Indigo Girls Albums (12)
'Poseidon and the Bitter Bug'
Release Date 3/24/2009
Tracks 21
Label Vanguard
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What The Critics Say
Poseidon and the Bitter Bug, the first independently released album by veteran duo the Indigo Girls is an ambitious project that includes a pair of discs designed specifically for fans who want to hear both sides of the group: disc one is a full band version produced by Mitchell Froom, and the second disc contains the same album in stripped-down acoustic form. Musically, it's almost startling to hear how close this set feels to Strange Fire, the pair's debut album issued in 1987. The taut harmonies, the slippery guitars, the band wound loosely around both Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, and textures that flirt with rock, pop, and folk but end up in the slipstream between them. Check the infectious hooky "Love of Our Lives" that strolls somewhere between the tracks on fellow Georgians R.E.M.'s early tracks and the Beatles track "Two of Us," from Let It Be. Then there's the emotive yet utterly naked and introspective "I'll Change," that resembles the primal emotion and self-reflection and criticism of the IG's earliest music. The spunky electric and acoustic guitars and crisp snares on "Ghost of the Gang" add to its poignant evocation of loneliness and spinning one's wheels wishing against hope to be able to get some traction -- even as the pillars and people in one's life begin to slip away. But there's a truly startling moment on this record that feels all new too: the album's opener, "Digging for Your Dream," is a sad song whose refrain: "You take your prospects and your pick axe and you trudge down to the stream, and you bloody your hands digging for your dreams," captures the aspirations of every determined and beaten but unbowed citizen of this and perhaps every land. What's different is the shimmering Fender Rhodes piano, the slippery harmonies that feel more like they come out of urban soul music than the IG's trademark folk-rock, and the atmospheric space between each of the singers and the skeletal backing band. The acoustic disc is mostly a bonus for purists -- though Saliers and Ray probably don't see it that way -- while the band disc is in some ways a return to innocence in the recording process -- what could be more innocent than beginning again on your own label? And the next big step for a group that has restlessly tried to avoid the pitfalls of the music-making journey for nearly 25 years. Poseidon and the Bitter Bug is not only solid all the way through, it feels fresh, clean, new, and chock-full of beauty. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'Despite Our Differences'
Release Date 9/19/2006
Tracks 13
Label Hollywood
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What The Critics Say
The Indigo Girls move to Hollywood Records -- home of Los Lobos among others -- and do what they do best, but add some new shades and textures as well. For starters, there are no anthemic political statements here, unless you are willing to regard to the truly personal as political (an admirable stance in this crazy world). Secondly, Emily Saliers and Amy Ray really concentrate on hooks on Despite Our Differences. What the record reflects, with its gorgeous blend of acoustic guitars, slippery snare drums and cymbals, and the painterly use of electric guitars and keyboards, is a relaxed, moving, and utterly poetic offering. For many, the Indigo Girls have become a fixture, much like R.E.M., whose albums would come out year by year and blur into one another. It wasn't a rut so much as an attempt to do what they patented best. Despite Our Differences is actually different. Produced by Mitchell Froom, there is a new hunger in these tracks; there is no desperation, but a confident excitement about the craft and construction of songs that weave themselves into an album. Sure, "Pendulum Swinger" is an overtly political song, but it comes not solely from an ideology, but from a heart, wounded and ready for a culture war that can only occur with the guidance of love, collective, cultural, and personal. The comments about Hillary Rodham Clinton and others are offered in a way we haven't heard before from Saliers. But it's in the second track that the album really begins. Ray's "Little Perennials," an acoustic rocker, talks about the place of loneliness that's been accepted as the norm, and experiences connection as a ray of light. Saliers answers with "I Believe in Love," where the ending of a relationship reveals possibilities for reconciliation and self-discovery: "I want to say that underneath it all that you are my friend...the way I fell for you, I will never fall that way again/And I still believe that despite our differences, what we have's enough/I believe in you and I believe in love." The rock & roll journeys that the Indigo Girls make on this album -- with Claire Kenney on bass, Froom on keyboards, Matt Chamberlain on drums, and guests who include both Pink and Brandi Carlile, and pedal steel master Greg Leisz -- are rooted deeply in the notion that personal brokenness leads to growth, possibility, love, and awakening. Forgive the new age language, but this strain of rock has been veined since the Laurel Canyon scene of the early '70s. And while the California sound ended up in despair and hedonism by way of some of its more famous practitioners, these two Southern songwriters come from the land to seek renewal from disaster, resurrection from death. Seasons get observed as metaphors for human interaction on Ray's "Three County Highway." Saliers' "Run" is one of the most beautiful vocal performances the two have ever put on tape. Ray's "Rock and Roll Heaven's Gate" (with Pink's gritty backing vocal) also reveals that she is one hell of a guitar player. This is the roar that has been suggested but never spoken. Her guitaritstry has never been