Dixie Chicks
Taking the Long Way

The Dixie Chicks, an all-female group, originated in Dallas in the early Nineties. After a few albums that went relatively unnoticed and after a change in lineup, the Dixie Chicks finally found internal stability only in 1998. It was in that year that the talented and beautiful Martie Maguire, Emily Robinson, and Natalie Maines, daughter of the great Lloyd Maines, achieved an unexpected and substantial public success with the album "Wide Open Spaces," which sold twelve million copies in a few months and, the following year, with "Fly," pushed to the top of the charts by the single "Ready To Run."

Although these are two good products, the music proposed by the trio remains too tied to classic and typical traditional country-rock stereotypes, without big ambitions or commitments. Only with the release of the subsequent "Home" did the Dixie Chicks' music begin to explore new and interesting paths. "Home," compared to their previous work, is a predominantly acoustic album, intimate and rich with evocative songs that sincerely address resentment and rebellion. A work breaking with the past. Alongside this highly successful and once again acclaimed release, it’s important to highlight a fundamental episode that gave a positive and unexpected turn to the career of the Texas trio. During a concert in London in 2003, Natalie Maines addressed her audience with these harsh words: "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas". Naturally, the controversy against George W. Bush did not go unnoticed, sparking a storm of debates in the more conservative states of the U.S.A. The three girls were accused of being unpatriotic, their music was boycotted by radio broadcasts, and some multimillion-dollar advertising contracts were immediately canceled. Practically, Natalie, Martie, and Emily were ostracized and publicly crucified by much of the mass media.

Fortunately, they were defended and immediately embraced by the more committed and polemical rock music scene to the extent that in 2004 they participated in the "Vote For Change Tour" alongside Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Dave Matthews, and Jackson Browne.

"Taking The Long Way" also emerges from these experiences. Skillfully produced by the great Rick Rubin, this album marks a decisive change of direction from the past. It is a well-executed classic pop-rock work, very enjoyable and rich with the typical nuances of the west-coast sound. Rubin cleans up the group's sound and places his quality seal on a catchy album that is not banal, in which the typical country-rock is tempered by his touch. The successful outcome of the work also benefits from the appreciated presence in the recording studio of guests like Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Gary Louris, Steve Berlin, Neil Finn, Bonnie Raitt, Chad Smith, Pete Yorn, Keb'Mo', and Sheryl Crow. Extremely talented musicians who provide a remarkable musical backdrop for the perfect and charming vocal harmonies of the three girls.

Songs like the single "Not Ready To Make Nice", "The Long Way Around", "Easy Silence", "Everybody Knows", and the wonderful "Baby Hold On" demonstrate an absolutely pleasant and successful work in which beauty is also synonymous with quality.