Mary Had A Little Amp, The Listener Chose No

The Good: Some decent tracks
The Bad: Some lame tracks, terrible execution of the stated concept
The Basics: Disorganized and esoteric, Mary Had A Little Amp fails to live up to its promise and offers instead a poorly executed musical experience.


I'm out. I began this month with the pledge to alternate my media reviews with non-media items and I'm out. I've no more electronics, no cars, no restaurants, no beauty products, no obscure household items left to review. Until I return from the trip I'm about to take, I'm all non-media'ed out! :( With that in mind, I sat down with a new disc that came across my desk called Mary Had A Little Amp. Every now and then as I explore a musical artist whose body of work I'm looking to review, I come across a weird citation for them. So, for example, when I hunted down the works of Liz Phair some months ago, I found her as the primary artist cited for Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits (reviewed here!). Similarly, as I looked around for the many works of Madonna, I found Mary Had A Little Amp.

The by-line for Mary Had A Little Amp is "Music's Biggest Stars, Childhood's Greatest Songs." Because of the subjective nature of a disc that features Moby, Roseanne Cash, and Graham Nash alongside Madonna, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson and R.E.M., I'll not dispute the first part. This is a pretty impressive collection of musical artists. Where the concept fails is with the second part. For all that it is or is not, Mary Had A Little Amp is hardly "childhood's greatest songs."

I write this because I was once a child and I loved listening to music. When I picked up this disc, the only songs I knew from childhood were "Pure Imagination" (many will remember Gene Wilder singing it in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"), "The Rainbow Connection" (from "The Muppet Movie"), and "When You Wish Upon A Star" (from "Pinnoccio," I believe). Outside that, only three of the tracks were songs I had heard as an adult. Graham Nash's classic "Teach Your Children," R.E.M.'s esoteric "We Walk" (which I had only heard for the first time earlier this year on their Best of the I.R.S. years album - reviewed here!), and "Little Star" a Madonna song from her Ray Of Light c.d. Out of fourteen songs, three were covers of songs I knew from childhood and three I encountered as an adult. This is hardly "childhood's greatest songs."

Indeed, there is a distinctly un-childlike take on several of the songs. Opening with Maroon 5's version of "Pure Imagination," the listener feels more menaced than enlightened. Maroon 5 uses reverb, creepy keyboards, and stark percussion to create a "big room" feel that has an undertone of sinister to the sound of the song. It's wonderfully dark in this presentation, but hardly wonderful for children.

Similarly, I can only believe that the musings on conformity that are struck out by the Blue Man Group and Dave Matthews on "Sing Along" are included because of the singsong rhymes presented in the song. After all, lyrically, it is an innocuous song as Matthews sings "If I pretend to be strong / Will you play along" ("Sing Along") over and over again. The thing is, he sings it with the voice of The Man, crushing individuality with conformity. This has a march quality to it that is draining, foreboding, again menacing.

That's not to say the entire album is not geared toward children. The Dixie Chicks do an upbeat sounding rendition of "The Rainbow Connection" that is wonderfully articulate and fresh. With the use of the pedal steel in the song, it takes on a distinctive flavor that is less stark than when it's been presented other times. And there's nothing wrong with Bonnie Raitt and Was (Not Was) performing "Baby Mine." It's a quiet, sad tribute to love or a child and from an adult perspective it's beautiful, though likely to go over the head of preschooler (this disc was produced to benefit preschool education).

I'll admit I winced hearing the Indigo Girls making animal noises on "Wild, Wild Party In The Loquat Tree" that were reminiscent of the B-52's "Rock Lobster." It's a fine folk tune, but again, not one I'd heard before nor would consider one of childhood's greatest songs.

And some of it is just plain pointless. Madonna's "Little Star" is a rock ballad that did not stand out on Ray Of Light and doesn't blow the roof off this disc either. "We Walk" is a weird R.E.M. tune, but also far too obscure to be considered much by children. And even my favorite track on the album, Moby's "Anchovie" a techno recreation like the many Moby has made in the past, doesn't inspire the listener to turn the disc over to a child.

Ultimately, this is a hit or miss collection of singles that vary greatly in sound and quality. We have the wonderful folk melody "Teach Your Children" which closes the album which has the utterly unmemorable "Gentle Breeze" (performed by Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson). You have Madonna's pure pop following on the Dixie Chick's country-slanted classic. The best songs reinterpret classics (like Maroon 5's creepy "Pure Imagination"), the lesser songs seem to simply be songs culled from artists that have singsong lyrics.

Indeed, checking out the liner notes, most of these songs (judging by the copyright dates) are available elsewhere. I'm not knocking the concept of either famous artists presenting childhood songs or a benefit to raise money for preschool education. The problem here is this mix. It's completely inconsistent. It is mixing recognizable songs from childhood (like "When You Wish Upon A Star") with (apparently) whatever work an artist was willing to donate to the cause (like Madonna's "Little Star") with songs that don't really relate to children ("Sing Along").

