Tuesday, July 4, 2006

Girls' fans enjoy the past and the future

By SHAWN TELFORD
SPECIAL TO THE P-I

For anyone who went to college in the '90s, the album simply titled "Indigo Girls" more than likely played a small if not significant part in their coming of age. Released in February 1989, as grunge was about to burst forth from its infancy, the Athens, Ga., duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers made their major label debut with a collection of deceptively minimal acoustic tunes that would unwittingly become one of the seminal folk-rock records of that era.

		MUSIC REVIEW
	INDIGO GIRLS with Danielle Howle WHERE: Woodland Park Zoo WHEN: Sunday night

With a focus on songwriting, harmonies and dynamic vocal interplay, the Indigo Girls have gone on to release nine studio albums, two live recordings, a retrospective and a collection of rarities. If there was any question of their mark on the American psyche, these doubts were laid to rest Sunday evening at the Zoo.

Many of the fans and their families were more than familiar with the plight of the character personified in the opening song "Closer to Fine." Apparently, the spirit of this restless seeker who went to the doctor, the mountains, the children and the fountains is alive, well and inspiring massive choral accompaniment for the line "the closer I am to fine."

The set included sneak peeks at "Little Perennials," "Lay My Head Down," and "Last Tears," all from their upcoming album that is slated for a September release. The latter featured a surprise appearance from local singer songwriter Brandi Carlile, who lent her vocals in the studio as well.

The Girls also left Carlile alone for an acoustic version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," a song Jeff Buckley covered and subsequently immortalized before his untimely death in 1997. Carlile's attempt to reclaim the song was formidable.

The road worthy "Chickenman" closed the set and, after a short wait, Ray returned for a solo "Three County Highway." Not content to close on such a quiet note, the Girls harkened back to 1992's "Rites of Passage" releasing the soul of "Galileo" on the willing audience. A chorus of "How long till my soul gets it right? Can any human being ever reach that kind of light?" filled the park with a playful but serious fervor. Again, this sense of seeking was alive and well and in this case, dancing across the grass.

South Carolina's Danielle Howle opened with songs from her 2006 release "Thank You, Mark." A folk rocker in her own right, she has made other Northwest appearances on compilations by Sub Pop and Kill Rocks Stars, most notably her track "Kill My Love for You" on "The Sound the Hare Heard." Though the song wasn't as sharp it is on the record, her a cappella gospel "Jesus Won't Wait" did win much praise from the crowd.

More headlines and info from Fremont/Phinney Ridge.

Share your own review.

Be the first to post a comment!