Despite our differences, released in 2006, is comfortingly similar to a lot of the Indigo Girls previous albums but is also starkly different. It is a mixture of sweet songs about love, loss, and regret and heavier songs infused with the spirit of rock and roll. Ray and Saliers still have a lot to say, but this album seems less overtly political. When they do have a political message to sell, they're able to do so in a subtle way and with a sense of refinement.
It's a fun stretch from what I'm used to hearing from Ray and Saliers, but I like it a lot. It's an album that I haven't tired of yet and, with each listen, I'm finding new things to love about it.
'But wait, Mrs. Dude,' you're probably saying. You said in a previous post that you don't usually like female vocalists. 'What gives,' you ask.
I realize that I probably should have prefaced that rant by saying that there are some female vocalists that I love. I love Jodee Lewis' vocals because her voice is so rich and conveys a vulnerability. I love Natalie Merchant's vocals because of how smokey and sultry she can make her voice sound. I am growing to love Aimee Mann's voice because it's unlike anything I've heard before in its complexity.
And I love Amy's and Emily's vocals. For me, though, it's not what one or the other of them brings to the table. For me, it's the interplay of their voices and how one is gravely and earthy while the other soars. Their music, especially on this album, gives each of them the chance to shine.
No comments:
Post a Comment