Amazon.com reviews the newest Dixie Chicks albums

From amazon.com:

This album is mainstream garbage, February 13, 2007

Reviewer: RpgFan (glendale, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This album is the worst mainstream piece of garbage I have ever heard.

The only reason they won so many grammy awards is because the academy

of music is a bunch of left wing liberals and they want to stick it to

the president.

Real good, basically your telling people its ok to bash your country

while playing in another country and then we will reward you with a

bunch of grammy awards for it.

Complete drivel, these losers will never get a cent of my money.

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5 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

Hate it, February 13, 2007

Reviewer: M. Skinner (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

and HATE THE DIXIE CHICKS. I used to be a huge fan but since they

can't keep their traps shut - I hate them and what they now stand for.

Sing music and keep your politics out of it.

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9 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

No stars for this mess!, February 12, 2007

Reviewer: D. Kowlessar "CD QUEEN" (MD) - See all my reviews

Bush bashers or not....this album's content is all about the Bush

comment and backlash The Chicks received a few years ago. If they

really wanted to move on they would have stayed away from the topic in

their music (at least for 98% of the album) but it is too redundant in

this album. Not their best work and I used to be a huge fan but they

are losing me by the year! Not worth the cash to buy this one.

Hopefully they will produce a more rounded album next.

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188 of 452 people found the following review helpful:

Taking the Long Way is such a political album that it reflects

Maines' Martyr Complex and Self-invovled Egomania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,

January 22, 2007

Reviewer: Nero's Fire Against The Christians "Murmillo Gladiator" (A

Coward's Mother Does Not Weep) - See all my reviews

Taking the Long Way--should be called "Taking the Liberal Sellout Way

for a Pop Audience While Stabbing Country Music Fans in the Back"--is

the Dixie Chicks' notoriously billed "comeback" album, after Natalie

Maines ineptly ruined their careers by provoking the real, American

patriots called country music fans!!!! It's impossible to separate

politics and current events from the music on this CD since Taking the

Long Way glaringly symbolizes the Chicks' defiant attitude towards

those (real Americans and patriots) who demanded an apology from them

for their anti-American, anti-Bush tirade on foreign shores in 2003.

Since they alienated the country music fan base--where they rightly

received death threats and had their CDs symbolically boycotted by

country music radio stations--the music on Taking the Long Way is

totally a 180 degree turnaround from the country on their prior CDs.

The vast majority of songs on this CD are pop/rock, and as such, they

egregiously appeal to a new audience, that audience being those in the

more liberal, blue states with an appetite for thoughtless pop/light

rocky music--the complete opposite of the patriots, real Americans and

conservatives making up the country music fan base. The Chicks'

calculatingly necessary shift to the musical left was born not out of

artistic "merit"; it was pressured on them by a country music fan base

that Maines segregated/antagonized with her anti-Bush tirade.

Likewise, because of their shunning of country music fans, their tour

last year saw many E-M-P-T-Y arenas and sub-par ticket sales with only

liberal, big cities really going to their concerts!!!! Taking the Long

Way also debuted with the lowest number of first week sales of ANY of

their albums.

This treasonous shift to pop music is seen instantly on the first

song, The Long Way Around. Though it begins subtly like a country

tune, it's clear they plotted a rockier tune due to the overpowering

basslines and speedier guitar "licks." The lyrical content of The Long

Way Around is also planned to appeal to a stereotypical liberals'

school of thought because of the shamelessly outright rejection of

traditional values espoused in that wreck of a song. Maines sings,

lewdly, about smoking (obviously some illegal or self-destructive

substance) with hippies and also repels the honorable, traditional

virtues of her high-school classmates from Lubbock, Texas, for

settling down and raising families with their husbands!!!!

Predictably, impressionable, liberal apologists will find merit in the

song's quaint resolve set to a hopeful melody.

From there, the album's ALL downhill in a worsening, downward spiral

as the Chicks furiously plan to attract liberals with their

suspicious, newly found values system and remorselessness about

Maines' anti-Bush tirade. In Not Ready to Make Nice, Maines scornfully

sings of berating Bush all over again if she had a second go at it!!!!

