The Inside Pulse:
The Dixie Chicks are one of those bands that has somehow won the hearts of every single woman they are introduced to. It could be their grrl power bravado, or their nu country aesthetic, but they’ve never really been a hit with dudes. But in the three years since they disappeared for bashing Bush, they’ve returned (maybe too late) with an “I Told You So” record produced by Rick Rubin. Rick helped rejuvinate Johnny Cash’s career and turn him onto a completely new set of fans. Can he do the same thing with the Dixie Chicks?
Positives:
Well, don’t expect “American IV” or anything, but this is a darker record than their previous outings. Most songs are either about heartbreak or revenge, and while this isn’t a new idea for country music, it sounds legitimate here. Country music is always best when it’s true, and this record pulls that off.
Negatives:
It’s all kind of flat, if you ask me. These girls should be throwing middle fingers in the air and writing songs in the vein of Neil Young, not stealing from the ‘country melody for dummies guidebook’. It sounds tired and old when it really should be kicking you in the balls. But even when they try for anger, like the big ho-down tune “Lubbock or Leave it”, it feels like they’ve only turned it up to 7, when they need to really hit 11.
Cross-breed:
Take your pick of any bango-pickin blonde on your country music station and make them angry at the President. It doesn’t change as much as you’d think.
Reason To Buy:
Your mom’s birthday is coming up (happy birthday mom!), or you actually dig the formula of grrl country, because it hasn’t ever changed.
