Defying Expectations

Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer, better known as The Chicks, have defied expectations their entire careers. First, as an all-female band that took the male-dominated country music genre by storm. Then, after being rejected by the very institution they helped shape into the juggernaut it became, by refusing to stay silent in the face of intense political and cultural backlash. A band composed of less confident members may have thrown in the towel. Not The Chicks. A lengthy hiatus seems to be exactly what the band needed. Their new album is personal, pointed and has a sound all its’ own.

Gaslighter is The Chicks’ first album in fourteen years. Prior to Gaslighter was 2006’s Taking the Long Way, released after a much briefer period of downtime after the band experienced an intense backlash after Maines’ off-handed comment about then sitting President Bush. Remember the good old days, when it seemed bizarre that a doofus ended up as the most powerful person in the world? Where is Doc Brown and how do we get 1.21 gigawatts? 

Gaslighter has a tone similar to Taking the Long Way, mostly because the focus feels just as intensely personal. Speculation is rampant that the album’s motivation is lead singer Maines’ divorce. The Chicks, thus far, have declined to confirm their source material. There seems to be authenticity in some of the absolutely searing  and specific lyrics, but whether or not that gets confirmed really does not matter. While Gaslighter may get the ‘break up’ album moniker, it tackles so much more than just a break up. The universal themes in Gaslighter, finding strength in the face of pain and uncertainty and the difficulty inherent in personal growth and change will certainly resonate with many, especially given the insecurity brought on by a global pandemic and the upheaval of the socio-political climate in the United States. 

Gaslighter completely disregards any kind of genre rulebook. And that is because The Chicks defy any one genre. The Chicks clearly did not set out to make a country, pop or crossover album; they set out to make a Chicks album and they don’t care if you don’t like it. The undeniably catchy title track opens the album and sets a course for the rest of the tracks. “Gaslighter” and “March, March” practically require foot stomping, “Texas Man” has a power pop feel and “Everybody Loves You” is haunting and introspective. Another highlight, “Julianna Calm Down,” reminds us to find strength within ourselves, the refrain is: Just put on put on put on your best shoes/and strut the f**k around like you’ve got nothing to lose. The album closes with a simple, yet powerful request in “Set Me Free:" If you ever loved me/you will do this one last thing/set me free.

Maines, Maguire and Strayer sound better than ever, both vocally and as musicians. It seems that with age and experience - both encouraging and challenging - has come a self-assurance that reverberates from their vocal chords and lends their voices a rich, lived-in quality. No longer chasing what records companies may have told them in the past was important, rather, writing their own rules. The Chicks are here to stay, on their own terms.