Search - Indigo Girls :: Staring Down the Brilliant Dream

Another Brilliant Evening with the Girls

M. Casarino | Wilmington, DE United States | 06/30/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How do they do it? After a few live albums and DVDs (including the amazing "1200 Curfews"), the Indigo Girls deliver another gift to their fans.



"Staring Down the Brilliant Dream," like "1200 Curfews," isn't a coherent concert, nor is it meant to be. Instead, it's a collection of live recordings, each chosen for its particular energy, and man, does it connect. We get the passionate arena rock of "Go" and "Tether," two tracks that really need a stage to come alive; we get the plaintive melodies of "Come on Home" and "Moment of Forgiveness" (which really shimmers as a ballad); we get the inspired country folk of "Ozilline" and "Watershed"; we even get some choice covers and great guest appearances.



The Girls have been playing together for 25 years; we could forgive them if they went through the motions now and then. In fact, some of their recent studio cuts have been missing that spirit that made the Girls gel; while their harmonies and interplay remained strong, they have at times sounded less like a band and more like professionals backing each other's solo material. But "Brilliant Dream" is the work of a band who loves to sing and play together. Listen, for example, to Amy and Emily spiral around each other in "Fill it Up Again" - this is the most joyfully coherent the Girls have sounded in years. And while they've each grown technically proficient, both as writers and performers, there's never a sense of slick professionalism. These songs were chosen for obviously personal reasons, and both Amy and Emily sing like they're genuinely trying to communicate, which gives true resonance to songs you may have glossed over.



Listening to the artistic and emotional growth of the Indigo Girls over the years has been a true pleasure. "Staring Down the Brilliant Dream" is nothing less than a gift, a reward for being a fan. Those of us who never miss their shows understand how deeply they connect in concert, even when they're not at their happiest; it's a wonder that a recording can capture that feeling so perfectly. Well done, girls."

These songs grow each time

David | Miami Lakes, FL USA | 06/30/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Amy and Emily interact with their band and guest musicians to create more depth and complexity to each of these songs. Nearly all of these live songs eclipse their studio versions. The addition of Julie Wolf's keyboard and vocals on many of these tunes creates a softness that allows for a lot greater musical experimentation than you might see if only Amy and Emily were on stage.



Even the dedicated Indigo Girls fan will likely be surprised by the beauty of "Salty South," the foot-stomping meditation of "Devotion," the musicianship on "Closer to Fine," and the new twists in "Shame on You." It's awesome to see that this duo has been making music together now for 25 years and are still able to keep it fresh while crafting new material that, in special moments, far eclipses much of their earlier work."

Nice addition to IG's catalog, but missing the edge that 120

Flash | Cleveland, OH USA | 07/07/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Don't get me wrong, this is yet another worthy addition to the Indigo Girls catalog and I will certainly be playing this one often. Staring Down The Brilliant Dream is the second essential collection of live recordings from the Indigo Girls (the first being the 1995 release: 1200 Curfews. Like 1200 Curfews, this 2 disc set features numerous (31 of them!!) live tracks of IG songs spanning the past decade of albums. Yes. Some of the "old" favorites are here as well. The songs Closer to Fine, Kid Fears and Prince of Darkness are all-time IG classics and are always good to hear. A nice bonus for any "Girls" fan is that you get to hear some live tracks from their latest album as well (something their recent DVD release "Live at the Roxy" didn't have). Ok. So why only four stars? Because this CD lacks a little bit of the edge, rawness and intimacy that 1200 Curfew's had. On Staring Down The Brilliant Dream you get plenty of live songs, but on 1200 Curfew's, you got all this plus some of the story before the songs, you got more songs that weren't on any of their albums and the result is, 1200 Curfews captures a much more significant moment in the IG's career. Maybe the intent was to fit in as many live songs as possible on 2 discs. I wholely appreciate that, but as a fan, I must draw the comparisons to 1200 Curfews and in that, Staring Down The Brilliant Dream comes up a little short. That being said, there is still much to like about this collection and it is still a very worthwhile purchase. I should mention that the packaging, pictures and notes on this disc are superior to that of 1200 Curfews.



To conclude, I'll repeat what I've said in some of my other reviews: I think the Indigo Girls are the best American songwriters today. Do yourself a favor and listen to their music."