Hang In There With Me

Amy Rigby was in her mid-thirties when she released 1996s Diary of a Mod Housewife, her critical breakthrough and an indie success that fearlessly and with razor-sharp wit dealt with life as a woman edging into middle age. As an artist, Rigby has always been a grown-up -- a clever, funny, honest one who has a keen way with words and a genius for pop/rock melodies. While most songwriters wouldnt consider front-loading an album with two songs about the challenges of being AARP-eligible, it makes sense for Rigby, and her 2024 LP Hang in There with Me leads off with "Hell-O Sixty" and "Too Old to Be So Crazy," both of which sting with their relatable honesty and guitar-fueled attitude. Hang in There with Me is the work of a rock & roll lifer, someone who loves making music too much to stop regardless of practical concerns, and she writes with distinction about both the funny and aggravating sides of her existence. She ponders unpredictable audiences in "Dylan in Dubuque," spins a bittersweet tale of the wreckage a charming cad left in his wake on "Bad in a Good Way," pens a seriously venomous "Dear John" letter in "Bricks," studies the joys and frustrations of the artists life in "Requiem," and pens a passionate defense of a certain iconic hairstyle in "Bangs." As always, Rigby shows off a remarkable talent for dealing with the myriad emotions that come with a lived life, and her voice is the remarkably impressive instrument of someone who can inhabit any number of characters while still sounding like the nice woman who lives down the block. Her husband and frequent creative ally, Eric Goulden (aka Wreckless Eric), produced the album at the couples home studio, and as a fellow aging rock tunesmith, he helps give the performances the right amount of crunch and sparkle. While the records 11 tunes clock in at a mere 33 minutes, it feels complete, fully formed, and full of great tunes and hard-won wisdom. Its anyones guess how much longer Amy Rigby will keep making music, but Hang in There with Me suggests shell still be writing songs and recording them for posterity until she draws her last breath, and theyll be good enough to be worth hearing right up to the end. ~ Mark Deming