Indigo Girls’ New Album Has Some Magic Moments

Indigo Girls “Shaming of the Sun” (Epic)

On this album of all-new material (their first since 1994’s “Swamp Ophelia”), Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers stay the course, hewing close to the folk-pop sound that has served them so well for nearly a decade.

There’s nothing here as transcendent or fresh as “Closer to Fine” from “Indigo Girls,” the record that snagged the Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy Award in 1989. But “Shaming of the Sun” does a fine job of showcasing the Girls’ maturing songwriting craft and production values. (Ray and Saliers co-produced the disc with David Leonard and Peter Collins, who have worked with them before.)

This collection reaches out stylistically, giving gracious nods to their influences. “Shame On You,” the first single, almost sounds more like Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl” than the Indigo Girls. “Scooter Boys” recalls the fire and chugging rhythm of early Midnight Oil.

Not bad acts to ape, or at least to draw upon for inspiration. It’s when Ray and Saliers go for pop currency in the hip-hop influenced “Shed Your Skin” that they overextend. And on “Cut It Out,” Ray ventures into Melissa Etheridge territory with a tortured, cliche-ridden vocal for a song that could easily have been cut out of this package.

Despite the temptation to write them off as knockoffs or throwbacks to a time when folk music meant much more than it does now, there’s no denying the Girls’ musicianship and unflagging work ethic.

Backed by stalwarts such as singer-songwriter Steve Earle and harmonica player Mickey Raphael, there are musical moments here as pure and magical as you’re likely to find. Ulali, an American Indian vocal group, lends an otherworldly quality to “Burn All the Letters” and several other selections.

If that’s not enough to win you over, Ray’s and Saliers’ voices weave around and through each other, rising, falling, bending, breaking, and at times blending into one holy instrument that is nothing short of thrilling.