Album: Indigo Girls, Beauty Queen Sister (Vanguard)

Their 14th studio album finds the Indigo Girls operating as powerfully as at any time in their career, on a set of uncommonly strong songs performed with the kind of typically understated Nashville polish that affords their signature harmonies the full spotlight.

At times they may stray dangerously close to melodic MOR, but even when singing a "Birthday Song" they manage to come up with such an engaging sentiment you have to forgive them. Elsewhere, their liberal-left leanings are deftly employed in tableaux of Springsteen-esque teen streetscape ("Beauty Queen Sister"), down-home rustic neighbourliness ("John") and even an intelligent, sympathetic assessment of the Egyptian revolution ("War Rugs").

DOWNLOAD THIS: Share the Moon; John; Beauty Queen Sister; War Rugs; Birthday Song