A good mix that has a theme comes together, this one does not. While it may have various styles on it: from country to techno, pop to folk, rock and roll to classical, the arrangement has to flow, one song to another in a way that makes the album come together. This does not. Cover song abuts quirky original work, folk follows folk follows folk, it's not well assembled.

Because some of these tracks may not be available elsewhere, die hard fans might have to pick this up. As a service, this is what the disc contains:
"Pure Imagination" - Maroon 5
"We Walk" - R.E.M.
"The Rainbow Connection" - Dixie Chicks
"Little Star" - Madonna
"Sing Along" - Blue Man Group featuring Dave Matthews
"Baby Mine" - Bonnie Raitt & Was (Not Was)
"The 3 R's" - Jack Johnson (it's a recycling jingle!)
"Anchovie" - Moby
"Life Line" - Nancy and Ann Wilson with the Brian Wilson Band
"Gentle Breeze" - Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson
"Wild, Wild Party In The Loquat Tree" - Indigo Girls
"How To Be Strong" - Roseanne Cash
"When You Wish Upon A Star" - Joe Henry
"Teach Your Children" - Graham Nash

Unfortunately, this disc does not execute what it promises and even without its stated purpose, it does not hold together as a meaningful musical collection. The best track is "Anchovie," the weakest part song is "Gentle Breeze."

For other compilation albums, please visit my reviews of:
Millennium ‘80’s New Wave Party - Various Artists
An Inconvenient Truth Soundtrack
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?: The Music Of Pete Seeger - Various Artists

3/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Lilith Fair: A Celebration Of Women In Music, Not As Good As I Experienced It

The Good: Some great performances by some wonderful musical artists
The Bad: Some lousy performances by some mediocre musical artists
The Basics: Track by track a hit-or-miss album, this is a sampler of women and their guitars performing at Lilith Fair concerts with mixed results.


The very first concert I ever went to was Lilith Fair in Canandaigua, New York. I had graduated college the December before, I was poor, working in an art supply store and recovering from an illness I had had for years. Heather Nova was performing on the second stage and I had been listening to her masterpiece, Siren (reviewed here!) for months as I recuperated and Canandaigua was only twenty-five miles from where I was living. I could not not go. I bought tickets. Then I won some off a local radio station. Regardless, I was going and it was pretty wonderful for me. I mention this because I want to make it clear from the outset that I'm a fan of the Lilith Fair idea and experience.

So, it seemed pretty natural that I would pick up Lilith Faith - A Celebration of Women in Music, a two disc c.d. set featuring 13 tracks (just under 55 minutes of music) and 12 tracks (just under 49 minutes) featuring artist performances from some of the Lilith Fair concerts. Proceeds from purchasing this c.d. go to RAINN, which is a worthy organization to be sure. The important thing to note about this two-disc "Lilith Fair" set is that it is not Lilith Fair, it's a recording. As such, I'm reviewing it as a collection of live tracks from female artists who appear on it.

As the title suggests, this is a collection of live tracks from all female artists, though the range of those artists is somewhat limited. The album opens with Paula Cole, who likely was put there based on her prominence with "This Fire," which was hot at the time. Similarly, The Cardigans are near the front of the first disc, which suggests they were still enjoying their brief popularity in the mainstream when this was released. Of course, Sarah McLachlan pops up on the album, as do Suzanne Vega, Susanna Hoffs (former lead singer of The Bangles), Indigo Girls, Dar Williams and Lisa Loeb.

Mixed in with well known acts, or recognizable artists like Shawn Colvin, Meredith Brooks and Joan Osborne, are an assortment of performers whose one-hit never launched them into one-hit wonder status. This collection is a place where one may hear the works of Autour de Lucie, Lhasa, Patty Griffin, Yungchen Lhamo, and Victoria Williams. Sadly, it turns out virtual unknown Dayna Manning was at the Lilith Fair I attended and she left so little impression that I did not recognize her work on this two-disc set.

So, this is a concept that is clever and difficult to pull off; Sarah McLachlan hopes to get people to purchase this two-disc set based on the strength of known performers and lure them into listening to other artists. It's a good idea and this album just about pulls that off. Wisely, McLachlan and her associated artists give the listener something generally new and different from their repertoire on this album.

So, for example, Meredith Brooks does not perform "Bitch," but rather a song called "Wash My Hands." Lisa Loeb does not perform her megahit "Stay (I Miss You)," but gives the listener "Falling In Love." Joan Osborne distances herself from "One Of Us" with "Ladder" and Paula Cole presents a live version of "Mississippi" that proves that her strength on the album is not produced, but rather a product of her own abilities.

