Dixie Chicks - Home
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Free Music Notes for Home
Free Music Review: The Chicks are on "Top of the World!"
Hit: 5 Stars
After a two year hiatus and prolonged legal battle with Sony records, many music fans thought they had seen the last of the Dixie Chicks, country music's brightest shining stars. They thought wrong. The superstar Chicks are back not only with a new album and new hit single, but a new musical style as well.For the first time since their days of playing the streetcorners of Dallas and recording for independent labels, the Dixie Chicks have traded in their high energy, mainstream sound for bluegrass and a folk flavor. The result is a stunning collection of acoustic music unlike anything heard in country music today--from the chart climbing single "Long Time Gone" to the melancholy sounds of Fleetwood Mac to fast pickin' instrumentals, the Chicks do it all. Songs such as the hilarious "White Trash Wedding," the traditional flavored "Tortured, Tangled Hearts," and "Lil' Jack Slade" usher in the Chicks' career as highly skilled bluegrass musicians, while Patty Griffin's "Truth No. 2" and "A Home" stay true to the sound that made them famous. On HOME, the Chicks also pay tribute to their country and bluegrass influences with renditions of their favorite songs. Their cover of Bruce Robison's "Travelin' Soldier" is as hauntingly beautiful as the original, Radney Foster's "Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" is an anthem for Natalie Maines' and Emily Robison's newfound motherhood, and their cover of Stevie Nicks' "Landslide" is nothing short of captivating.
With country artists such as Patty Loveless, Dolly Parton, and Kelly Willis trying their hands at acoustic music, the Dixie Chicks may appear to be just another group jumping on the bluegrass bandwagon. However, one listen to HOME will prove to any music fan that this is far from the case. The band's roots are in traditional music, and their amazing musical abilities on this album prove that this is where they belong. The Dixie Chicks galvanized the attention of the industry with WIDE OPEN SPACES, wrote their fortunes in stone with FLY, and there is no doubt that HOME will further their reputation as some of the music world's most skilled and talented musicians.
Free Music Review: One of the best country albums of recent years
Hit: 5 Stars
The Dixie Chicks have become something of a country phenomenon, with this album recently topping the American charts, staying largely true to their bluegrass roots in the wakes of country artists 'gone pop' like Shania Twain and Faith Hill. This, their third (disregarding records pre-Natalie) and perhaps best album has even more to owe to bluegrass than their previous ones. Overall it's a much sadder affair, with several songs that seem to almost accept sadness as a certainty, such as 'Landslide' or 'Travellin' Soldier'. The last song on the album, 'Top Of The World', is perhaps the most beautiful song that the group has ever performed as told from a husband's perspective of how a mundane married life has broken her. It also includes an absolutely gorgeous violin solo from Emily that adds a kind of poignancy. The Dixies are often fond of taking things from a different perspective, with songs such as this, 'Travellin' Soldier' and the previous album's 'Goodbye Earl' all looking from an outsider's view at other people. These small stories have always come across exceptionally well, and 'Home' is no exception. Another song worth picking out is 'I Believe In Love', a highly ambiguous song of hope or hopelessness depending on how you perceive Natalie to sing it.Despite the sadness interweaved throughout the record though, the group hasn't lost its fun edge, with 'Long Time Gone' and 'White Trash Wedding' both being completely irresistible. It seems odd though that both seem oddly disparaging of their upbringings, lording their success over the people they left behind. Perhaps that's what makes the album so good, is that it's this honest but the Dixies actually manage to avoid the smugness that you might think would be synonymous with this kind of song. At the end of the day 'White Trash Wedding' is unlikely to offend because it's clearly just a little bit of fun and the group take it all in good part. This is by far the most accomplished record of theirs to date, and certainly sets them up to be big contenders in the country scene for many years to come.
