On their eponymous 1989 debut, the Indigo Girls followed the lead of such greats as Laura Nyro and Joni Mitchell. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers pumped social conscience and self-esteem into ringing acoustic anthems like "Closer to Fine" and "Land of Canaan," just in time to catch the rising tide of feminist rock. Occasionally rough and a little too self-conscious, the songs on this CD resound with a profound sense of honesty and raw emotion. Crisp guitar work and haunting harmonies became the stock-in-trade of this powerful duo of "girls with guitars." L.A. Smith