The Dixie Chicks have a new album coming out in May, Taking the Long Way. It is their first album since the pre-war unpleasantness. They have released the first single, which addresses that controversy. It's called "Not Ready to Make Nice."
Full disclosure/brag: I'm proud to have been the first person to cuss Natalie Maines out on the internet when the story of her infamous London remarks surfaced. Oh how I hate Natalie Maines, though I can't stop looking at all these Dixie Chicks pictures. In short, me and Natalie have history. It's a thing, you know. Natalie - I ain't mad atcha. Just call me.
But to get to the point, this song really sucks. Now obviously, I'm going to have some thoughts on the autobiographical lyrics but we'll get back to that. Let's start with parsing this out as a song.
"Not Ready to Make Nice" is the biggest bunch of whining, self-pitying shitlickin' I've heard on a record in a good while. The lyrics are only part of that effect, though. The whole expression of cheap calculated, homogenized self-righteous self-compassion is particularly unappetizing.
"Not Ready to Make Nice" is basically a third-rate Faith Hill song. It's the worst end of that whiny victim crap, only she's a tough old broad who'll stand up and fight back, thus the title.
The title almost has a musical hook, but it's just so bland and generic in every possible market-calculated way as to defy description. It's like a response crafted by a PR firm - only not a very good one. It doesn't go anywhere. The climactic bit of tune supposed to carry "or my life'll be over" was particularly totally flat and bland.
This is musically regressive even for the previously mediocre at best Dixie Chicks. This song, though, is less melodically memorable, and even less country than their previous records. Rick Rubin produced this, so advocates want to basically transfer a bit of Johnny Cash karma on to the Chicks. Rubin produced his exemplary final albums, and really brought Johnny back.
But that was Johnny, and Rubin didn't get those results by producing sounds like this arrangement. It's a big, awful, bland pop arrangement with just the least hint of fiddle (mixed in with 10x more generic violins) being the only clue I can take that this is even nominally a "country" song.
It'd be fine for them to try something different, but this sound isn't particularly anything else, either. Not as in doesn't sound like anything else, but that it sounds a little bit like a whole lot of things - just a stylistic gray muck of nothing in particular. They could play this at commercial country radio, or VH1, or some adult contemporary format.
It could play at pop radio. Heck it sounds as much like Britney Spears singing about being "Lucky" as anything. The general not-really-rock-not-country-not anything in particular thing runs between both songs. They also have a similar self-sorrowful emotional tone about being a poor suffering rich singer. But "Lucky" has a considerably more memorable tune than this.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Barry Stoller
I'm surprised the DC haven't collaborated with John Mellencamp, someone else stuck in the MOR trying, but failing, to 'say something.'
2 - Scott Butki
What I want to know is why you even bothered to listen to this, let alone review it? You knew - heck I knew - that you'd dislike it.
You reviewing the Dixie Chicks would be like me reviewing Dick Cheney's speeches on human rights - I - and you - can pretty much guess what I'd say about it before I even did it.
That said I do agree with you on one thing - that it's a cheap, easy manipulative trick to suggest that all critics can be dealt with when you're really only dealing with the extremists making death threats.
Unfortunately I see people on the right - Michelle Malkin, Ben Domenech, etc - doing the same trick all the time.
3 - Frank
Wow...does someone have an agenda or what? You can think whatever you want politically, but you shouldn't critique music based on it. The song is a brilliant, heartbreaking piece of art, and there is no denying that the Chicks are brilliant musicians.
4 - Al Barger
No Scott, I did NOT know I'd dislike the song in advance. I in fact listened to the song- repeatedly. I was skeptical, but it's possible that they'd get some kind of interesting inspiration from their experience and surpise me. I hated Wham, but the "Faith" album kicked my ass.
You and Dick Cheney speeches would be a different thing from me and this song. Again, I note that this song is NOT a political statement. Again, I can and routinely do separate political from musical judgments.
But also, do please critique a Dick Cheney speech. Cut it apart. That's legitimate. It's not just "he sucks" but giving an explanation. Break down exactly what statements he's making that are wrong, and why.
Frank, you're all wet. My "agenda" is to find and recommend good music. This ain't it. There's nothing brilliant or heartbreaking in this crass and caluclated PR release of a song.
Ouch Barry. Granted, Mellencamp's work has tapered off in interest level in recent years, but it's hardly fair to tar my Hoosier hero with comparison to the Madison Avenue "country" of the Dixie Chicks.
5 - Scott Butki
Al, ok, thanks for the explanation.
6 - Al Barger
You're welcome, Brother Butki- and I await your detailed Dick Cheney breakdown.
7 - Scott Butki
I await Dick Cheney's breakdown too.
Oh wait that's not what you meant.
In the meantime I'd be curious on your thoughts on a music list of my own making.
8 - Earl
The Dixi Chic's are now Haute Culture'
They are taking the angle and leveraging it to thier advantage.
Go Girl's
Now that you have been pumped up from the right... you can sell to the left.
Great PR machinations going on here.
Go-For-it!!!
I never bought any of your product before... and I doubt I'll buy any now.
But PLAY THE ANGLE...... it may pay off.
and that's the "Bizz Buzz"
9 - Lauren
AL-
You're the one that sounds like a piss-ant. It's a damn good song. Even if I did not know the conrtoversy, I would be singing this at the top of my lungs. I think I'll find my grandmother's victorian gown and shove it in your good for nothin, probably pot-bellied ass. Thats a country girl for ya. If I wus yer neighbor, I would find me a rattler and put it in your toilet.
