Come on Now Social

Indigo Girls

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 28, 1999)
• Original Release Date: September 28, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00001R3HR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (102 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #93,510 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Gentle Birkenstock-shod Lilith Fair fans who casually drop this disc into their CD player may be shocked by the raw power of the opening track, "Go," a punkish, guitar-driven call to action that once and for all blows away the notion that the Indigos can't rock. Recorded with London ensemble Ghostland (Sinead O'Connor's backing band on her 1998 Lilith dates), Come On Now Social doesn't abandon the Georgia duo's familiar folkish sound, but expands it to include soul ("Peace Tonight"), funked-up mountain music ("Ozilline"), full-on rock ("Compromise"), and blistering Steve Earle-style country ("Faye Tucker"). Guest artists abound, including Sheryl Crow, Luscious Jackson's Kate Schellenbach, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Joan Osborne, the Band's Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, and Natacha Atlas, but they don't overshadow Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, who are at the top of their game here. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Girls back in top form, October 3, 1999

By A Customer

Long-time IG fans (including me) concerned about the break from the traditional IG sound represented to some extent by "Swamp Ophelia" and carried much farther by "Shaming of the Sun" needn't be -- "Come on Now Social" marks the Girls' return to top form. Gone indeed are the two voices/two guitars sounds of "Strange Fire" and "Indigo Girls," but what's here in "Come on Now Social" is simply different from the early albums, and far from a disappointment. The album takes off with the hard-rocking (and quite satisfying) "Go," but follows up with the gentler "Soon Be to Nothing" and the fresh and delightful "Gone Again." Other tracks are equally enjoyable, including the lush, horn-enhanced sound of "Peace Tonight" and the edgy, Celtic-influenced "Faye Tucker." What's perhaps most comforting to an old-time fan like me is that Amy Ray and Emily Saliers don't seem to be pulling apart here like they did in their last two studio albums, drifting in different directions -- Amy into the gritty, angst-filled, hard-edged songs, Emily farther into the contemplative, softer sound. This album feels far more unified, with some refreshing "role reversal" -- Amy playing it softer in "Gone Again" and "Sister," Emily taking the "hard road" in "Trouble." After listening to "Come on Now Social," I no longer feel like I have to pull out "Rites of Passage" or "indigo Girls" to find an IG sound I like. The current album puts them on solid, united ground once again. The sound may be more layered and far more instrument heavy than their first four studio albums, but the IG soul is still there. Fear not.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Progressive Folk = A New, Challenging Sound, December 1, 1999

By A Customer

At first listen, "Come on Now Social" is quite different from previous albums, but consistent with the progression of the Indigo Girls. Ten years have passed since the release of their debut, but their music remains true to the core. Amy and Emily bring different elements to each album, but the end result is always new and different. Clearly, they are not afraid to experiment.

Their latest album showcases their ability to alternate between the driving guitars of "Go" and "Compromise", the sweet harmony of "Soon to be Nothing" and the classic acoustic "Ozilline."

While the sound is a bit different, their abilty to rock has never been doubted - whether on an acoustic or an amped-up electric guitar.

Musically, they expand their horizons with each new album. "Come on Now Social" finds Amy and Emily experimenting with the banjo, the mandolin, the bazouki, electric guitars, electric slide guitars, and the classic acoustic guitar.

Those of you lucky enough to hear their live performance on NPR's "World Cafe" know that they still have the ability to perform stripped-down, acoustic versions of their newest songs. I hope to catch a live show if they ever return to Alaska.

P.S. "Go" isn't that new. Check out the hidden track on 1200 Curfews - disc 2. I thought the chorus sounded familiar...

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars With 2 strikes against them, the Indigo girls hit big, November 9, 1999

By	Miss P "Reviews for the People" (Dirty Jerz) - See all my reviews

After a disappointing concert in Waterloo, NJ this August and a disappointing last album (Shaming of the Sun)I admit that I was a bit leary to buy this album. It was only after hearing so many wonderful things about it that I broke down and picked it up. Needless to say, this album renewed my faith in the amazing work that Amy and Emily produce. Come On Now Social is a potpourri of stylings from Bluegrass (Gone Again), to rock (Go), to the familiar Indigo folk that we all know and love (Andy, Soon to be Nothing). And although I don't forsee any radio hits, there will surely be many fan favorites. I guess one of the charms of the Indigo Girls is that they don't sell out and rely on radio (over)play. I also want to make mention of a hauntingly beautiful hidden track at the end of the disc. I didn't even know it was there at first and it should have been included on the playlist, but I will admit that it was fun to discover it later. I give this CD 4 stars instead of 5 simply because the harmonies aren't as tight and together as usual, and it's much more obvious than on previous albums, what is Amy's and what is Emily's, but as a whole, Come On Now Social is a wonderfully crafted album and definitely worth owning.