, stripping down to a guitar, microphone, voice and--most importantly--the songs. The 14 songs here are further proof that the Buffalo, NY, native is one of America's premier songwriters, arguably the most prolific and successful never signed to a major label.

Not that they haven't tried, but it's hard to imagine a major label expecting consumers to have the patience to get through emotive first-person narratives like "Swim" or "Bubble."

On her eloquent paean to feminism, "Grand Canyon," she sings, "… seat back and tray-table in the upright and locked position/shocked to tears by each new vision/of all that my ancestors have done/like, say, the women who gave their lives so that I could have one."

DiFranco not only supplies all the material, vocals, and guitar on "Guess," but she recorded and mixed it as well. Of course, it's not like William Orbit or the Dust Brothers were needed to add any bells and whistles; this stuff is potent enough by itself.

Ani DiFranco can squeeze musical blood from a stone.