Amy Rigby’s latest solo album, Hang In There With Me, was co-produced by Wreckless Eric (AKA Eric Goulden), Amy’s husband and sometime duo partner at their home studio in upstate New York. Here is a bracing look at life inside the vortex of the last few years. Mortality, aging and youthful missteps refracted through Amy’s insightful lyricism emerge not wistful but resolute even triumphant. Rigby’s distinctive voice bluntly traverses love, loss and DIY projects gone wrong over guitars cranked or shimmering, indelible bass lines, a raft of synthesizers, keyboards, beat boxes and the occasional drummer allowed into Amy & Erics rustic mid-century echo chamber.
Like some people turn to the moon and stars for inspiration, Amy Rigby looks to creative heroes like Bob Dylan and Mike Leigh. She finds poetry in haircuts, live chat boxes; bartending and bookselling. Her music is the sound of everyday people getting by; just like the country artists she loved and learned to write songs from.
The recording of Hang In There With Me was bookended by Amy performing in the round alongside Nashville compadre David Olney when he died onstage in January 2020, and the demise of Amy’s dad. Along with Eric’s near-fatal heart attack, it could have all made for heavy going in the studio, but Amy says: “There was nothing to hide in the few years when no one could see each other. And with my dad losing his mind and passing away, there’s not much left to prove anymore. Watching key figures in our lives die just makes it clear that getting older is a gift and brings a new kind of freedom. Writing songs, making records and touring has been my life and I’m lucky I have the energy and will to keep at it. I still just want to share stories and rock out on guitar. The world is such a mess she says. Writing songs and working in the studio is a small way to make order out of the chaos. It keeps on giving me hope”.
Hang In There With Me looks at the impossibility of life and living it anyway, with abandon. First single Dylan In Dubuque was inspired by a notorious nineties Bob Dylan concert in Iowa, where a lack of security led to chaos and a nonstop stage invasion that Bob simply took in his stride. If only we could all be so unfazed when things get weird!
Amy Rigby has established herself one of Americas enduring underground/cult/indie artists, combining the insight and humor of country and folk songwriting with classic rock craftsmanship and punk DIY spirit. She formed pre-Americana country band Last Roundup (Rounder) and Richard Hells favorite girl group the Shams (Matador) in downtown NYC before launching a solo career with 90s classic album Diary Of A Mod Housewife. Amy’s honest, kinetic songwriting has earned her praise from critics (pithy wisdom, acerbic pen and sterling American guitar classicism – MOJO) and other artists: ‘Think Randy Newman and Loudon Wainwright, at their best’ says Steve Earle. Her songs have been covered by Laura Cantrell and Ronnie Spector, John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants and Maria Doyle Kennedy. Her 2019 memoir Girl To City was called an instant classic by The Big Takeover. “You can smell the damp, see the clothes, hear the guitars!” says Goldmine.
The illustration above is a screen grab from the video for Amy’s song Dylan In Dubuque
