Review: Indigo Girls passionate, tuneful on fine ‘Look Long’

Indigo (Rounder)

“Look Long” is the Indigo Girls’ first studio album in five years, a passionate and tuneful collection on which the combined voices of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers sound as instinctive and magical as ever.

RecordedinEnglandatPeterGabriel’sRealWorldStudios,it’swherethey made 1999’s “Come On Now Social,” one of their most memorable albums.

While this one foregoes the impressive all-star guests which then included Sheryl Crow and Garth Brooks,itseesthereturnofproducerdrummerJohnReynoldsandsomeof the excellent supporting players, like bassist Clare Kenny and keyboardist Carol Isaacs.

With 11 songs covering themes from romance and parenting to family memories, gun culture and gay identity, Ray and Saliers do their best to rinse the salt out of a few wounds,

Girls,

“Look

Long” gently dress others and also attempt some preventive care.

The yearning “Country Radio” is about “just a gay kid in a small town” who hears and loves the songs, even ifthestoriesdon’tquitefithisidentity.

“Muster” questions gun culture and all sorts of violence with a mandolin-supported melody, while “ChangeMyHeart”focusesongalacticvibrationsandtheconsequencesof the “American schism.”

“FeelThisWayAgain”and“Favorite Flavor” deal with the challenges of being a parent, the sweet harmonies and banjo of the former reminding of the Dixie Chicks, while the latter is a joyful pop tune with backing vocalsfromLucyWainwrightRoche. It’saquirkycreation,likeacollaborationbetweenfellowGeorgiansR.E.M. and the B-52s.

IndigoGirlsaretheirmostelemental and best on “Look Long,” with Reynolds and the ace band attractively sprucing up the tunes without breaking the duo’s foundational folkrock mold.

ROUNDER RECORDS VIA AP This cover image released by Rounder Records shows “Look Long” by “Indigo Girls.