 
The pageantry and pain of high school come alive in Amy Ray’s razor-sharp Prom. The grittier half of the Indigo Girls delivers a stellar solo album of roots rock that captures the trials of youth with a blend of warmth, humor and outrage. Listening to the first two tracks, “Put It Out For Good” and “Driver Education,” is like flipping through the pages of a fading yearbook as Ray paints a vivid portrait of teenage life. “I ran for miles through the suburbs of the seventies/Pollen dust and Pixie sticks/Kissing in the deep end of swimming pools,” she sings against a sunny pop beat. Although high school serves as a rich backdrop for many of the songs, Prom isn’t really about sophomores and seniors. Instead, the album is more about finding one’s identity under different, and sometimes difficult, circumstances. Ray bursts with a desire to say something, to connect with people.
After the nostalgia of “Driver Education,” she gives us
“Rural Faggot,” a song about a country boy who is coming
out as gay. The album closer, “Let It Ring,” is a rousing
response to the people who fail to practice tolerance while hiding behind
their faith. “I’m gonna let it ring to Jesus/Cause I know
he loves me too,” counters Ray, who manages to be both tough and
upbeat. The subject matter of many of the songs is serious, but that’s
doesn’t make “Prom” any less entertaining. As a solo
artist, Ray lets loose her rocker side and displays more attitude. Electric
guitars replace the acoustic ones that have driven the Indigo Girls’
music. Ray’s lyrics, however, continue to be heartfelt and free
of sentimentality. In short, Ray has crafted a well-balanced rock album.
- D. Kimura
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Amy
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