Some of the artists (virtually all of the performers wrote their own music) perform their one-hits or their most popular recognizable tracks. So, for example, I recognized Abra Moore's song "Four Leaf Clover" from the brief time that received radio airplay. Susanna Hoffs opted for a live version of The Bangles's "Eternal Flame" (it's quite wonderful) and Sarah McLachlan performs "Building A Mystery," sounding distinctly different from Mirrorball (reviewed here!). In another sad note, it's quite possible I saw Tracy Bonham perform "The One," as she does on this set, but it left so little impression with me that it seemed new to me when I heard it here.

The album sounds exactly like what one would surmise it would coming from Lilith Fair. It's a lot of women. Women with guitars. Almost universally, the tracks are a woman, usually with a guitar, singing her heart out. Some of the tracks have the usual live conceit of the audience responding to open or close the track or they have the artist speaking to the audience, but largely it's a woman with a guitar rocking her heart out.

This is combined with the occasional foreign language track, usually sounding like a tribal chant of some sort, as Yungchen Lhamo's "Lama Dorje Chang" is. The result is that this is a remarkably inconsistent album. Track to track, its hit or miss. I think there are more hits, but it's unlikely this two-disc set will be palatable to those who do not have a love of female pop-rock or folk-rock artists. That's pretty much what it is.

There are some decent unknowns on here, as well. Frankly, I like the Tracy Bonham song "The One" and I was glad to hear it on this set.

But largely, this was a wash for me and ultimately, my recommendation for this album came down to the idea that I liked where some of the money from the sale of this was going. No doubt there are places online you can rip your favorite songs from without listening to some of the more mediocre tracks, but then RAINN doesn't get its cut and you're not opening up to any other artists.

The best tracks are "Eternal Flame" by Susanna Hoffs on disc one and "What Do You Hear In These Sounds?" by Dar Williams on disc two (it sounds distinctly different from her live rendition of the same song on Out There Live, reviewed here!). The weakest links are "Lhasa" by El Payande (disc 1) and the awful, squeaky closer, "Periwinkle Sky" by Victoria Williams (Disc 2).

For other live albums, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Tina Live In Europe - Tina Turner
Live - James Taylor
In Philadelphia - Wilson Pickett

6/10

Check out how this album stacks up against others I have reviewed by visiting my Music Review Index Page where the reviews are organized from best to worst.

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Indigo Girls Sufficiently Sell Rarities

The Good: Some interesting tracks, Good lyrics, Decent voice and sound
The Bad: Little that is terribly original.
The Basics: A decent collection of Indigo Girls covers, b-sides, demos and live tracks yields a remarkably cohesive and qualitatively solid album.


It seems like most artists that have a real core audience often get to a point in their careers where their rarities, cover songs and b-sides become sought after by collectors and fans, regardless of the quality of them. They often get compiled into albums that are mediocre collections that are often more horrifying for what they reveal than enlightening. I recall being distinctly disappointed by Sarah McLachlan's Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff (reviewed here!). In fact, the only such compilation I have in my permanent collection (outside the bonus discs to R.E.M. and U2's greatest hits albums) is Hem's No Word From Tom (reviewed here!).

Enter the Indigo Girls, a duet that has a core audience. This is a two-person Lilith Fair and with over twenty years of making music, it seems reasonable that Amy Ray and Emily Saliers would create such a compilation album for their fans. Rarities is a collection of Indigo Girls b-sides, remixes and cover songs. With eighteen tracks clocking in at over seventy-five minutes worth of music, Rarities is a worthy collection of folk-rock music that showcases the range and diversity of the Indigo Girls's work.

First off, Rarities is a treat to casual fans of the Indigo Girls. For those who loathe hunting down tribute albums, charity works and/or soundtracks for a single song by one's favorite artist, Rarities solves the problem for Indigo Girls fans. Of the eighteen tracks, six tracks are from other compilation albums. For example, "I Don't Wanna Talk About It" was taken from "Music From The Motion Picture Philadelphia." Purchasing Rarities saves the Indigo Girls-phile from buying six discs for one Indigo Girls track each! Of the remaining twelve songs: two are covers, two are live versions of previously released tracks, two are remixes, one is an unused track, two come from hard-to-find e.p.s or albums, one is a demo, and two are unique to this recording.

And yet Rarities is a remarkably well-assembled album. The album has a wonderful sense of cohesion and a standard of track to track quality that is pretty wonderful. Moreover, the album does not surrendered to so many of the obvious conceits. The five live tracks include the obligatory crown noises at the beginning or end, but otherwise while listening to them, many sound more refined than the usual "live" recordings so many artists release.

Moreover, the cover songs chosen fit well within the range or abilities of the Indigo Girls. Hearing them sing "I Don't Wanna Talk About It," a song popularized by Rod Stewart, it is astonishing how naturally the song fits their voices and style. Of course, it's easy to take a song like that, which is generally slow and light pop to fit into a more folk-rock sensibility. The real surprise is how Indigo Girls righteously take on The Clash with the album opener "Clampdown." The Indigo Girls rock on the track and they take the ambitious song, which uses a lot more . . . well, sound than many of the songs produced by the Indigo Girls, and they make it sound effortless with the way they perform it.

