Amy Rigby’s solo debut is a breath of fresh air: in an era dominated by overwrought, angst-ridden female rockers, the wonderfully titled Diary of a Mod Housewife offers deceptively simple songs which cut to the heart of what day-to-day existence is truly like for women in the 1990s. Rigby’s songs are miniature character studies which find the pointed truths locked inside seemingly mundane circumstances: “Knapsack” details a galvanizing crush on the boy who works at the local bookstore, while “Beer and Kisses,” an outstanding duet with John Wesley Harding, distills the sum of married life into the couplet “Get home from work, turn on the light/ Sit on the couch, spend the whole night there.” In addition to her knowing lyrical eye, Rigby is also a terrific composer who synthesizes elements of rock, country, folk and girl group-era pop; melodic and assured, Diary of a Mod Housewife is a remarkable and unique debut. – Jason Ankeny