The Chicks (Formerly Dixie Chicks) - Gaslighter

VoR said:
I'm not loving it either. It feels too specifically angry at Natalie's ex. Maybe if I had an ex I hated with that much vehemence I'd find it easier to get on board, but it just isn't fun, pretty, relatable or particularly musically interesting. It's just a load of bitter shouting for the most part.
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It's really not a shouty album. Like, at all. Gaslighter is a complete outlier, what are you listening to?

And musically it's really experimental by their standards, to the point that it's barely country at all in places. I feel as perplexed by your post as the by the shitty Pitchfork review which totally missed the mark
 
08 March March
This one has really grown on me since its release. I really like it now, the music is subtle while the lyrics are very in your face. "Ah cut the shit, you know your city is sinking". Not sure about the lyric "What the hell happened in Helsinki?" - I can only imagine she is still unhappy about Marija Šerifović's win.

LOVE the outro. It really builds.
 
06 My Best Friend's Weddings
I like the line "I can see a wildfire coming, burning the world that I know". It's a little underbaked though. Might be a grower.
 
07 Tights On My Boat
This is quite FUN in a twisted way. I can imagine Kesha singing it. In fact Kesha has a really similar sounding sound on her last album. I'm kind of wanting it to get back to the rhythm of the first 6 songs though.
 
08 Julianna Calm Down
She's quite SWEARY this time round isn't she! Back into the swing of it here. Another subtle one musically but it works. It's a good tune. I kind of forgot it wasn't a solo album by this point. Are the other girls even on this?
 
Jark said:
It's really not a shouty album. Like, at all. Gaslighter is a complete outlier, what are you listening to?

And musically it's really experimental by their standards, to the point that it's barely country at all in places. I feel as perplexed by your post as the by the shitty Pitchfork review which totally missed the mark
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It may be experimental for the Chicks, but jumping from Country to full-blown MOR is hardly an exciting turn.

Perhaps shouty was the wrong word. It's all very angry and miserable, and for me not in the invigorating or tender ways that the best parts of Taking The Long Way were.
 
07 Young Man
Nice but passed me by a bit.

07 Hope It's Something Good
This one is verging on boring until the drum comes in after the chorus which saves it.
 
08 Set Me Free
I enjoyed how EARNEST this one was. It's quite a lovely and slightly unusual song. A bit like a power lullaby.
 
So my rate is:

09 Gaslighter
10 Sleep At Night
09 Texas Man
08 Everybody Loves You
07 For Her
08 March March
06 My Best Friend's Weddings
07 Tights On My Boat
08 Julianna Calm Down
07 Young Man
07 Hope It's Something Good
08 Set Me Free

It definitely PEAKS in the first half but it's a good, solid album. It's not as good as Taking The Long Way but that was always going to be pretty much impossible. It's a really enjoyable listen and I will be returning to it! Peace out
 
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I’m enjoying this a lot more than I usually do their albums. Also when did miserable and angry become a bad thing when it comes to music?
 
It isn’t! I just find this particular album to be a bit of a one-note slog!

Sorry!
 
I still haven't listened. I'll give it a blast tomorrow.

Home and TTLW is just the best one two album punch though.
 
Taking The Long Way is a very front loaded album, but pointing that out feels unfair when the first six songs are all 10s and above.

Loving @Tisch's listen party for one :disco:
 
Jark said:
Taking The Long Way is a very front loaded album, but pointing that out feels unfair when the first six songs are all 10s and above.

Loving @Tisch's listen party for one :disco:
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Eh? We're you looking at my last.fm or something? :D

This album - I do like it but I really dives off a cliff after the first 6 or 7 songs with the exception of Julianna Calm Down. I don't think it'll stay an album I come back to like Taking The Long Way has.

Which btw @Jark is NOT front loaded. :angry:Silent House and Bitter End is up there with Not Ready to Make Nice as their best material ever.
 
I meant @Iguana :D oops!

Bitter End is the fifth song babe! Lullaby is so sweet and lovely. After that it loses steam a bit for me in terms of classics
 
Jark said:
I meant @Iguana :D oops!

Bitter End is the fifth song babe! Lullaby is so sweet and lovely. After that it loses steam a bit for me in terms of classics
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I did wonder! I did listen myself afterwards hence why I asked about my last.fm

I checked the tracklist after I posted. Could've sworn Bitter End was much nearer the end. The name tricked me. I also adore Lullaby. <3
 
Sleep At Night really is brilliant.

And to @VoR’s point I don’t mind that the record is a break up record. It obviously gave them something to write about. And it isn’t all doom and gloom, see: Texas Man.
 
Iguana said:
08 Everybody Loves You
This is lush and so sad. Such a strong opening to the album so far. "Do they know that I regret you? Do they know I shouldn't have to?" :(
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This really is the one for me. The vocal delivery is out of the world. And those final couple of lines really hit my heart of stone.
 
I'm a big fan of them but I don't like this album. If I was to rank their albums it would be

1. Wide open spaces
2. Home
3. Fly
4. Taking the long way
5. Gaslighter
 
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