Jump to the end, the Indigo Girls also take on the famous piece "Finlandia" by the composer Sibelius. I'm not sure I've ever heard "Finlandia" in English, but Saliers and Ray make it sound perfectly natural. And even their version of the classical song is presented in a way that fits perfectly with the sound and quality of the other tracks.

Even remixes, which I usually find dodgy, fare well on Rarities. "Shed Your Skin," another track from the album Shaming Of The Sun is remixed by Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine. Morello takes a song that was generally more folk-pop and turns it into a straightforward rock song driven by Ray and Saliers' vocals and guitars far heavier than most Indigo Girls tracks.

So in many ways, Rarities is a series of departures from the bluegrass, folk, and light pop-rock that has defined much of the music of the Indigo Girls; "Clampdown" and the Tom Morello Remix of "Shed Your Skin" are much more rock than some fans might be ready for and "Finlandia" might be more gospel than some are comfortable with. How does the album work so well, then?

First, the demo version of "Ghost" provides something remarkably similar to a previously released version that listeners will quickly find something familiar in the album. Similarly, "Never Stop" (from the 1986 e.p. by the same name) and the cover of "I Don't Wanna Talk About It" appear early on the album to showcase the vocal talents of Saliers and Ray in ways that are familiar.

But more than anything, the album is dominated by works of the Indigo Girls that are simply harder to find than others. With ten of the tracks written (or co-written) by the Indigo Girls, it naturally sounds consistent with the lyrical and vocal standards one might expect from the folk-rock duet. Songs like "Let Me Go Easy" (presented live) are essentially Indigo Girls. Written by Amy Ray and presented by Ray and Saliers with their guitars (and that's all!), the song is exactly like what one expects from the group.

Moreover, some of the collaborators with the Indigo Girls are well-chosen. Ani DiFranco accompanies the Indigo Girls on "Ramblin' Round" and she synergizes well with the talents of the duet. Similarly, Michael Stipe's appearance on "I'll Give You My Skin" works in part because he harmonizes perfectly with Saliers and Ray. The Indigo Girls are true artists with a great ear for what works for them.

In short, the album smartly mixes the familiar with the different to create a rather satisfying mix of covers and music we've simply not heard before from the Indigo Girls. The result is a better-than-average outing from the Indigo Girls.

The best track is "Shed Your Skin (Tom Morello Mix)", the low point might be "Point Hope," solely because it left no impression with me.

For other albums by The Indigo Girls works, check out my reviews of:
Indigo Girls
Swamp Ophelia
1200 Curfews
Shaming Of The Sun
Come On Now Social

6.5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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I Finally "Get" The Indigo Girls

The Good: Excellent lyrics, voice, decent enough musical elements
The Bad: Somewhat musically limited/unimaginative, SHORT!
The Basics: With a solid debut, Indigo Girls makes it clear they had ability to create more albums, but stymie the listener with how they were not a huge mainstream success.


My listening to and reviewing albums by the Indigo Girls has been pretty rocky. One of the last albums I listened to that I liked of theirs was their successful Swamp Ophelia. But even that did not take the sting out of some of their other albums I did not enjoy, like Shaming Of The Sun. To date, I've continued giving them a chance and when I picked up their 1989 album Indigo Girls I was glad that I had.

With only ten tracks, the eponymous album clocks in at just under 44 minutes and is a fairly solid debut album. I tend to like albums, even the first one from an artist, to be a bit longer, but I was happy enough with the substance of this outing to not let the length detract too much from what is presented.

For those who do not know the Indigo Girls, they are a duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Ray and Saliers write all of their own music, though never together, and they sing their songs and play acoustic guitars on all ten tracks. While they do not receive any form of producer credit on this album, it's hard to argue that this is not their vision of music. On Indigo Girls, they are producing solidly folk-rock and pop-rock tracks and it's a surprise that with this as their debut, Indigo Girls were not more of a mainstream hit in the marketplace.

That said, the reason for their lack of success also strikes the listener right in the ears the moment they start listening to the music. Do I think that a duo of women can have success in this day in age? Absolutely. Do I think a female Simon and Garfunkel could make it in the mainstream? Sure. Do I think that the U.S. can handle two women backed mostly only by acoustic guitars? Without a doubt. So, why aren't the Indigo Girls huge and why didn't Indigo Girls tear up the charts?

It's too smart for the mainstream. Yup, the problem with Indigo Girls is that Saliers and Ray are lyricists of a higher order and they simply could not compete with Milli Vanilli, who was tearing up the charts when this album was released. After all, how could they think they could compete with the sheer sugary ear candy of "Baby I've Got Your Number" with lyrics like "Rain soaked and voice choked like silent screaming in a dream / I search for our absolute distinction / Not content to bow and bend / To the whims of culture that swoops like vultures / Eating us away, eating us away / Eating us away to our extinction . . ." ("Love's Recovery")?