Free Music Review: More Than 5 Stars
Hit: 5 Stars
The Dixie Chicks have already done much for country music, and just plain music in general. Three girls who are a real band...they play their own instruments, write, sing, and can perform just as well. It's nice to have an act in music that is not afraid to be themselves. The Chicks weren't thinking about making another diamond selling album like their previous two when making this one. In fact, they never thought anyone would hear these songs. This is raw Dixie Chicks...it's the real thing. How refreshing-in a day in age when most artists sound alike and are clones of someone else. "Home" is the best CD I've ever listened to. I want to give it more than 5 stars because I've given other wonderful albums 5 stars...but this one is better. I give it 7. I don't think I'll ever hear another album as crafted as this one. Let's get down to the music. Completely acoustic, raw, emotional, this album has a little bit of everything. The Chicks have not lost their sense of humor, as evidenced in the tune they wrote together "White Trash Wedding". "Long Time Gone", their current hit single is another uptempo song that gets the blood flowing. But this album is more about ballads. And these ballads are good. "Travelin' Soldier", a story song about a man going away to war leaving behind the love of a woman will make about anyone weap. "I Believe In Love" is a tribute to love itself. Perhaps the two standout tracks on this album are "Godspeed", written by Radney Foster and "Top of the World" by Patty Griffin. "Godspeed" is a lullaby tune that will touch anyone who has been away from their child. And "Top of the World" is so moving, that after nearly 50 listenings, I still get choked up. It takes talent to move people that much...just with a song. And then there's the cover of Stevie Nicks' "Landslide". The Chicks do it very well and give it a relaxed, almost magical feeling. Please pick up this album. It's a rarity these days to find something so genuine. There are other good albums...but this one is better-by a landslide.Free Music Review: Welcome "Home"
Hit: 5 Stars
Between 1999's FLY and 2002's HOME, fans were anxiously awaiting new material from Dixie Chicks who took country audiences by storm in 1998 with their album WIDE OPEN SPACES. I can honestly say in confidence that HOME is their best album yet. HOME is their first album for their own record label Open Wide Records. While there might not be something instantly as infectuous as their past singles like "Ready To Run", "There's Your Trouble" or "Goodbye Earl", there is so much here that makes it an excellent album. First lets start with the instrumentation and structure of the songs. The album has a very "home" feeling to it, this is more bluegrass than their past CD's. Emily does wonders on the banjo, and Martie sounds wonderful on her instruments. Natalie sounds comfortable with the material, and on this album in particular you can really hear Emily and Martie's vocals a lot better, the harmonies are even better than they have been on their past albums. The first single "Long Time Gone" is fitting, since they were a long time gone. It's a nice pace to set for the album. They also covered Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide", and have made the song their own in many ways, it sounds great in this genre of music. "Travelin' Soldier" is a really beautiful ballad. They kick up the energy once again with "White Trash Wedding", which is a fun song to listen to, very earthy and bluegrass. The next few songs though are nothing short of amazing. "A Home" is a really touching ballad about a house that could have been a home. Very symbolic. "I Believe In Love" is simply remarkable, a beautiful ballad, very inspiring and hopeful. "Tortured Tangled Hearts" is a fun uptempo number and "Lil Jack Slade" is an excellent instrumental track. The closing "Top of the World" is another beautiful song, with great vocals all around. It's hard to choose a favorite, since all the songs are splendid. It's fair to say this album was worth the wait, and is definately their best and more mature effort yet.Free Music Review: "Home" was worth waiting for...it'll be Amazon#1 in sales...
Hit: 5 Stars
for quite some time, is my prediction.Despite going up against tough competition from rockers Bruce Springsteen and the inimitable Bon Jovi, the Chicks will Rule (note: see belt buckle on the CD design!) Amazon in sales. All you have to do is go to a Chicks concert to really see the depth and breadth of their popularity --- you'll see country fans, middle aged women, lots of guys without gals, adolescent country gals, young children. The Chicks have "all walks of life" appeal.
On "Home" they did it their way. The sound is Austin & the tunes are a mix of covers from some of their favorites (Little Feat, Stevie Nicks, Patty Griffin) and some of their original music. Darrell Scott helps them score big with the first release, the toe-tappin' "Long Time Gone", but it was their version of "Landslide" (some say Stevie Nicks' finest) that had me doing my first multiple replay after listening to all the sounds once. Their bluegrass bent, with just enough of Martie's fiddle and some amazing banjo from sister Emily, shines through in the theme of their collection. Maines' voice is still surreal
and nowhere does it soar more powerfully or poignantly than a Patty Griffin favorite "Truth No. 2"...
"Swing me way down south
> Sing me something brave from your mouth
> And I'll bring you
> Pearls of water on my hips...."
Included are some gems: a Robison instumental, with talented strings on mandolin, bass and guitar (Lil' Jack Slade"), a lullaby ("Godspeed") and the lonely invocation of "A Home". There's only one song, "White Trash Wedding", this CD's comic song that did not play well from me. The rest are pearls.
Pearls from the Chicks. Shedaisy, who?
Truly a fine undertaking; give as a gift, buy for yourself and those you love, go "Home", enjoy!!