Backstory: Amy Ray’s previous solo efforts “Stag” and “Prom” filtered think-pieces on gender, politics and pop culture through winsome confessionals way more plugged in than her work with the Indigo Girls. Her third effort, released on her own Daemon Records label, is no different.
In fact, it may be better than anything the Indigo Girls have ever done.
Verdict: “Didn’t It Feel Kinder” may not be a pop masterpiece, but it’s addictive listening.
The raw opener “Birds of a Feather” sounds like it’s trying to take flight on one broken wing, while the downstrum stomp of “Bus Bus” is a love letter from the road that burns nicely through fears of separation and global warming without being reductive. The sardonic blast of “SLC Radio” takes a swipe at Mormon fundamentalism, but is as empathetic as it is danceable.
Depending on who you are, “Blame Is a Killer” can remind you of the boozy blues of the Stones’ “Sticky Fingers,” Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up the Sun” or Sleater-Kinney’s “All Hands on the Bad One.” Impressive stuff.
This review appeared at Metromix and the Los Angeles Times
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