No, when pop music is focused on synthesizers and idiocy, it's hard to sell intelligent, emotive lyrics, even when they sing the essential teenage struggle. Indigo Girls opens with "Closer To Fine," a rebellious anthem that recalls, "I went to see the doctor of philosophy / . . . He graded my performance, he said he could see through me / I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my paper / And I was free." So, it's not like the Indigo Girls are singing something the key demographics do not want to hear.

As for their vocals, they range from rock-pop on tracks like "Closer To Fine" to the slow, sad ballad of "History of Us." The tracks include guest vocals by R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe on "Kid Fears" and that was a pleasant surprise for me as a listener! In fact, this album is more traditionally pop-rock in the presentation of the guitars and some of the drums than on some of the later albums.

So, I'm going to stick by the concept that this album was simply too smart for U.S. audiences when it was released. Its themes range from protesting society's expectations to love to loneliness ("Blood and Fire") and they present each theme with an adult tenor that allows them to deal with those concepts with maturity. This is an adult album in terms of diction and, I suppose, performance. Maybe more mature ears are required to appreciate the musical sophistication that comes from wonderful and articulate vocals that one may understand as opposed to the dazzle of production elements. Indigo Girls is utterly lacking in production elements. And that is a strength for these two talented women.

The best track (hard for me to nail down!) is "Love's Recovery," and I think the doubts of "Tried To Be True" hold up least well for me over multiple listens.

For other albums by The Indigo Girls works, check out my reviews of:
Swamp Ophelia
1200 Curfews
Shaming Of The Sun
Come On Now Social

7/10

Check out how this album stacks up against others I have reviewed by visiting my Music Review Index Page where the albums and singles are organized from best to worst!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Indigo Girls Prove Their Worth With A Substantial And Enduring Studio Album!

The Good: Great voice, Good music, Poignant and powerful lyrics, Album arrangement
The Bad: Male guest vocals backing some tracks
The Basics: In a solid studio album, the Indigo Girls give great vocals for some of the most compelling musical poetry of the last decade.


The first time I encountered the music of the Indigo Girls, I was in college and an a cappella group one of my friends was in did a rendition of "Least Complicated." I was dazzled by it and went and listened to the original. Or perhaps it was a friend of mine in high school who put "Galileo" on a mix tape (back when our mixes were still on tapes!). Either way, for several years now, I've been thinking the Indigo Girls might be worth my time and attention. Recently, I found a lot of value in their two-disc live set 1200 Curfews, but I had not found a studio album that I would recommend, at least not enthusiastically. That was until I listened to the group's recording Swamp Ophelia.

Swamp Ophelia, in addition to having a great title, is an eleven-track celebration to the power of women as the Indigo Girls seem expertly able to deliver. At their core, the Indigo Girls as middle-aged women Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, are hardly girls. Their music is a more mature, pop-folk-rock style that appeals to young feminists, old hippies and generally those who appreciate decent music that one is able to hear and understand. Swamp Ophelia is defined by straightforward, articulate singing backed by guitars (mostly acoustic) and other light instrumentals.

For a studio album, this has the quality and fresh sound of an intimate-venue live performance. This has a very direct folk-rock tenor to it with the vocals of Saliers and Ray harmonizing effortlessly to create memorable songs for the listener. If you've never heard an Indigo Girls song before, one spin of Swamp Ophelia will provide you with music that endures in your mind. If you hear these songs once, you'll remember most of them, they resonate so well. But the real challenge would be to listen to the album only once.

Ray and Saliers write all of songs on Swamp Ophelia, though not together and Saliers outnumbers Ray by one track. They both play guitars on various tracks as well and they receive a production credit on the album, so this is very much their vision that is being presented. This is music they want to make and it has a timeless, solid quality to it that instantly catches the listener.

Amy Ray tends to create the songs that are closer to rock and roll, the louder end of the folk spectrum. Her song "Fugitive" opens the album with a direct declaration of the demons lovers hide and her song "This Train Revisited" enthusiastically strums the album to a close. She is a competent and gifted writer, evoking strong imagery with her tight poetics. The album's name comes from a line in "Touch Me Fall," where she writes and sings ". . . Are you hiding / I am hiding / Cyprus moon / Bald in June/ Like the granite in a stream / Swamp Ophelia / I'm torn down." It's a beautiful song and her poetry is compelling and put to music it is simply gorgeous.

Saliers and Ray harmonize wonderfully, which makes them a group as opposed to solo artists performing together. On their performance of "Power Of Two," it's hard to imagine that they aren't together (which they've never been) when they sing, ". . .Now we're talking about a difficult thing and your eyes are getting wet / But I took us for better and I took us for worse and don't you forget it / . . . We'll look at them together / Then we'll take 'em apart / Adding up the total of a love that's true / Multiply life by the power of two." There is no other group I can think of where the women harmonize so perfectly.