Contradictorily, Maines defies reconciliation, then wonders why the

heck she keeps paying the price of being hated by a large segment of

patriotic Americans, and rightly so. Also disturbing in the song's

lyrical content is Maines' admission that her tirade against Bush was

totally unwarrantable hatred of a perfect stranger and her plans to

tell her daughter that it's "ok" to do so. When Maines sings, "I'm mad

as hell," she's clearly using her continuous upkeep of her anti-Bush

controversy as a maneuver to generate interest around her band.

Despairingly, simple-minded liberals will misguidedly credit Maines

for what they misconceive as her "standing up" for what she believes

in. But, the impartial listener will sentence her for being so

arrogant that she presumes the world revolves around her and her

little controversy. Also noteworthy in that song is the

feint-but-audible rock guitar that's prominently used to underscore

Maines' resolve--again, verifying the theme that the Chicks have

basically turned into a rock/pop outfit.

Though I analytically went into detail on only two songs, I could've

just as easily dissected other songs like Easy Silence (comfort in

family interspersed with complaints about war and radio stations),

Everybody Knows (paranoia and insecurity about being in the

spotlight), Bitter End (irreconcilable partings), or Lubbock or Leave

It (ridicules Maines' southern hometown of Lubbock, Texas, with scorn

of liberal elitism). But, I focused on The Long Way Around and Not

Ready To Make Nice to make a convincing case and convict the Chicks

for writing an album with a political agenda.

Though the Chicks insecurely made their first, brittle foray into

writing some songs, they didn't independently write this record,

getting help from liberal radicals like Sheryl Crow. As such, the

songwriting quality is noticeably lowered from CDs like Home. This

album is just a phonily dressed-up version of the girls exercising

their martyr complex, as in assuming that they've been "through hell"

because of Maines' foot-in-mouth slur against Bush, yet it reflects on

them as a CD wherein they presume that their rightly deserved backlash

somehow elevated them to the status of "heroes," totally furthest from

the truth.

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11 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

Entertain us, keep your political thoughts to yourself, October 31,

2006

Reviewer: Rocknwoman "rocknwoman" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

I have been a long time fan, but..... I was very dismayed to hear what

Natalie said in concert, overseas. We pay entertainers to entertain

us, not cram their political views down our throats as the only

realistic, viable opinions. The freedoms we have in this country come

from a long line of soldiers that put on the uniform and stood up for

what America stands for. I saw them last week on the Oprah Winfrey

show and as the song says, their not ready to make nice, granted the

lyrics could be applied to many situations, but in this case we know

what they refer too. They owe this country a big opology, and until I

hear it, I won't buy their cd's anymore.

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11 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

Save your money, October 16, 2006

Reviewer: Dr. C. (Springfield, Missouri) - See all my reviews

I can't believe they ever won the Grammies that they have when I hear

any of their recent albums. I may not be the only one who thinks that

they aren't any good anymore when you consider that they had to cancel

a lot of their concerts on their last tour due to not selling enough

tickets at many of them. Save your money!

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17 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

Not much new, October 2, 2006

Reviewer: Bob "...think!" (USA) - See all my reviews

The Dixie Chicks are selling this album at a deep discount and are

cancelling concerts across America. There is a reason: they're

offering nothing new. More of the same. They haven't grown, and the

act has gotten old.

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26 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

Sadly Self-Indulgent, September 25, 2006

Reviewer: Tampa Quilter "Amazon Groupie" (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my

reviews

After all the hype, I'd hoped it would be an album back to their

musical roots; sadly it is not. Too bad.

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15 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

Please go away..., September 16, 2006

Reviewer: The Producer (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my

reviews

It's slick, it's cute but it ain't country. Nashville needs to

regurgitate this crap and get it's soul back. As far as their

political evangelism goes: nobody cares. These dim-whitted chicks

tried to get into the Hollywood and Michael Moore "in crowd" with

their anti-American statements. It back-fired, didn't it Chickies?

Your grand kids could of had a much larger inheritance. Think about it

Natalie, the money is what country music is all about now and you have

thrown away a fanny load of it. Please go away.

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9 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

They've made a habit of bad behavior..., September 13, 2006

Reviewer: Jennifer Monk "jlm325" (Atlanta, Ga United States) - See all

my reviews

The Bush "incident" is not the first time these girls have behaved

poorly. Learn more about them and see how they replaced their lead

singer right after they had their record deal but before they cut

their first album. They've whined over royalty fees and sleazed up

country music with "outfits". When you buy their music, you enable

them to behave this way. I loved their music, just not their behavior.

