I love the fuck outta these girls and their new album is pretty fantastic...They are still kinda mad but that doesnt keep them from making some great music. Rick Rubin produced the record but does not take away from the twangy essence of the Chicks...(though some songs sound like Sheryl Crow album cuts...goods ones though!)

I've been a fan since the first album but it was their 2002 HOME that just amazed me and proved how truly talented they are. They've written/co written every song on TAKING THE LONG WAY and worked with S.Crow, John Mayer (plays on record), Pete Yorn, Bonnie Raitt, and Keb Mo....

Best tracks so far for me are 'Not Ready To Make Nice' which talks about how they feel after the way they were treated for saying they were ashamed that George Dubya was from TX. This is my favorite lyric...

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I dont mind sayin
It's a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Sayin I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over
I'm not ready to make nice..

There's another song called 'Lubbock or Leave It' about their hometown and how much they hate them there...its a pretty deep record but I hope for them...it will help them heal....I think they were treated very unfairly for what they said..they're entitled...but I guess when youre Country megastars and the majority of your fans are lovers of Dubya...that could meet with abuse...and it did...but death threats are just stupid.

Anyhoo...y'all should check it out...great stuff here!

peace

The Dixie Chicks used to bug the crap outta me, but then they went more rootsy with their last album. I like bluegrass, so knowing that it had a heavy bluegrass influence, I bought it. Loved it! Then they pissed off the rednecks and conservatives...loved them even more. I like Not Ready to Make Nice, and I'm glad they've decided the don't need to apologize for their points of view. I'll be picking this one up for sure.

RipHer2Shreds said:

You wont be dissapointed...not as rootsy as HOME but there is twang and the songs are solid...

Tonights the Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS..it'll be interesting to see if they are even mentioned...I dont think they're scheduled to be on there...it would be great for them to just show up and sing that song:) As a 'Fuck You ' to Nashville and Country Radio for refusing to play/air that song/video....Johnny Cash did the same!

peace

Yeah, all the real country artists leave Nashville. Nashville creates pop stars. Rodney Crowell is my country hero for leaving that crap behind.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Rodney is great! I also love Emmylou Harris (new album w/ Mark Knolfer is amazing)...Lucinda Williams is one of my heros for sure...she's more country than anyone in Nashville and her homebase is Southern California! I saw her perform once at Amoeba Records in Hollywood and she said 'There are more real country artists here than in Nashville!'

Gram Parsons and Merle Haggard were/are from California...both among the best ever!

peace

I've never paid any attention to them before, but they co-wrote "Silent House" with Neil Finn, my favorite songwriter. It's a good song. I'll check out more by them at some point.

The new album is awesome and I got my tickets for the show today!!!!! For once the presale lived up to all my hopes

the new album is awesome.....

Well being an old school country fan i.e Dolly, Tammy, Loretta, I liked the Dixie Chicks first couple of cds.

I didnt really get into Home, it just seems a bit slow and heavy.

Take The Long Way I think is better than Home, but its a bit long in the tooth for one sitting. It has a fuller sound with more layers. The only problem I have is that most of the songs all kinda seem about the whole Bush/Maines controversy.


Bonus Points For them standing firm in their opinions, and also having the lead singer of Semisonic co writing some of the tunes.

that song they did during the Katrina Relief concert with Robert Randolph was amazing.....that chick in the middle has an unbelievable voice

Shoulda re-recorded "Earl" to be about Dubya.

CinisterCee said:

I agree....and a video too!

Last night they were not on the ACM Awards and Reba McEntire took a cheap shot at them...

"I dont know why I'm so nervous hosting this show..If the Dixie Chicks can sing with a foot in their mouths..then I can host this lil ditty here...'

What a bitch! I loved me some Reba (music not tv show) she lost some points! The whole place started cheering...

I hope this new record blows through the roof and show 'dem ol rednecks that America still loves them!

peace

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

I'm suprised that came from Reba actually.

CinisterCee said:

Me too! I always thought Reba to be more on the liberal, free thinking side...maybe she was and just wanted a laugh from the audience....it was cold though...let's move on people!

Well in fairness the Chicks kinda took a swipe at Reba in the Time Magazine article first.

lazycrockett said:

Really? What did they say?

lazycrockett said:

"I'd rather have a small following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith," Maguire said. "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."

That? Kinda harmless. For the record, I kinda think Reba's comment is equally harmless.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Woohoo another verbal bitch fight!

peace

pkidwell said:

I read they did that song with Keb' Mo'

RipHer2Shreds said:

I've been following this story for a very long time, since it erupted actually, because I was here in Europe when the s**t hit the fan.

...actually, I recall very clearly in the throes of our march to Iraq how Toby and Reba went way out of their way to publically come out RAILING against the Dixie Chicks. The were less than kind, to say the least, and Emily and Marty expressed head on how they were particularly hurt by the Reba comments personally, because they idolized her growing up, and still are fans as adults.
I've always appreciated Reba's talent (to some degree), but she has publically been assanine to those girls since this whole controversy began over 3 years ago. And the thing I don't understand is, WHY?

Yeah Emily and Marty said that on Larry King Live last night(talk show).

got it and I love'em..... especially now that everyone doesn't