It's Emily Saliers whose writing impresses me most on Swamp Ophelia, though. While I was biased toward "Least Complicated" coming in (a great post-break-up song if there ever was one!) but I was unprepared for how great "Language Or The Kiss" would be. I mean, usually when one goes into an album already loving a song, whatever track follows that song usually suffers some. If anything, "Language Or The Kiss" tops "Least Complicated" with the beautiful evocation of the lines ". . . Laughter like a language I once spoke with ease / But I'm made mute by the virtue of decision I choose / Most of your life goes on without me / Oh the fear I've known / That I might reap the praise of strangers and end up on my own . . ." It's beautiful and poignant and that is the power of the vocals and of this album.

This is a strongly feminine album and the only real detraction from that is the use of male vocalists for backing vocals. I've had this problem with other strong female artists (Dar Williams took a hit on her album Mortal City, reviewed here!, for much the same reason) before and while I don't have a problem with mixed groups (at all!), when one is presenting as powerful feminine perspective, the reliance on men to fill a backing vocal sometimes can seem cheap. This is the case on "Dead Man's Hill" where the reliance on the men's backing vocals overwhelm a bit too much.

Otherwise, this is a strong, smart album and it is worth your time and attention. It's one that if you listen to, you'll likely want to buy. The best track is the amazing "Language Or The Kiss" and the weak track is "Dead Man's Hill."

For other albums by The Indigo Girls works, check out my reviews of:
1200 Curfews
Shaming Of The Sun
Come On Now Social

9/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Curfew That Wakes The Listener Up To The Indigo Girls

The Good: Good vocals, Decent lyrics, Good music, Live sound suits the Indigo Girls, Album Length
The Bad: Stories between vocals do not have adequate volume, Some lyrics/music are sub-par
The Basics: A decent collection of live performances on two discs gives the listener a lot of material presented with an intimate acoustic concert sound that compliments the lyrics well.


I have not, historically, enjoyed albums by the Indigo Girls so far. I've reviewed Shaming Of The Sun (reviewed here!) and Come On Now Social (reviewed here!) and I enjoyed neither. I've pressed on because I'm convinced that there must be something to them. It brings to mind the classic joke where two people are having dinner at a restaurant and one says, "The food here is terrible!" to which the other responds, "Yeah, but at least the portions are huge!"

With the Indigo Girls's double album 1200 Curfews, the portions are indeed large and I'm pleased to say that overall, I enjoyed the set. With twenty-seven (mostly) live tracks spread over two very full discs, 1200 Curfews is an impressive musical experience that gives a lot of value to the listener. Unlike the prior studio albums I've listened to, on this set, the Indigo Girls have a fresh, very alive sound to them. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers give wonderful vocals throughout, making it - at the very least - a pleasant album to listen to.

The thing about 1200 Curfews is that it's the first live album in a long time that I've listened to that I felt captured a truly live concert feel. I've heard "Galileo" and "Least Complicated" before and these versions are nothing like their studio counterparts, at least in terms of polish and production. That freshness - able possibly because the songs were culled from different live performances - is refreshing and different.

Perhaps that's what Indigo Girls excels at; performing. Their studio albums have been underwhelming and the only thing that I immediately had a problem with on these two discs were the stories. I like hearing stories about songs from artists I respect - though they seldom hold up over multiple listens of an album. On a few tracks, like "Galileo" and "Power of Two," the vocalists tell a story about the song they are about to perform. Relative to the sound quality and volume level, these interstitials are seriously downgraded, meaning one has to crank up their stereo or miss the story (and remember to turn it back down as soon as the music plays!).

Indigo Girls present more of a folk presentation on this outing than on their studio albums and I found I enjoy that more than the polished pop-rock take on some of their songs on the albums. So, for example, "Power of Two" is presented with quiet acoustic guitars and the vocals of Ray and Saliers, with nothing else. This has the feel of a very intimate venue and that puts focus on the lyrics, without any distractions.

And Saliers and Ray can write! Of the twenty-seven tracks, Amy Ray wrote ten, Saliers wrote ten and the others are written by other artists. The Indigo Girls also provide their interpretations of Joni Mitchell's "River," Bob Dylan's classic "Tangled Up In Blue," and Neil Young's "Down By The River." As well, the standard "Midnight Train To Georgia" is presented and I have to say, their soft vocals resonate better than the Ray Charles version!

The nice thing about the lyrics of the Indigo Girls is that they do more than simply sing about love or loss. A number of their songs present social messages. For example, on their song "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" - written by Buffy Sainte-Marie and presented on disc 1 live and disc 2 as a studio cut - they sing about the problematic aspects of the reality of policies toward the Natives. They open the song brilliantly with, "Indian legislation's on the desk of a do right congresssman / Now he don't know much about the issues, so he picks up the phone / And asks the advice of the senator out in indian country, / A darling of the energy companies who are ripping off / What's left of the reservation." That's powerful stuff that you don't hear on the Top 40 stations!

