Dixie Chicks – Taking the Long Way
Sony Records (released 5/23/06)
Country (but I say that loosely)
Official Site
Since last week, when I reviewed Shut Up and Sing, the Dixie Chicks have added Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Country Album, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal to their résumé, after dominating the 2007 Grammy Awards.
Taking the Long Way is their best work to date—their answer to how the country music industry ceased its overall support for the group when Natalie Maines spoke against President Bush, not to mention the pressure they were under and how they had to work through their publicity nightmare.
This album is not traditional country, but a band with country influence and can appeal to a broader base. They honor the sound that made them popular, but also their integrity, making it where country radio could play the album, but for the most part is choosing not to. It’s alt-country, with some classic-rock influence, in every way and in new ways, because of what they stand for. The strengths of the album are the songwriting and melodies, with “Taking The Long Way” and “Not Ready To Make Nice”. “Easy Silence” was a surprise; an emotional thank you to those who supported them in the wake of a sudden anger toward them that was quickly fueled in the United States. “Not Ready to Make Nice” is going to always be the grade-A song in their career with their strong and unapologetic stance and sound:
I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should
“Bitter End” is a country song without question, and “Lullaby” is a beautiful, flirting-with-pop but beautiful country melody that I could see Sheryl Crow (Sheryl has co-writing credits on “Favorite Year”) or Sarah McLachlan covering. “Lubbock or Leave It” was a incredible fierce track about rebelling against what their hometown has said about them. This was more than Natalie’s “kiss my ass Lubbock, TX” track, it reminded Lubbock that they didn’t love Buddy Holly either:
‘Cause this is the only place
Where as you’re getting’ on the plane
You see Buddy Holly’s face
I hear they hate me now
Just like they hated you
Maybe when I’m dead and gone
I’m gonna get a statue too
Though I like the poetic lyrics of “Silent House”, I felt that it could have been left off of the album, but it flowed very well with “Favorite Year”, where the Crow influence is strong. “Voice Inside My Head” was also co-written by Linda Perry and could have easily been a video for this album—the universal feeling about moving on but wondering if you are better off with the choices that you’ve made.
I wasn’t crazy about “So Hard” or “Baby Hold On” because I feel like it’s been said before, but that doesn’t take away from me believing this was one of the best albums of 2006. “I Like It” could have ended the album, and I’m surprised it wasn’t the final track. It’s very much a classic-rock-type song, a very let’s-get-drunk-and-live-life song. I did however, like “I Hope” as leaving the album on a optimistic note.
Taking The Long Way deserves more air play than country radio has allowed and definitely is worth a listen to anyone who is curious about the real sound of the Dixie Chicks. I don’t believe that the mostly conservative country radio will ever fully back the Dixie Chicks as long as they are as outspoken as they are, and would be benefitting right now from the Grammy Awards publicity if they would support them. But since that is not happening, it’s really going to be country music’s loss in the long run.
Rating:
