A lot has changed since the Dixie Chicks last studio album, Home, in 2002. In between having babies, they found themselves in the face of controversy when they announced during their Home tour, they were ashamed of their President.
It was a bold move that backfired. Record sales dropped, death threats were made, and in between convincing fans to burn Dixie Chicks albums, radio stations also stopped playing them. But if that was a move to destroy Dixie Chicks, then it didn’t work. They returned with Taking The Long Way — which quickly became a number one album — and an attitude that showed they had matured.
Produced by the legendary producer Rick Rubin — who has produced many big name acts including Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Johnny Cash and U2 — this is the Dixie Chicks at their finest. When Rubin described his vision for Taking The Long Way to Martie Maguire he said “I think this should sound like a great rock act making a country album, not a country act making a rock album.”
Taking The Long Way is not a country band playing rock, but more a rock band playing country. There are the usual fiddles that come with a country album, but this time around something is different about the Chicks. They have a heavier sound with more oomph to both their vocals and music. Their lyrics are an emotional roller coaster that range from anger in “Not Ready To Make Nice”, to the loss of family in “Silent House” and ”Favorite Year”.
Taking The Long Way is as hard rock as Country can get, and clearly shows how they dealt with the political backlash they received in 2003.
“Not Ready To Make Nice” clearly asserts that the attack on their freedom of speech, still stings. And, as they sing in the song, they could “never kiss all the asses they told me to”, and walk silently through life accepting decisions made, that they thought were wrong. This song can be interpreted as a kiss-my-ass to all of those who treated Dixie Chicks like vermin, simply for voicing what many other Americans were feeling.
Article comments
1 - dorothy parmerter
Taking the long way by the Dixie Chicks was a fantastic cd; enjoyed every song on it. It's the Country family that lost out not the Chicks. Years ago Country singers backed each other up and it seemed just like one big family--what happened this time. Go Chicks???
2 - Susan
Um, you're about a year late for this aren't you? LOL
3 - Sally
I thought John Mayer played on "I hope"? Not "Hold On".
4 - Claire
Their "I Hope" featured a guitar solo by John Mayer.
Would've been more honest, journalistically [is it even a factor anymore], if you had announced from the get go that you're only critiquing their album purely for political reasons. *lol*
5 - Dixie Cowards
How about you review some NEW music?
retarded.