Moreover, they broaden their message by simply making wonderful poems set to music. In a tribute to Virginia Woolf, Emily Saliers writes, ". . . They'll sweat in their hopelessness / In the rage we're all the same / The men of anger and the women of the page . . ." It's beautiful and poetic.

Saliers and Ray sing the songs with a delightful acoustic sound to every track on these discs, making a very homogenous sound. There are no songs where there are excessive instrumentations either. The pair manage to keep the album sounding fresh with just their guitars.

In all, this might be the best set for those who are not fans of the Indigo Girls. I suspect this set would be enjoyed by most anyone who likes folk-rock music and a strong feminine vocal presentation. The best tracks are "Virginia Woolf" (disc 1) and "Galileo" (disc 2) and the weakest tracks are "World Falls" (disc 1) and "Chickenman" (disc 2).

For other live albums by former Artist Of The Month artists, be sure to check out my reviews of:
“Jackie’s Strength” (single) – Tori Amos
Beginnings - Shania Twain
Break Every Rule - Tina Turner

6/10

For other music reviews, please check out my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Tales From A Groovy Place That Still Does Not Sell Us: Come On Now Social

The Good: Good musical variety, Decent lyrics, Good themes
The Bad: Vocals are generally unspectacular, Somewhat musically unbalanced
The Basics: With impressive lyrics and more enjoyable rock and roll music, Come On Now Social still falls short in the vocals and instrumentals, though I'm seeing some growth in Indigo Girls.


When I had my first experience with the Indigo Girls a few days ago with their album Shaming Of The Sun (reviewed here!) I felt so strangely disappointed and disappointed for not liking the album that I assumed the problem must be me and I set out to find another Indigo Girls album to listen to and review as soon as possible. I picked up Come On Now Social, if for no other reason than I liked the title.

I remain underwhelmed by the Indigo Girls tracks I have heard thus far.

With thirteen tracks (there is a hidden track after a few seconds of silence following "Faye Tucker," Come On Now Social clocks in at over fifty-seven minutes and unlike Shaming Of The Sun, this album is more consistently pop-rock and roll with more of a folk feel than country undertones. Come On Now Social presents the Indigo Girls as folk-rock rockers with an emphasis on rock and roll in their instrumentals. For example, "Faye Tucker" has a strong rock presence with electric guitars and articulate drumming.

In fact, the entire album has more of a rock and roll edge to it. Opening with "Go," this album is heavy in up-front guitars and loud drums that don't quit. In addition to the abovementioned tracks, "Gone Again," "Trouble," "Ozilline" and "Cold Beer And Remote Control" take on more straightforward rock and roll sounds, making the album less bluegrass than some previous endeavors.

This album includes backing vocals from Sheryl Crow and Joan Osborne, as well as Me'Shell Ndegocello on bass for a track. The truth is, their presences would have gone unnoticed were it not for the credits in the liner notes. They add nothing so distinctive or noticeable as to call attention to themselves.

The vocals are nothing to get excited about. For example, on "Soon Be To Nothing," as the vocalists (there are five) repeat the line "I'll soon be to nothing but I don't know when . . ." the result is less a harmonization and more a droning. The net effect is a tired repetition that does not emphasize the line or the emotions behind it but rather robs it - and the song - of its impact. Instead, there are many tracks that repeat creating a feeling that the songs are being stretched out. I could not find a single vocal performance on this album that impressed me.

The lyrics are another matter. What Indigo Girls lack in vocal presentation on Come On Now Social, they make up with lyrics that are genuinely wonderful and well written. Emily Saliers wrote a real classic set of verses in "Trouble" when she ironically wrote ". . . send God's sweet children floating down a poison stream / Secret society of conference rooms / I pledge my allegiance to the dollar / And when the clergy take a vote all the gays will pay again . . ." Saliers is socially active and angry as ever (one of the aspects of the group I respect).

Saliers does not quit with one track, either. On "Peace Tonight," Saliers writes one of the most promising refrains in pop-rock music's recent memory with "Let's make peace tonight / The moon is bare and shining bright / Let's make peace tonight in a good time." It's simple, but articulate and that spirit of calm reconciliation is rare in today's music. Saliers presents it well with "Peace Tonight."

This is not to say that co-Indigo Girl Amy Ray does not pull her weight on Come On Now Social. Ray's best lyrical outing comes at the beginning of the album by opening the work with "Go." "Go" may not have impressed me vocally, but it rocks and the lyrics have a high level of diction with such storytelling lines as "Grandma was a suffragette / Blacklisted for her publication / Blacklisted for my generation." It's good an, like the bulk of Saliers' songs on the album, "Go" has a strong social message that I find admirable.

