Indigo Girls (CD - 1989)

Indigo Girls: Emily Sailers, Amy Ray (vocals, guitar).

Additional personnel: Luka Bloom (vocals); John Keane (electric & slide guitars, bass drum, shaker); Jai Winding (piano); John Van Tongeren, Dede Vogt, Kasim Sultan (bass); Jay Dee Daugherty (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Michael Stipe, R.E.M., Hothouse Flowers.

Recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, California; Can Am Studios, Tarzana, California; John Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia.

Indigo Girls: Emily Saliers, Amy Ray (vocals, guitar).

Additional personnel: Luka Bloom (vocals); John Keane (electric & slide guitars, bass drum, shaker); Jai Winding (piano); John Van Tongeren, Dede Vogt, Kasim Sultan (bass); Jay Dee Daugherty (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Michael Stipe, R.E.M., Hothouse Flowers.

Recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, California; Can Am Studios, Tarzana, California; John Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia.

Master Sound releases are 24-karat gold CDs remastered from first-generation masters. This process utilizes 20-bit technology and Sony's "Super Bit Mapping" system.

Indigo Girls: Emily Sailers, Amy Ray (vocals, guitar).

Additional personnel includes: John Jennings (electric guitar); Scarlet Rivera (violin); Lisa Germano (fiddle); Martin McCarrick (cello, accordion); Jane Scarpantoni (cello); Jai Winding, Maggie Roche (piano); Benmont Tench (organ); John Van Tongeren, Dede Vogt, Kasim Sultan, Sara Lee, Edgar Meyer (bass); Jerry Marotta, Kenny Aronoff, Budgie (drums, percussion); Talvin Singh (percussion); Jackson Browne, David Crosby (background vocals).

Producers: Scott Litt, Peter Collins.

Reissue producer: Bruce Dickinson.

Principally recorded at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York.

Digitally remastered by Scott Hull (Classic Sound, New York, New York).

This is a limited edition packaged in a recycled paper digipak.

Indigo Girls: Emily Sailers, Amy Ray (vocals, acoustic guitar).

Additional personnel includes: John Jennings, Mike Buck (electric guitar); Scarlet Rivera (violin); Lisa Germano (fiddle); Martin McCarrick (cello, accordion); Jane Scarpantoni (cello); Jai Winding, Maggie Roche (piano); Benmont Tench (organ); John Van Tongeren, Dede Vogt, Kasim Sultan, Sara Lee, Edgar Meyer, Mike Mills (bass); Jerry Marotta, Kenny Aronoff, Budgie, Bill Berry (drums, percussion); Talvin Singh (percussion); Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Luka Bloom, Michael Stipe (background vocals).

Producers: Scott Litt, Peter Collins.

Reissue producer: Bruce Dickinson.

Recorded at: Ocean Way, Los Angeles, California; John Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia; Can Am Studios, Tarzana, California. Originally released on Epic (4504). Includes liner notes by Paul Evans.

Digitally remastered by Scott Hull (Classic Sound, New York, New York).

Personnel: Emily Saliers (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric 12-string guitar, 12-string guitar, hand claps); Amy Ray (vocals, acoustic guitar, hand claps); John Keane (guitar, electric guitar, electric 12-string guitar, 12-string guitar, slide guitar, bass guitar, bass drum, shaker); Peter Buck (electric guitar); Peter O'Toole (mandolin, background vocals); Jai Winding (piano); John Van Tongeren (keyboards); De De Vogt, Kasim Sulton, Mike Mills (bass guitar); Liam Maonlai (drums, background vocals); Bill Berry, Jay Dee Daugherty (drums); Liam O Maonlaí (bodhran, background vocals); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Fiachna O'Braondin, Luka Bloom, Michael Stipe (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: David Leonard; Tim Harrigan.

Audio Remixer: Scott Litt.

Liner Note Author: Paul Evans .

Recording information: Can Am Recorders, Tarzana, CA (11/24/1994); Can Am Studios, Tarzana, CA (11/24/1994); John Keane's Studio, Athens, GA (11/24/1994); Ocean Way Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA (11/24/1994); Ocean Way, Los Angeles, CA (11/24/1994); Sheperd's Bush Empire, London, England (11/24/1994); Shepherd's Bush Empire, London England (11/24/1994).

Photographer: Kris Anderson.

With their first major label release, the Indigo Girls come on strong with an outstanding batch of tunes, watertight harmonies, impeccable musicianship, and flawless production. And entering the folk-rock music scene on the successful heels of R.E.M., Tracy Chapman, and 10,000 Maniacs pushed their sales over the million mark and earned the duo a Grammy for Best Folk Recording. The eponymous release kicks off with the upbeat jangle bounce of "Closer to Fine," a modest hit, all-time fan favorite written by Emily Saliers, and a tune the Girls still play at every concert. A particularly fascinating point is that the Indigo Girls never write songs together, but they compliment each other perfectly. The difference in styles becomes immediately apparent when the more dark and brooding Amy Ray steps up. Her remarkable contributions include "Secure Yourself," "Kid Fears," and "Blood and Fire," spiritual ruminations of life, love, pain, and faith which bury themselves deep inside your core whether invited or not. Weighting the opposite scales, Saliers offers a tender balance to Ray with two beautiful ballads, "Love's Recovery" and "History of Us." (Ray's "Land of Canaan" was once a ballad, but then she heard the Replacements and it became a bit of a rocker.) Chiming in with musical support are Hothouse Flowers, Luka Bloom, and fellow Georgians R.E.M. This self-titled release captures the passion of their youth with voices that are a little cloudy, untamed, and raw, but the power that surges through them suggests a maturity far beyond their years. The same can be said of the songwriting -- sheer poetry. To attempt examinations of these songs would not do them justice, for the layers of meaning and emotion unfold best upon repeated listening. ~ Kelly McCartney

This impressive major label debut (an earlier album was released independently) contains some of the Indigo Girls' finest compositions. INDIGO GIRLS swings between songs of love and philosophical questioning and has become the soundtrack of choice for many a college student. This album is the genuine article-made for staying up late and listening to over and over.

INDIGO GIRLS cuts closer to the emotional bone than most pop/rock records, exploring the pain of becoming an adult with grace and depth that never lapse into pap or sentimentality. The wistful "Kid Fears" benefits from the vocal contributions of Michael Stipe. Standout songs include the students' anthem "Closer to Fine" and "Prince of Darkness," but there are many other fine tracks on this collection. The level of musicianship is unquestionably high. Vocalists Amy Ray and Emily Saliers achieve what one reviewer called "the most richly harmonious vocal pairing in pop music since Simon and Garfunkel." minimize