Daemon Records
Didn't It Feel Kinder
About This Album
On her third solo album, Amy Ray's moved a bit closer to a mainstream indie rock sound, but the music's lost none of its bite and her lyrics remain full of insightful details. She continues to examine the conflicts of growing up in a small town, of being out in straight society and fighting the good fight against overwhelming odds. The ten tracks have echoes of every style form the '50s to the '80s, a broad musical spectrum held together by the heart and soul Ray brings to everything she sings. "Cold Shoulder" is a new wavey dance track that talks about forbidden love, and the common struggle that ties youthful misfits together. "She may be straight tonight but last night she let me hold her," she sings ruefully. The sprightly music contrasts neatly with lyrics that convey the frustration of coming out in a small town. "Birds of a Feather" is a moving ballad wherein a young lesbian commiserates with a closeted friend, suggesting that they migrate to a place where they can be themselves. The slow tempo, distorted guitar accents, and Ray's distressed vocal give the tune an unbearable tension. "Who Sold the Gun" borrows Beach Boys harmonies and a '60s backbeat for a protest song that connects the dots between Iraq, video games, and teen streetcorner violence.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,6,7,8 and 9)

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