I don't back down neithter. Okie girl
10 - Al Barger
Lauren- Girl, you want a piece of me? I ain't scared of you. If'n you can whoop me, then I'll listen to more of the Dixie Chicks whining. If I whoop you, then we listen to some real music. Perhaps "Put Another Log on the Fire."
11 - Karridine
After their churlish whining overseas, they've laid low for a few years, nursing this, and watching courageous Americans take freedom, the 21st century and victorious efforts to the Afghanis and Iraqis!
Where's 'A Woman's Freedom to Choose' when you need it? This little quasi-tunoid wasn't released, it excaped, and shoudda been shot on sight!
12 - Karridine
Al, wasn't that Jim Reeves, "THROW another log on the fire, keep my golden memories aglow..."
Just sayin', is all...
13 - Al Barger
"Throw Another Log on the Fire" was written by Shel Silverstein. I think it was Tompall Glaser who had the hit version, but it's been sung by several people.
14 - Noah
you are a moron.
15 - Laurie
What happened to freedom of speech?? I thought writing and singing was a way to express yourself mmmm maybe I am wrong!!! You can say that this is a whiny song and it wont go anywhere but your opinion is one of how many!!How many other country singers out there have done "whiny songs" and have not been criticized about them??Well you know, in my home town which is huge I might add, our local country music station put this on their website and asked for everyone to vote on it. Well 97% loved the song !! If you really look and listen to the song it can be related to more then just the controversy that it is intended for, as MANY songs have MANY meaings!!!
16 - Al Barger
Laurie, you're neither paying attention to what I actually wrote, nor even trying to actually think.
I didn't say that the song wouldn't go anywhere. I said exactly the opposite, that there was a pretty likely chance that it would be a big hit- much like the crappy Faith Hill and Britney Spears to which I compared it.
A 97% positive vote on your local radio website means jack squat to me. Anyone who purposely listens to modern commercial country radio obviously doesn't know anything about music. But then, that's why the Dixie Chicks have sold so many records in the first place.
Your "freedom of speech" argument is just willfully stupid on your part, and even a Dixie Chicks fan should know better. But let me briefly summarize again for the mentally handicapped portion of our reading public: The Dixie Chicks have every right under free speech to make any kind of bland, homogenized corporate crap for a record they wish. Obviously, I have never said or implied otherwise. Likewise, I get to exercise my free speech to point out the crappiness and dishonesty of both this record and its defenders.
Finally, as to not criticizing other whiny country songs, there are only so many hours in a day. Plus, I'm a big fan of country music, so I stay as far away from modern commercial country radio as possible.
I usually manage to be blissfully unaware of most of the specific crappy records they're playing. The Dixie Chicks are just a lot higher profile- and particularly egregious, so I took a minute to swat that fly.
17 - Ali
I agree with you AL!
18 - Scott Butki
Al, this sure sounds like a personal attack to me:
Your "freedom of speech" argument is just willfully stupid on your part, and even a Dixie Chicks fan should know better. But let me briefly summarize again for the mentally handicapped portion of our reading public."
A bit ironic since it's in a review about a song about personal attacks.
19 - Mark Saleski
Anyone who purposely listens to modern commercial country radio obviously doesn't know anything about music.
so sweeping genrealizations about music are ok, but sweeping generalizations about fat people are not?
to each his own i guess.
20 - Al Barger
Oh, boo hoo with the tender sensitivities here. Mark, purposely listening to crappy music is 100% a personal choice, and not a difficult medical problem that causes suffering and shame.
Monsieur Butki, really. You can call it a "personal attack" if you want, but this criticism was pretty specifically aimed at Miss Laurie- who had it coming. It's not a generalized statement of personal disrespect, but a reflection of her specific foolish comments.
I would say to her, as to the Dixie Chicks, don't be talking a bunch of nonsense, and then bitching when someone calls bullshit on you.
I don't see where you get "irony" out of that.
21 - Mark Saleski
i am not making a comparison between choice of music and medical conditions. i'm just pointing out that you're tossing about your own sweeping generalization.
i didn't agree with the one in the fat people post and i don't agree with the musical one either.
read your own text: "don't be talking a bunch of nonsense, and then bitching when someone calls bullshit on you."
22 - Al Barger
Fine Mark, but my sweeping generalization about modern country music is largely ACCURATE.
23 - Gus
"A 97% positive vote on your local radio website means jack squat to me. Anyone who purposely listens to modern commercial country radio obviously doesn't know anything about music"
Wow, according to you, todays country music listeners, not only do not know anything about music, they are too stupid to know what they like.
Way to play to the red states Al.
24 - Guppusmaximus
..."todays country music listeners, not only do not know anything about music, they are too stupid to know what they like."
Yes...You can drop off the first part because that ending says it all. Even for the rest of the mainstream community. I see it and hear it everday!! It's become so bad that in order to hear any good music publicly, I have to enter a Stop & Shop and that's only once in a blue moon. It's f*cking brainwashing,I tell ya!! This is a song I would expect from amateurs like American Idol...
25 - Snooze Alarm
"A couple of dumb death threats"?
Gee, how was Natalie supposed to know you were only joking when you made them? That's a very silly comment.
If you had done two minutes of research, you would know that the Dixie Chicks were purposely moving away from the country genre, so its pointless to criticize the song for not being country enough for you.
Its a great tune. Kudos to Natalie and the Chicks for sticking it back in dumb, Bush worshipping fools faces.