Taking The Long Way

What would be the three words most closely associated with the Dixie Chicks???
Controversy,Platinum and Grammy i suppose!! Every move the Chicks have made the headlines for some reason or another.It's been said too many times about too many people, but for once it's true: the Dixie Chicks are one of a kind. Since exploding onto the national country music scene several years ago, the Texas trio has won millions of fans and an avalanche of awards and critical acclaim. Blending bluegrass skills, pop accessibility, rock beats and stone country music with a brash attitude, the Chicks have created a fresh new sound that's instantly recognizable and always engaging.They have more Grammy awards and Platinum selling albums than any other female band in history.
Lead vocalist Natalie Maines' tells us that the backlash they received from the Bush episode inspired them to write and record Taking The Long Way.(Atlast Bush has been put to good use!!!).In this new offering,the Chicks put rock before country , something they have never done before.

I chose to review this album because ..um..well..its the most amazing thing I've heard in ages!!!The controversy and the Chicks' reaction to it are the themes of the opening tracks of the album. The 14-track album opens with the title-track Taking The Long Way which is loosely based on the "incident". Easy Silence ,the next track, is about Maines' partner who affords to give her peace and comfort in the midst of turmoil. The next song on the album is the most powerful and autobiographical material the Chicks have probably ever written. Not Ready Yo Make Nice won Grammys for Song Of The Year,Record Of The Year.Enough said.The next two songs Everybody Knows and Bitter End are the most country oriented songs on the album,with Martie Maguire and Emily Robison prominent on the fiddle and banjo respectively. Lullaby and Lubbock Or Leave It are old-school Chicks styled songs. I really liked Lubbock for its meaningless lyrics with a very catchy guitar riff.Other notable tracks include Silent House,Favorite Year,Voice In My Head and the closing track I Hope. Silent House incidentally features another Bush hater Sheryl Crow. There is no filler on this 14-track album.In a nutshell, i can only describe this album as GENIUS.Though the album took a commercial toll thanks to the "incident", it is a clear winner with the critics. I rate it 10/10.One for the ages!!