Reviews for Indigo
Indigo - Chris and Kellie While
Indigo is the long anticipated third album by this much acclaimed mother and daughter duo.
It’s been seven years since their last release Too Few Songs and although the duo have toured every year, their various commitments have meant they haven’t been able to find time to record until now. Once again, they have laid their writing tools down and put together a list of remarkable songs from their favourite writers, some of whom are friends and others who are songwriting heroes.
The track list includes songs by Karine Polwart (Waterlily), Richard Shindell (Wisteria), David Francey (The Flowers of Saskatchewan), Kim Richey (Angel’s Share) and Del Amitri’s Justin Currie (Always The Last to Know) as well as country classic She Thinks I Still Care and the traditional seafaring ballad Captain Glen.
As you would expect now from this incredible pairing of voices, the harmonies are immaculate, the vocals inseparable and the effect, spine tingling. What is evident on Indigo - their third and most accomplished album to date - is the sheer delight Chris and Kellie take in singing and in the sound of each other's voices, weaving in and around each other so you can hardly tell which is which.
Colin Randall
Folk CD of the week.
"Hardly seems a month since I reviewed the last album by this mother and daughter partnership (Too Few Songs) but it was actually seven years ago (LT76 for those of you with an interest in these things). Although a lot of water has passed under the bridge, what we have here are two voices that have developed a sublime harmony, similar but complementary.
Again the songs are mostly contemporary covers, except for the traditional Captain Glenn (or should it be Glen, à la Nic Jones). Daughter Kellie sings and plays guitar, mum Chris sings and plays a multitude of instruments, and I’m pretty certain that somebody uncredited provides keyboards (I’ve a hunch that it’s Julie Matthews, the producer). Wisteria features some exquisite guitar harmonics. Their acoustic take on Del Amitri’s Always The Last To Know is the highlight for me by a long chalk, but all 10 tracks are worth their salt. In a couple of places, they have given more than a passing nod to Country (Gillian Welch’s Orphan Girl and the George Jones classic She Thinks I Still Care). The title track is a retelling of a Michael Kennedy song that Chris While previously sang solo on the MK Hearth album – for what it’s worth both versions have merits, but the harmonies here have the edge. The delicate handling of David Francey’s The Flowers Of Saskatchewan is quite simply stunning.
All I need now is to find a gig by this pair far enough north that the Scottish contingent of converts can see them in live performance."
Grem Devlin
Living Tradition