The Indigo Girls
Look Long - Rounder 2020
Tracks: Tracks:1. Shit Kickin’ / 2. Look Long / 3. Howl at the Moon / 4. When We Were Writers / 5. Change My Heart / 6. KC Girl / 7. Country Radio / 8. Muster / 9. Feel This Way Again” / 10. Favorite Flavor / 11. Sorrow and Joy
Comments:
It's always been pretty easy to tell Amy Ray's and Emily Sailers' songs apart; most often, of course, you’re well helped by the fact that the songwriter herself takes the lead vocals, but their songwritingstyle is also quite different; and rarely has this difference been clearer than on this recent (2020) album. Whereas Ray's songs are often very basic and generally quite punchy, Saliers' are more complex and melodic; often with melancholic undertones.
Amy Ray's single "Shit Kickin '" opens in an excellent way "Look Long". It's a typical Ray song at her best. A cool bluesy rocker - tight sound with organ and catchy soulful lead vocals and nice harmony vocals from Emily. Emily's title track is a bit of country genre - slightly sentimental, but a song that wins with each listen.
Ray's "Howl at the Moon" with i.a. banjo is almost blue-grass. One of the less interesting tracks on this otherwise generally fine album, on which the girls are nicely supported by a tight playing band. The melodic "When We Were Writers" is Emily at her very best - "Southlands in the Springtime" from one of the early albums comes to my mind here. On "Change My Heart" Emily shows that she can also deliver solid rockers - an exciting and quite complex number with electric guitars and cellos.
"K.C. Girl” is another slightly ordinary Ray song. "Country Radio" is another classic Emily song - a nice melodic slightly sentimental ballad. Amy Ray's other really good song is "Muster", which is a relatively heavy number with a good riff and i.a. mandolin. And real winner. On Emily's "Feel This Way" both violin and banjo are featured. A different number that also wins by closer acquaintance.
The weakest track on the album, in my opinion, is Ray's "Favorite Flavor" - a simple solid rocker that is actually not very interesting.
The album beautifully ends with the waltzy ballad "Summer and Joy" - classic Emily Saliers. Overall, a nicely inspired album with a couple of minor misses.
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