celebrated, but from now on it should be, and she should never hide it again. It rocks hard and swaggers and states without irony: "I'm free to be a loser . . " The album ends on "Last Tear," a track that doesn't appear to fit musically being a shimmering country weeper, but at the same time, the lyrics speak to what's about to happen in the transition from true heartache -- one that could only have come from a worked out hope exhausting itself into brokenness and resignation -- into the acknowledgement of resolve and toward the place where sadness gives way to healing and the treasure one finds in the depths alone. The question then becomes what can we expect now from the Indigo Girls? Everything. There is no commercial slant on this music, but it's more relevant than anyone dared expect. It's accessible and moving and true. It's their own brand of rock & roll, hewn from over the years, that bears a signature that is now indelible. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Nearly 20 years on, and Indigo Girls are still spinning their dualistic tales of love, anger, and life. Over the years, the formula has had its bouts with rigidity -- for a while there, it even threatened to reach obsolescence (think of the phoned-in late-'90s effort Shaming of the Sun). But Emily Saliers and Amy Ray did a wise thing with 2002's Become You, returning to the threads of personal experience that had made their folk-rock tapestry so strong in the first place (and reducing their sound). All That We Let In continues Indigo Girls' throwback arc, opting for just their longtime band with a few well-placed guests. (For example, pedal steel player Mark Van Allen and cellist David Henry make Saliers' darkly searching "Come On Home" a particularly velvety moment.) All That We Let In has some fun before getting to the serious stuff, opening with a pair of strong tracks taking different routes to a rootsy hook. Carol Isaacs' organ shines on the warm and inviting "Fill It Up Again," which despite musing about getting dumped does so with the promise of refueling and hitting the open road. And despite it being the same old trick, darn it if it isn't comforting to once again hear the intertwined yearn of Saliers and Ray's harmonies. Ray's "Heartache for Everyone" opts for a skipping ska off-beat, in its own way suggesting the 1986 Housemartins jingle "Happy Hour." "Perfect World" is a well-crafted Indigo Girls single, broadcasting its message of universal hope with earthy lyrical allusions and tasteful touches of accordion and recorder. There are still demons in their world, which they take on with typical pluck. "Dairy Queen" deals again with relational drama, while "Tether" is live-wire raw with its Crazy Horse distortion and desperate foment. "Do we tether the hawk, do we tether the dove?" Ray and guest vocalist Joan Osborne wonder. A neighbor spits out his chaw. "We need a few less words dear," he says. "We need a few more guns." Like the best Indigo Girls work, All That We Let In continually dwells on the dynamic of internal, emotional tumult and outward-looking, world-wondering fervor. Its strongest example of this comes in the album's twilight. As Saliers' inner Joni Mitchell resurfaces for the heartening but bittersweet prodigal friendship number "Something Real," Ray's trademark activist fire smolders mournfully in "Cordova"'s darkness. It's the album's truest stretch, and proves Indigo Girls haven't lost a step even as they look back to their musical roots. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Indigo Girls' eighth studio album, released 15 years after their first, finds the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers in a sense starting over. Using their regular backup band of keyboardist Carol Isaacs, bassist Claire Kenny, and drummer Brady Blade, but only a couple of guest musicians -- in contrast to albums that featured lots more players, many of them well known -- and returning to producer Peter Collins, who worked with them on their second, fourth, and fifth albums, they have stripped down their approach to something approaching the folk-rock style with which they began. The restrained instrumentation and arrangements focus attention on the songs themselves, and Ray and Saliers, as usual writing separately and alternating tracks, have similar things to say. Eleven of the 12 songs are addressed by an "I" to a "you" (the exception, "She's Saving Me," might as well be), and for the most part they deal in romantic complications, with the "I" looking back on a past romance or detailing the difficulties that may lead to a breakup. In the opening track and first single, Ray's "Moment of Forgiveness," for example, the narrator notes that two years have gone by since her lover left and asks, hopelessly, "When are you gonna come home?" Ray is characteristically more raw in her singing and in her expression; she also provides the album's musical contrasts, whether it's the "Games People Play"-style Southern soul of "Moment of Forgiveness" or the Mexican tone of "Nuevas Senoritas." Saliers is more abstract, titling one of her laments "Deconstruction" and, in "She's Saving Me," even offers a more positive statement. But it is Ray's title track, in which a daughter of the South confronts the region's reprehensible mythology -- not a song of romance -- that is the album's most wrenching and powerful statement. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Indigo Girls had sort of boxed themselves into the corner during the late '90s. They had become pop culture icons, as known for their politics as their music. Unfortunately, being in such a position meant their music had gotten a little stale, as the good but predictable Shaming of the Sun illustrated. The duo seized the opportunity to experiment and redefine their music with 1999's Come on Now Social. