Album Review: "Taking The Long Way" - Dixie Chicks (2006)

Well, I did it. On a recent trip to my favourite used CD store, I finally got around to picking up the Dixie Chicks' year-old "Taking The Long Way" album, which I decided I would buy after seeing the "Shut Up and Sing" documentary, because, geopolitical expertise aside, the tunes sounded great.

And they are.

Industry giant Rick Rubin, he of Slayer, LL Cool J and Neil Diamond fame, among others, brings a textured depth to the girls' sound that had been lacking on their previous efforts. Things sound like a twanged-up version of 70s California AM pop - think Sheryl Crow or Tom Petty with layered harmonies, fiddles and steel guitar. However, don't think that just because you might like their politics you'll like their music, because it's still unmistakably rooted in the Nashville tradition without apologies to all the trendy, urbane, liberal yuppies out there who "really don't like country, but there's just something about these girls" so they had to buy it.

I'm sure if you got a few Cab Sauvs into the average member of that demographic, they'd admit that they've only listened to their copy about 4-5 times, which is about how many times I listed to Vanilla Ice when I was 16 because I thought it would make me look cooler to the chick who sat behind me in Accounting who I had a massive crush on. I shoulda stuck with Warrant 'cause "Play That Funky Music" got me nowhere.

Point, Hammer? If you're a country fan, you'll like this record. If you're not, you probably won't, no matter how hard your Sunday New York Times -readin', fair-trade coffee drinkin', Perrier buyin', Greenpeace-donatin', Burberry-totin' ass tries.

Overall rating: 8.5/10