But it's still not enough to recommend. Fine, the Indigo Girls rock on this album through a use of stronger guitars and more forthright vocals. The exchange of genres does not necessarily breed success and while the sound is different for the Indigo Girls, it was not the most unique sound. The folk moments are reminiscent of Joan Baez and Dar Williams, the rock music moments have a flavor fans of Sheryl Crow might enjoy, though I didn't.

Indigo Girls remain on my list because of their strong socially progressive message and I honestly liked the lyrics - I got more out of Come On Now Social by reading the lyrics in the liner notes than listening to the women sing them - but I'm still not impressed by Indigo Girls enough to recommend this album.

The best track is "Peace Tonight," the weak link is "Ozilline."

For other music reviews, please visit my reviews of:
Any Day Now - Joan Baez
Live Acoustic - Sarah McLachlan
MTV Unplugged - 10,000 Maniacs

5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Day The Feminists Took Away My Lilith Fair Tickets . . .

The Good: Some of the lyrics, Moments of voice
The Bad: Maybe I just don't like bluegrass? No, lyrics, music and voice did not impress me.
The Basics: With unmemorable lyrics, unimpressive musical backing, Shaming Of The Sun is a disappointment that is more forgettable than entertaining or enjoyable.


I've been to almost no concerts in my life (thus far). The first concert I went to as an adult was Lilith Fair in 1998 and I went because Heather Nova was performing at it and her album Siren (reviewed here!) had knocked me off my feet. I loved the experience. It was a thrill meeting Heather Nova, watching and listening to Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Merchant, and Sarah McLachlan. It blew me away. So, knowing that the Indigo Girls were generally enjoyed by people who attended Lilith Fair, I decided it was time to give an album of theirs a spin. The first Indigo Girls album I found was Shaming Of The Sun.

It didn't grab me.

I'm a fan of folk music, pop, rock and roll, and generally like my artists progressive and female. In fact, I like Indigo Girls's songs "Galileo" and "Least Complicated" (neither of which are on Shaming Of The Sun. Someone once told me the Indigo Girls are considered bluegrass and maybe that falls just outside what I like. With twelve tracks, Shaming Of The Sun is a socially-conscious album that has a hard root in gospel music. There is a strong sense throughout the album that Amy Rays and Emily Saliers are women of strong faith.

Perhaps that's one of the things that just doesn't fit for me; on "Scooter Boys," Amy Ray rights powerfully about the plight of the Indians with lines like "Scooter boys and Argentineans / Europe shed the blood of the Indian / Here I sit in the land of plenty / Crying about my own virginity." It's strong and socially aware. And what solution comes from this? Turning it over to god, at least on other tracks, "Hey holy console me / Some power controls me" ("Shed Your Skin"). I'm a bit more proactive, I suppose, than letting it all be a matter of the divine moving all of the pieces.

It's that kind of rhetorical and philosophical and lyrical incongruity throughout Shaming Of The Sun that turned me off. There are moments the vocals are exceptional; "Everything In Its Own Time" sounds wonderful with Saliers and Ray harmonizing beautifully in the upper ranges - most of their songs are in the mid-range on this album. "Everything In Its Own Time" stands out as a beautiful vocal presentation. But there, the lyrics did not impress me.

In fact, throughout Shaming Of The Sun, I found myself underwhelmed by the lyrics. From the singsong refrain of "Get Out The Map" ("Get out the map get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down / We'll leave the figuring to those we pass on our way out of town") to the ridiculous rhymes on "Don't Give That Girl A Gun" (clean/mean, cool/fool, smile/mile), the writing did not impress me and I was waiting to be wowed by this group.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual civil rights are important to me and Indigo Girls are touted as being an important part of the movement. On Shaming Of The Sun, they get around to poking at religious discrimination with the song "It's Alright," with lines like "And it's alright (sic) if you hate that way, hate me cause I'm different, hate me cause I'm gay." But the album overall is mildmannered and generally inoffensive with the solutions to the problems of the world being passed along more to the divine than a rally to organize.

In short, on Shaming Of The Sun, Indigo Girls are more likely to pray their way out of problems than organize a posse to march on the political establishments. I'm more for the latter solution myself.

None of the music on Shaming Of The Sun leapt out at me. Primarily composed of guitars and strong up-front vocals, the music on Shaming Of The Sun is indistinct rock in the folk-rock, bluegrass-country border. The guitars are either strummed up tempo for a folk-country sound or are slow in an ambiguous way that puts all of the pressure on the vocals for creating a memorable melody. And they don't. Not this time.

I like folk-rock, but did not enjoy this disc. I suspect those who like gospel music or country might be more grabbed by it, though I can't even recommend it to those people. Feminism is all about choices and I choose not to listen to this disc again.

The best track is "Everything In Its Own Time," the worst track is "Caramia."

For other reviews of former Artists Of The Month, please visit my reviews of:
Remember - Janis Ian
The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt - Linda Ronstadt
The Collection - Alanis Morissette

5/10

For other music reviews, please visit my Music Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2013, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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