We caught her solo act last night. Awesome. Like the Indigo Girls, but electric and loud and hard. Girl can sing!
No, she didn’t do any Indigo Girl songs. At least none I knew, I haven’t kept up with the Indigo Girls for a good 10 years or more. She had the keyboardist from the Indigo Girls there. She was wonderful, could play great keyboards, instantly harmonized perfectly with Amy, and generally was getting down. The rest of the band was so-so. Certainly not bad but not particularly stand-out for a headlining act.
Amy is just immensely talented. Her singing is not only good, it has an incredible self-confidence. Not even arrogant, but after you’ve sold that many albums and toured that often, you just know that you’re good.
The guitar playing is great. Nothing complicated, but well-written songs that feature the guitar sounds. It’s amazing how much a simple rhythm works when it’s done just right.
Because I love all of McBeef’s choices (oh, yeah, Hand Me Downs, is great), I’ll include a couple of others I just love, in no particular order:
Watershed – The harmonies, melody, syncopation, and lyrics are great (“get used to a country mile”!). Great use of the blending of their voices. This song still lifts me up when I’m pissed off about life.
Southland in the Springtime – This is favorite Emily song…perhaps the most beautiful use of her voice and sentiment.
Love Will Come to You – Boy, I hope so… 😉
Galileo – “King of Night Vision”
Hammer and a Nail – Best use of acoustic guitar; best use of “sweat” in a song.
Hmmm, Indigo Girls top 5. I have the same caveat as Muttrox — I haven’t kept up with them for 10+ years also:
Kid Fears – this one is #1 for three main reasons — Amy Ray, Michael Stipe, and the fact that I can play it on guitar. This one is great live, when they let the crowd take the opening of the Stipe part.
Love’s Recovery – maybe the only Emily song in my top 5. Love the lyrics on this one.
Welcome Me – enough has been said about this song. Clearly in the top few.
Prince of Darkness – my favorite Amy Ray line in any song is in this one, as she growls out “the cries of passion were like wounds that needed healing…”
Hmmm… having trouble with #5. Hand me Downs and Pushing the Needle Too Far are contenders, with Closer To Fine as an honorable mention.
Matt – That’s unreal. Welcome Me is one of my favorite songs of theirs, maybe the #1 song. I think that calls for some kind of top 5 list.
Here’s a random review, I can’t find any mention of the show I just saw.
Shhh…don’t tell anyone but I own something like 6-7 Indigo Girls CD’s. lol
That rocks that you saw Amy in concert! There’s nothing like “Welcome Me” with her raspy voice and hard edged lyrical quality she has.
I added more to the post to answer…
You knew you’d get a comment from me on this one. She can belt out a tune, for sure. Did she do Indigo Girls stuff or all other songs?