Look Long
A photograph of two young girls standing in front of mountains
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 22, 2020 (2020-05-22)
RecordedJanuary 2019[1]
StudioReal World Studios, Box, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom[2]
Length41:43
LabelRounder
ProducerJohn Reynolds
Indigo Girls chronology
Live with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra
(2018)
Look Long
(2020)

Look Long is the fifteenth studio album by American folk rock duo Indigo Girls. The album was originally due to be released on April 24, 2020,[3] but was delayed until May 22, 2020.[4] The album has had a positive reception from critics.

Release and promotion

A large building with a rounded glass exterior built into the side of a low, sloping hill
Look Long was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios (pictured c. 1990).

The Indigo Girls recorded the album with previous collaborator John Reynolds.[5] The album was preceded by the single "Shit Kickin'" on February 28, 2020 and the announcement of a promotional tour.[3] Tour dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States but the duo performed a series of weekly[6] live-streamed concerts online to raise money for charity as well as promote this release.[1] These events were accompanied by a question and answer session and audience requests for performances.[7] They also performed at a virtual festival of musicians raising money for the United Nations Foundation on Mother's Day, 2020.[6]

Critical reception

Writing for the Associated Press, Pablo Gorondi writes that Look Long is a "a passionate and tuneful collection on which the combined voices of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers sound as instinctive and magical as ever".[2] The editorial staff of AllMusic Guide gave the release 3.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine remarking has several "jolt[s] of color or stylistic experimentation" and that "the album's heart lies within the musical departures".[8] In the Santa Cruz Sentinel, John Malkin notes the variety of themes in the songwriting: "politics and culture including realms like gun violence in America, gender identity, the paradox of love and loss and good ‘old southern living".[6] In No Depression, Carina Liptak also highlighted the diversity of themes as a strength for the album in addition to the tension between the two vocalists' styles.[9]

Track listing

  1. "Shit Kickin'" (Amy Ray) – 3:53
  2. "Look Long" (Emily Saliers) – 4:39
  3. "Howl at the Moon" (Amy Ray) – 3:42
  4. "When We Were Writers" (Emily Saliers) – 3:54
  5. "Change My Heart" (Emily Saliers) – 3:46
  6. "KC Girl" (Amy Ray) – 3:43
  7. "Country Radio" (Emily Saliers) – 3:57
  8. "Muster" (Amy Ray) – 3:40
  9. "Feel This Way Again" (Emily Saliers) – 2:52
  10. "Favorite Flavor" (Amy Ray) – 2:56
  11. "Sorrow and Joy" (Emily Saliers) – 4:41

Personnel

Indigo Girls

Additional personnel

  • Justin Adams – guitar
  • Caroline Dale – cello
  • Lyris Hung – violin
  • Carol Isaacs – keyboards
  • Lucy Jules – vocal harmonies on "Shit Kickin'"
  • Clare Kenny – bass guitar
  • John Reynolds – drums, percussion, keyboards, production
  • Lucy Wainwright Roche – vocal harmonies

Charts

Chart performance for Look Long
Chart (2020) Peak
position
UK Americana Albums (OCC)[10] 7
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[11] 43
US Billboard 200[12] 159
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[13] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[14] 21

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Ruggieri, Melissa (May 20, 2020). "Indigo Girls Talk About Visceral New Album, Look Long, Livestreams for Charity". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Gorondi, Pablo (May 20, 2020). "Review: Indigo Girls Passionate, Tuneful on Fine Look Long". Associated Press. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Hudak, Joseph (February 28, 2020). "Indigo Girls Preview New Album Look Long with Funky 'Sh-t Kickin'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  4. Betts, Stephen L. (May 1, 2020). "Indigo Girls Address Queer Representation in New Song 'Country Radio'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  5. Masley, Ed (June 23, 2019). "'Psychedelic Heart?' Amy Ray of Indigo Girls talks new album coming in 2020". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 Malkin, John (May 20, 2020). "Look Long: Moving Forward Together with Indigo Girls". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  7. Shaffer, Claire (March 18, 2020). "Indigo Girls to Perform Livestream Concert and Q&A". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Look Long – Indigo Girls". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  9. Liptak, Carena (May 20, 2020). "Indigo Girls Bring Contradictory Forces into Harmony on Look Long". No Depression. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  10. "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  11. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  12. "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/2)". Billboard-Hollywood Media Group. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020 via Twitter.
  13. "Indigo Girls Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  14. "Indigo Girls Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
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