Saturday, December 2, 2006

Ahh Nostalgia

Album: Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls
Ok, now that I'm in, I'm going to have to do the inevitable and mention them. I found out that I still have a place in my heart for their folk-y, angry melodrama. Jangly guitars, growling vocals, beautiful harmonies. It's wondrous in spite of their still unbearable haircuts. (Many a male glam rocker has one up on the fashion stylings of these two.) I haven't listened to them in years, but all those high school/early college memories come flooding back with a listen. (If only Shawna were here, I think I could get some affirmation.) So, this album was checked out of the public library by a homeschooled girl who snuck it into the inner sanctum of the Pack household. I think the reasoning was that if it were a library cassette, it couldn't be that harmful. I remember singing along till I was hoarse to Kid Fears (featuring Michael Stipe) as I sped around in the family minivan. "Are you on fire/ From the years/ What would you give for your kid fears" Or, with choruses like these - "Blood and Fire/ are too much for these restless arms to hold/ And my nights of desire are calling me/ back to your fold/ and I'm calling you from ten thousand miles away/ won't you wet my fire with your love, babe?" So much drama that any young girl would love! It makes me think of my friend Susan, who was sassy, refused to wear girly clothes, and smoked in high school, but now is a mother of three, lives in one of those McMansion homes, and attends church every week. It makes me think about the first boy I kissed. (Sorry honey.) Side A on cassette was the stronger of the two, but I can still sing along to every track after almost 15 years. Weird.
Aside to Justin - if I can work Proxis, Rock This into one of these posts, I'll be fairly impressed with myself.

4 comments:

Sean B said...

Now that you mention it, I wouldn't be all that surprised if 90% of all 30ish McMansion moms were big Indigo Girls fans. I'm not sure why I say this, but maybe it's because their music (and perhaps the lifestyle it represents) is so easily relegated to a phase - something like, "ah, mullets, pseudo-lesbianism, female empowerment -- wasn't college fun?? [sheepish chuckle] Uh oh, time for Jordan and Dakota's playdate."

jphillip said...

When I see a mediocre college band performing, I ask one thing: How long until we hear Closer to Fine?

ATrain said...

All I can say is, the IGs have nothing on a certain Asheville band called "Common Bond" that once opened for the Vigilantes of Love...

Papa Shoegaze (loudly, in the club): "Look at all these lesbians!"

Sugar Mama said...

Papa also could not exit the bathroom bc lesbian ultimate makeout session was blocking the door.