What seems like a lifetime ago, I discovered the Indigo Girls at the tail end of college. Rites of Passage and Nomads Indians Saints started off my love of this folk music duo made up of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. I wore out my Swamp Ophelia tape in an old Walkman player when I was regularly walking around the Denver Tech Center near Fiddler's Green Ampitheatre (which has since gone through a few name changes and is currently Comfort Dental Ampitheatre). I saw them perform at Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, and at least one other venue in Colorado.
But like many easily distracted music lovers, I kind of lost track of Amy and Emily after a while. I have picked up most of my favorite albums on CD over the years, and every once in a while have checked in to listen to their latest releases. And though occasionally I heard glimpses of some of what made their earlier albums amazing, I was never as caught up in the melodies, words, and harmonies as I was with songs like "Galileo," "Closer to Fine," "Pushing the Needle Too Far," "Prince of Darkness," "Strange Fire," "Ghost," "Mystery," and "Kid Fears."
Fast forward to 2011 and their fourteenth studio album Beauty Queen Sister, which features 13 new songs in their signature storytelling style. They definitely haven't lost their touch in creating simple yet complex arrangements, melodies, styles, and harmonies to suit whatever topic they choose to focus on. And those topics vary widely on the album, including my favorite on the CD, "War Rugs," written about the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Their attention to causes both here and abroad hasn't let up in the slightest, including support for saving the environment, the rights of Native Americans, and the LGBT rights movement. So support for the Egyptians' brave stand against a corrupt government fits right in with their strong support for equal rights for all.
Though they're just as capable of rocking the house as singing a gentle song, I tend to like their softer side. On Beauty Queen Sister there are three songs that fall into that category with different styles. I already mentioned "War Rugs," which is about the mostly non-violent revolution in Egypt that began in January 2011 and continues today. Amy and Emily's song highlights the historic event: "Young Egypt seized the moment / and brought that bastard down..." Then they go on to say "we're claiming you for our team," which I interpret as joining much of the rest of the world in seeking equality on multiple levels.
Article comments
1 - Adonis Hunter
OMG "Brian Fitzpatrick...is a software engineer ...living...with his wife, two daughters"
I fell in love with IG back in high school and saw them many time back in the 90's but WOW I actually met another heterosexual that like them...Its a GREAT day for me Brian! ;) Thanks for the review...I like you was just looking into what they were doing and am listening to that cd and wondered what others thought...