The Indigo Girls have a new album out on March 24th, Poseidon and the Bitter Bug
I’m sorry but, helloooooo Amy Ray. That is a fabulous photo – of them both! – and really the only reason I’m writing this review is so I can point out how freakin butch Amy Ray is. In fact, I saw her live with her band – her ALL-BUTCH BAND – back in October, and was completely blown away. Amy was playing with Kaia Wilson, Julie Wolf, and Melissa York (see a whole bunch more photos from their west coast tour from indigospike on flickr), and they sounded so amazing together. Amy’s newest album Didn’t It Feel Kinder
Except, just one thing about the photo: the tie tip should touch the middle of the belt buckle. Not sure why Amy’s tie is so short, maybe that’s some styly thing I don’t know about?, but it looks a bit awkward to me. (What’s the tie-length rule when one’s shirt is untucked? Or perhaps that rule presumes an always-tucked shirt.)
Kristen and I listened to it on the way back from a small trip to Boston last week, and she said something I thought was interesting – something like, what’s the point of a new Indigo Girls CD, the entire point is that you know all the words and sing along.
I forget that they’re seen as such a sing-along band. I’m not one to sing-along at concerts – I’m more of the guy glaring at the singers usually, though not at Indigo Girls concerts: it’s true, there are just too many songs that everyone knows, and that is a part of it. Going to Indigo Girls concerts every summer was a big part of my identity development – it’s like an Ani Difranco concert, which I’ve come to call “the family reunion” because of all the dykes, as in “are you going to the family reunion this summer?” “Oh yes, of course, I never miss ’em.” – seeing all those gay women in one place was like going to Pride or the Dyke March, made me feel more at home in my own skin.
I still remember the first time I watched the video for Closer to Fine, my mind blew a bit. I couldn’t stop watching Amy’s delicious swagger and it definitely took me a while to figure out that I wanted to be her, not do her.
Take a listen to many of the songs on Poseidon and the Bitter Bug over at Indigo Girls.com so you can start memorizing the lyrics. Read Tina’s review here and leave a comment (on her blog! not mine!) to win a copy of it, if you like.
I love that you posted about this. I saw Amy Ray here in DC in November and she was as amazing as ever. Her solo stuff is just so.raw. I also love the fact that she has been working with Kaia and Mel since way back in their Butchies days. I saw them perform with her in '99 before she had even released a solo album, and I remember being so blown away by how powerful and hot these gender variant queers were–I stared up at them as a young, not out, future gender queer butch and finally felt like I was home.
I received an advance as well and still need to write my review of it – but I have to confess I am not a fan of the Indigo Girls or this album.
Ah well sigh…I'm queer.
Ah! So I'm not the only one who's picky about the tie length rule. Male business students are definitely the worst offenders, it nearly drove me crazy. And the rule should be the same tucked in or not, yes? The assumption with an untucked shirt is that it was once tucked in? At least if the shirt has a proper shirttail hem.
I agree it's all about Amy. I like her attitude. (The cover of "Stag" made me swoon.)
Plus there's the IG cameo in Wordplay… I'm a serious sucker for butch girls who can do crossword puzzles.
I've had the honor of seeing Julie Wolf with the Indigo Girls and some other artists too. Hot! Hot! Hot! She works an accordion like it's a strap-on. No kidding.
I love the fashion commentary, Dear Sir, and agree as to both points. The tie length is funny and she is hot anyway. But then, I'm a Connecticu girl. We like our twin sets pressed and our fasion etiquette rules followed. ;)
Hi Mr. Sexsmith,
I love the blog and also love Amy Ray and butch girls in general. And femme girls for that matter.
I'd love to be granted password options, but until such time please feel free to read over my blog too.
Take care.
XO
haven't listened to enough of it to have an opinion on the album. but i highly appreciate that the acoustic and electric albums are in different orders – i'm a stickler for the importance of albums as albums rather than just collections of songs, and that shows some real consideration of that.
regarding the tie – that tie length (and width) screams 50s, which i kind of dig, but seems like it ought to be accompanied by a proper suit. personally, i'd be a "just touching the top of the belt buckle" kind of guy if i weren't so little. it's that nerdy touch. as it is i have to wear my ties too long or the tail sticks out =)
I actually JUST want to chime in on the tie thing, because the knot is just wrong. For her face shape and the collar she has, the tie knot should have been much smaller. I think then I might not have cared fo much about the length. The knot looks too big though and doesn't help the stunted tie look.
re: the title
people are guessing that "Poseidon" comes from "Fleet of Hope" and "Bitter Bug" comes from "Second Time Around".. apparently one is an amy song and one is an emily song?
goes along with the whole 2 CDs, electric/acoustic, 2 women, etc thing.. ya know?