ArtsEtc.

Bringing it back with ‘Bitter Bug’

Indigo Girls’ independent release works to highlight decades of experience, music

With 22 years of experience under their belts, one would expect the Indigo Girls’ new album Poseidon and the Bitter Bug to reflect the group’s experience in musical quality and eloquent lyrics. And the notoriously diametric duo has once again impressed and lived up to every expectation. Their style remains marked by the contrast between their styles: the rough-hewn energy that characterizes Amy Ray’s music is counter-balanced by Emily Saliers’ gentle folk presence.

The tone of the album begins with the understated vigor of tracks like “Sugar Tongue” and “Driver Education,” then gradually slopes off into the more serene (yet purpose-driven) contentment of “Ghost Of The Gang” and “True Romantic.” Every single song on the album is pleasing in its own right. Although the songs themselves stem from two distinct music genres, they have the unique quality of drawing listeners from all across the board. Like a cup of hot cocoa or a warm summer night on the front lawn, the Indigo Girls’ sound is comforting, and there is something about it most people just can’t say no to. Differences be damned: The thrasher’s wild streak shall be tamed, the pop queen’s soul shall be stirred from its material grave.

Poseidon and the Bitter Bug was released under the independent label IG Records. The girls’ insistence on non-commercialism proves they really aren’t in it for the money. “It hasn’t felt worth it for a long time. Beyond that, it never fed my soul the way an independent career can,” said Ray in a statement about being on a major record label, sealing this conviction.

Poseidon and the Bitter Bug represents one of those rare cases in which the spirit and central message come through stronger than the music itself. Both Ray and Saliers are strong-minded individuals with something to say; the real genius of their music is reflected in their lyrics. The album includes a second disc with acoustic versions of all of the songs from the first disc, as well as a bonus track, “Salty South.” The purity of the unplugged tracks brings prominence to the girls’ voices and highlights the words of the songs. The words entreat listeners to hear and understand. “Let me tell you something about my life,” runs the first line of the live version “Closer To Fine.” The song “Digging For Your Dream” tells about the struggles of everyday working-class citizens, saying “You take your prospects/ And your pickax/ And your drugs down to the street.”

That’s not to say that musical quality is sacrificed. The duo proves this through their gorgeous harmonizing in “Fleet of Hope” and “Love of Our Lives.” The latter is a perfect model of the two-tiered structure the entire album is built upon: pleasing sounds conveying a strong message.

So what is the central message of Poseidon and the Bitter Bug, exactly? They state it well in “Love Of Our Lives” — a song directed at anyone who has a love affair with a dream. On a personal level, it could refer to the new album itself, and what it means for the girls. In any case, the chorus rings out bright and strong: “We’ve been staring down the brilliant dream/ The sun burns our eyes/ We’ve been fighting for the love of our lives.” We hear you, girls.

4 stars out of 5.