Amy alone.

Prom * Amy Ray * Daemon Records 

Solo albums from members of well-known bands rarely yield big surprises. But Prom, the second full-length by Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, is a rare exception that makes the rule. More rough-hewn and hard-rocking than much of her catalog with Emily Saliers, Prom's 10 originals deal with an extremely personal topic, the most emotionally charged period in the life of almost any individual regardless of sexuality: high school.

As on her previous solo outing, Stag (2001), the Georgia native is once again joined by impressive cohorts, including guitarist Donna Dresch (Team Dresch, Screaming Trees), drummer Kate Schellenbach (Luscious Jackson, Beastie Boys), and singer-guitarist Michelle Malone. Mood swings come fast and furious, yet such abrupt transitions succeed because they mirror the jumbled feelings of adolescence.

Ray also distills ephemeral moments into memorable turns of phrase: Propelled by power-pop riffs that recall late '70s radio faves Cheap Trick, "Driver Education" fires off quick sketches of crushes on suicidal classmates, pollen dust and Pixie Stix, and kisses that taste like Marlboros and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Particularly powerful are "Rural Faggot" and the closer, "Let It Ring," in which Ray decries the hypocrisy of the so-called moral values that thrive down South. With its assured mix of hooks and quirks, Prom proves as entertaining and enlightening a coming-of-age adventure as The Catcher in the Rye.