
The Dixie Chicks Still Know Men Are Trash
Mar 04, 2020
The Dixie Chicks built a career on singing about, among other things, terrible men and the consequences of their actions (see: domestic violence revenge fantasy "Goodbye Earl," anti-Bush anthem "Travelin' Soldier"). They're still doing it, better than anyone else in the game.
Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer have announced their first new album in 14 years, Gaslighter. It follows 2006's Grammy of the Year-winning Taking The Long Way, which the band released after being exiled from country radio for criticizing the Bush administration.
Listening to "Gaslighter," I can only conclude the trio heard about "yeehaw," as well as current the pandemic of half-assed "empowerment songs" and said, "No. The people deserve more."
"Gaslighter" is an indelible country-pop scorcher, inspired by Maines' drawn-out divorce from ex-husband Adrian Pasdar. If you've ever encountered… a man, it'll hit home. "Gaslighter, denier/ Doin' anything to get your ass farther/ Gaslighter, big timer" Maines sings. "Repeating all the mistakes of your father/ Gaslighter, you broke me/ You're sorry, but where's my apology?"
At some points — like the video's clip of the Dixie Chicks stomping around in army uniforms or the LBJ "Daisy" ad girl with lasers shooting from her eyes — the song feels like it's speaking broadly to systemic harm caused by the violent, selfish masculinity that they've protested for years. In other moments, it's simply, blissfully, just about Maines' lying, cheating, no-good ex. "Cause boy, I know exactly what you did on my boat," she warns. "And boy, that's exactly why you ain't coming home."
The song brings the Dixie Chicks' sound right up to 2020, with a slick, chorus-backed massive chorus courtesy of Jack Antonoff. But it stays true to the band's roots, built mostly on guitar and banjo.
We can expect more of this fresh, grounded sound on Gaslighter. "At the time, we thought we were gonna write with a bunch of different people and get different producers, and we wrote with him and we're like, 'He needs to produce it,' " Robison told Zane Lowe. "This needs to be the sound for this album, 'cause he blew us away. It was such a fun song to start with."
From scrappy indie rock bands to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift — who've both collaborated with the Dixie Chicks in the last few years — the trio is a touchstone, both for their songwriting and their integrity. They're back not a moment too soon.
Photo by Philippa Price
From Your Site Articles
MORE ON PAPER
Music
Reneé Rapp Trusts Herself
Story by Erica Campbell / Photography by Yasmine Diba / Styling by Valeria Semushina / Makeup by Loren Canby / Hair by Marissa Marino / Nails by Anna Wesolowska / Set design by Kelly Infield
Story by Erica Campbell / Photography by Yasmine Diba / Styling by Valeria Semushina / Makeup by Loren Canby / Hair by Marissa Marino / Nails by Anna Wesolowska / Set design by Kelly Infield
26 June
Film/TV
'Overcompensating' Hits Where It Heals
Story by Joan Summers / Photography by Kenyon Anderson / Styling by Marissa Pelly / Set design by Liz Mydlowski / Makeup by Rommy Najor, Mollie Gloss / Hair by Akihisa Yamaguchi, Sergio Estrada / Grooming by Kennedy Trisler
Story by Joan Summers / Photography by Kenyon Anderson / Styling by Marissa Pelly / Set design by Liz Mydlowski / Makeup by Rommy Najor, Mollie Gloss / Hair by Akihisa Yamaguchi, Sergio Estrada / Grooming by Kennedy Trisler
05 June
Entertainment
The 2025 Tonys: 'Give It Everything Or Die Trying'
Story by Michael Musto / Photography by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders / Jewelry by Alexis Bittar
Story by Michael Musto / Photography by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders / Jewelry by Alexis Bittar
05 June
Film/TV
Coolest Person in the Room: Stephanie Suganami
Story by Andrew Nguyen / Photography by Diego Villagra Motta / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Hair by Stefano Greco / Makeup by STOJ
Story by Andrew Nguyen / Photography by Diego Villagra Motta / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Hair by Stefano Greco / Makeup by STOJ
30 May
Music
Tate McRae, Pop in Motion
Story by Ivan Guzman / Photography by Greg Swales / Styling by Chloe and Chanelle / Makeup by Lilly Keys / Hair by Chad Wood / Nails by Juan Alvear / Props by Lucy Holt / Extras: Faux Real
Story by Ivan Guzman / Photography by Greg Swales / Styling by Chloe and Chanelle / Makeup by Lilly Keys / Hair by Chad Wood / Nails by Juan Alvear / Props by Lucy Holt / Extras: Faux Real
14 May