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers invited a host of guest musicians -- including Sheryl Crow, Joan Osborne, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Natacha Atlas, Sinéad O'Connor's backing band Ghostland, the Band's Garth Hudson, and Luscious Jackson's Kate Schellenbach -- to contribute to their most eclectic set of songs to date. Yes, they had a full, even prog rock sound on Swamp Opheila, but the Indigos tackle a number of different styles on Come On Now. "Go" opens the album in a roar, rocking harder than anything Indigo Girls have yet recorded, but it only sets the pace for the rest of the album in that it offers a departure. From that point on, the duo tries on other styles; they don't abandon the folk-rock that made their name, but they add straight-ahead rock & roll, old timey folk, modern country, and, in the case of the wonderful single "Peace Tonight," pop-soul. Not only are the different styles welcome, but the songwriting is strong and the performances revitalized. Indigo Girls never went away, but it's the highest compliment to be paid to Come On Now Social to say that it feels like a fully realized comeback. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
1200 Curfews is a double live album recorded on the Swamp Ophelia tour from 1994 to 1995, covering the duo's best loved songs as well as some inspired covers of classics from Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell. And while this is obviously directed at the Indigo Girls' insatiable cult following, even casual fans will find the album engaging since the live performances are often more spirited and direct than the studio versions. ~ Chris Woodstra, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers continue to hone their signature lush melodies on their fifth studio effort, Swamp Ophelia. Reflecting back to their pioneering singer/songwriting days of the late '80s and early '90s, this album is confident in the face of the male-dominated music industry and the Indigo Girls are no longer afraid to hit upon past relationships and personal emotion. Saliers and Ray's incredible harmonies are most stylish and songs such as "Language of the Kiss" and "Touch Me Fall" are illustriously romantic and serene. "Least Complicated" is vocally enchanting, layering bongos and percussion to make this cut an album standout. Their choir-like unison allows their vocal power to carry them through the entire record, but accompanying musicians, such as Lisa Germano (mandolin, violin), Canadian songstress Jane Siberry, and cellist Jane Scarpantoni, also make Swamp Ophelia more pleasurable. But the duo also move beyond the sweet and tender by dipping into darker realms, especially on "Dead Man's Hill." Their earthy voices creep along the haunting tom-toms to provoke another musical side. This album is another humanistic effort from the Indigo Girls' deep and indwelling passions and ideas. This release molds the beauty of what's yet to come. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though not what you'd call polished or slick, Rites of Passage introduces a sound and structure that are a touch more refined than previous albums by Indigo Girls. Thanks to producer Peter Collins and a slew of amazing guests, including Jackson Browne, David Crosby, the Roches, and Lisa Germano, the added harmonies and diverse instrumentation put on a whole other spin. Heck, they even tossed in strings arranged and conducted by Michael Kamen. But lest you think otherwise, the songs themselves are pure Indigo Girls. One of the threads that runs through tunes by both Amy Ray and Emily Saliers seems to center around what it takes to be a good, kind person in this world, to do the right thing even in the face of danger or at all costs. Both women also express humility and reverence for a power greater than themselves, be it a cause, a god, a love, a fear, or a poet. Vocally, their harmonies have never been cleaner and clearer than on songs like Saliers' "Love Will Come to You" and "Virginia Woolf." And, naturally, Ray's fiery passion rears its head on "Jonas and Ezekial," "Joking," and "Chickenman." The Girls continue to be two of the most literate, engaging, and important songwriters in the folk-rock scene as they tackle issues ranging from Native American awareness to governmental misdoing. No misfires here, just a steady shot echoing forth. ~ Kelly McCartney, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Following the success of their 1989 debut and the reissue of the previously independent Strange Fire, the Indigo Girls answered with another Grammy-nominated offering. Nomads Indians Saints shows Emily Saliers and Amy Ray in fine form, delving a little deeper into the themes of love and faith that run through all of their work. Now that they've had the chance to travel around, see the world, and hear people's stories, their poetic vision has expanded somewhat to include a more global perspective, but without losing the intimacy that makes their songs so potent. The title of the record is lifted from "World Falls" -- "I wish I was a nomad, an Indian, or a saint./Give me walking shoes, feathered arms, and a key to Heaven's gate" -- Ray's exploration of the world's captivating beauty and her options in hopes of avoiding departure -- aka the moment of death. Beguiling stuff this is. The catchy melodies allow you to sing along without thinking too much, but should you choose to dive in further they give you plenty to work with. The powerful metaphors of our individual and societal conditions Ray sets forth in "Pushing the Needle Too Far" should certainly not go unnoticed, nor should any of the songs on Nomads Indians Saints, including Saliers' "You and Me of the 10,000 Wars," a heart-wrenching examination of the pain and comfort of a relationship. One without the other is all but impossible to achieve and would feel almost hollow without its reflection. That's the way it is with the Indigo Girls -- perfect harmony between the elements. ~ Kelly McCartney, All Music Guide
