GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Retro is all the rage these days. What was once old is new again. The Indigo Girls, never one to disappoint, are giving something worthy of approval for even the long time fans. In over two decades of recording, the Indigo Girls have accumulated a virtual treasure chest chock full of demos, rare versions, cover songs, and duets never before released. "Rarities", their newest eighteen-track release, unleashes a rarely seen side of the powerful duet of Amy Ray and Emily Sailers. The CD spans the timeline of the band, going as far back as a 1986 version of "Never Stop" (written by Emily in her dorm room in 1981), to present day songs that did not make the cut for the 2004 release "All That We Let In".

The opening track begins with a toned down, acoustic-feeling version of The Clash's "Clampdown" (an interesting choice to begin the disc, but it works). However, the pace quickly picks up with a 2004 live version of Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and Sailer's "Walk Your Valley", a track originally meant for the "All That We Let In". (An interesting note about that track; it was recorded only once at sound check). Paying homage to musical legends, the girls lent their vocals to a 1991 cover of "Uncle John's Band" from the album, "Dedicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead" and Vic Chestnut's "Free of Hope". One can never say the girls don't have friends in high places, "Rarities" sports an impressive roster of guest vocals, spanning every genre of music, from Indie folk singer Ani DiFranco, to REM's Michael Stipe, to pop culture icon Joan Osborne.

The Indigo Girls have been a cultural icon in the music industry for over two decades. Although their sound has changed with the times, they've always kept true to their roots. "Rarities" acts as a chronological history of the group, and will bring great pleasure to even the most die-hard of fans, knowing that the girls are still rocking as strong as ever.