I really don’t like Country and Western music much, well ok I admit it I do like some. Well lets face it most of us at sometime or another will have heard and enjoyed one of the modern classics such as Johnny Cash with his “Boy Named Sue” or perhaps a better one, Dolly Partons “I will always Love You” which was covered by Whitney Houston and used as the theme to “The Bodyguard and one of my personal favourites “Duelling Banjos” from the film Deliverance.
Now as happens so often in my life fate stepped in and showed its hand. I’ll explain, one night while reading through Ciao’s top twenty I came across a glowing review by Newfloridian on an album by an American trio that up until that moment I had never heard of. I was intrigued and went across to Amazon to see what tracks they had to offer for listening to. They are only partial tracks but what I heard I liked so going one step further over to Kazza I went and downloaded a couple of tracks and do you know what I was hooked by the time the first song was over. More tracks followed both audio and video until one day out shopping and looking for an escape from the tedium so I ventured into Virgin while my wife was elsewhere and found to my delight that they had one album in stock by the girls, that album was Home. Needless to say after overcoming the initial shock I paid the money, almost £16 and my love affair began.
So what do I get for the money apart from an ear bashing for wasting money, I’ll tell you shall I, you get an album that is totally addictive, one that is continuously played, one that my daughters eight and thirteen sing along to and they know all the words, so let me share this with you and see if I cant tempt you as I guide you through the play list on this remarkable album, but first of all let me set the scene by introducing you to the girls.
The Dixie Chicks are three girls from Texas, namely Natalie Maines, vocals and guitar. Sisters Emily Robison, Dobro and banjo and Martie Maguire fiddle and mandolin.
1 Long Time Gone. *************** Perhaps this track is more of traditional country than any of the other vocals. Featuring an up tempo accompaniment from Emily on banjo it tells the tale of young farmer who leaves his parents farm to escape marriage and tedium.
2 Landslide. ********* This is one of the tracks that I downloaded from Kazza, it is a cover of a song written and recorded by my favourite singer, the beautiful Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac. The Dixie’s make this one their own, it is one of the best cover versions I have ever heard, and if you get the chance watch the video it’s excellent. I would in honesty find it difficult to say which version I like best; Nat certainly makes this one her own
3 Travelin Soldier. ************** This is the track that I first downloaded from Kazza; this is the track that made me fall in love with the Dixie Chicks. If you listen to no other track then listen to this one. A story of a boy going off to join the army. A boy who has no one to call his own until he meets a young waitress. He writes to her as he goes through his training, he writes to her, "His pretty young girl with a bow in her hair" from Vietnam and then the letters stop. The next thing at a football game everyone is asked to stand while a list of the Vietnam dead is read out. Predictable yes, beautiful yes and tender yes its all those things and it has the best harmonies on the chorus line that I have ever heard.
4 Truth No2. ********** Gentle track featuring the banjo heavily laying down a beat like a steam train on a track backed by a heavy bass this tells of a quest for truth from within a violent relationship.
This track is a real hoedown, Marty on banjo really rocks, the lyrics some the track up. “I shouldn’t be wearing white and you can’t afford no ring, say I do and kiss me quick cause baby’s on the way".
6 A Home. ******** A slow track that recognises the value of a home against the urge to wander that can affect all of us while reflecting on what might have been.
7 More Love. ********** This track showed me just how beautiful and melodic the dobro can be in the right hands and in Emily’s hands it rings out true and as crystal clear as a bell on a clear calm night. Backed by strong emotional vocals from Natalie it tells of how easy it is for things, simple mundane things to come if allowed between two people.
8 I Believe in Love. *************** Written by the Chicks, this track featured on the live “Tribute to Heroes” telethon in America for the victims of the September 11th massacre. The Dixie’s have long been vocal in their condemnation of the action. The track itself is slow and melancholy featuring many close harmonies and a stunning solo by Martie playing the fiddle.
9 Tortured, Tangled Hearts. ********************** “Oh Love, oh love you fickle thing, such pretty words and golden rings” This track tells of love gone wrong, love that has died. Its fast and furious, pure country, featuring Marty on the banjo. Had you have asked me prior to hearing the Dixie Chicks what I thought of the banjo I would have probably said not much. That’s changed now in a big way, in Marties hand it becomes alive the sound being a refreshing change from modern synthesised sounds.
10 Lil, Jack Slade. ************** This ones an instrumental pure and simple, but what does astound me is just how quickly Emily can pick at the strings of her banjo this together with some fine fiddle solos from Martie make for an interesting if brief interlude.
11 Godspeed (Sweat Dreams) *********************** Emmylou Harris features on this slow track, almost a lullaby it is a beautiful wonderful haunting tale.
12 Top of the World. **************** A very sad little track almost two songs in one it tells of things unsaid that should have been said. A tale of a spirit lamenting not having told his wife what she deserved to hear before it was to late. It’s a gem of a track, both compulsive and addictive building to a crescendo of emotion and hope, lamenting not having loved Jesus, not having shared as much as he could and now there is nothing no hope no way forward.
Well these girls have certainly opened my eyes; their mixture of Bluegrass and Country has won them yet another fan. This is the first album that I have bought by them and I can tell you it this, it will not be the last. So go out there buy the album listen to a track online do anything but do not deny yourself their music. Music should know no barriers of age race or sex and this music is a refreshing change and revelation.
The Dixie Chicks “Home” Available on the Monument Label. £12.99 from Amazon
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