This CD is just not very good, September 9, 2006

Reviewer: Bobby L (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

I have several other Dixie Chicks CD that I like but I just personally

hate this one.

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21 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

Nothing like their previous releases, August 22, 2006

Reviewer: L. DeJohn (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

Where did their country sound go? It's nowhere to be found on this cd.

We kept skipping over the songs looking for something that sounded

like their usual country sound. This one needs to be placed in a

different music style. If you are looking for the same old sound, look

somewhere else. We were quite disappointed.

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39 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

Taking the Wrong Way, July 24, 2006

Reviewer: Karen Rhee (New York NY) - See all my reviews

I was interested to read the review below claiming that no one except

a redneck, pot-bellied Bush supporter who has never heard the CD could

write a negative review about it. I'm a female Korean immigrant who I

don't think qualifies as a "redneck." I've lived in the US for almost

twenty years but am not a citizen so I can't vote. My view of Bush is

mixed. I'm 5'6", 125 lbs, and do not have a pot belly. (I find it odd

that someone would make fun of the appearance of a Bush supporter

since my experience in the US has been, with regards to White people

at least, that the few non-Jewish, heterosexual males outside of

Hollywood who support the Democrats are usually unathletic, weird and

ugly looking, like that ugliest of Americans, Michael Moore - who has

a pretty large pot belly by the way.)

I did listen to the CD. I listened to it several times. I bought it so

I was certainly going to try to get my money's worth! The problem is

that the music really sucks. It sucks the first time that you listen

to it and when you try again, it still sucks. As far as the singing,

the reviewers who call it "whining" are telling the truth.

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36 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

White Trash Without Talent , July 22, 2006

Reviewer: Carl Niskanen (Seattle WA USA) - See all my reviews

Have you heard of intelligent eyes? Look carefully at the CD cover

photo. Intelligent eyes they are not. The Dixie Chicks have a distinct

"the lights are on upstairs but nobody's home" look. They are just

White trash from trailer park country and it is kind of amusing to

read glowing reviews of the bimbos' album from those who fashion

themselves as sophisticated and urbane. One reviewer suggests that

only tobacco-chewing Toby Keith fans couldn't fall in love the music

on this CD, but the man he describes sounds more like the Dixie

Chicks' boyfriends/husbands.

Well, I'm not a Toby Keith fan or a fan of country music. And I don't

chew tobacco. I bought this CD based on the extremely positive reviews

it got and feel like a victim of a con. I don't pay attention to

professional music critics but find reviews from the general public to

be more relaible. Not this time.

This CD was presented as a new style for the Dixie Chicks, which

should have been a good thing since I don't like their old style. It

is not country unless Southern hick accents alone make music country.

It was presented as a rock album (which is why I bought it) but it is

really an overproduced pop mess full of clashing instruments and, for

the most part, screeching vocals. Listening to it, I kept thinking

that Natalie Maines must have been suffering from PMS when it was

recorded. Well, what's ten bucks now-a-days anyhow?

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24 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

Don't bother, July 18, 2006

Reviewer: farmwife "cary" (niagara, ND usa) - See all my reviews

This album was a shocker! I was really disappointed and feel that the

chicks did not live up to the quality that I had come to expect from

them. It was as if they have all been off their prozac for a couple

months, very depressing and angry!

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43 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

Waste of Money , July 13, 2006

Reviewer: Jen Kim (San Diego CA) - See all my reviews

From the overproduced music to Natalie Maines whiny vocals, the music

on this CD doesn't make it. I bought this CD based on all the rave

reviews and feel like I was had. Who are the people giving all the

five star reviews? The Dixie Chicks friends and relatives?

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33 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

Not so much..., July 11, 2006

Reviewer: Viv Tyler (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

I really, really, wanted to like this. I LOVE the Chicks, always have,

and totally supported them through the whole political thing. But I

have to agree with the reviewers who have said that when all is said

and done, the songs aren't very good. Nothing catchy or moving on

here, like there usually is. Maybe it's because they used a bunch of

other songwriters, or something - I don't know. I'm very disappointed.

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42 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

Whoa, July 11, 2006

Reviewer: Kim Reading (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

Omigod what a lot of hype. I guess there are a lot of people around

who really hate Bush, huh? I'll count myself among them, but man,

there's gotta be a better way to show it than listening to this CD. My

friend gave this to me for a birthday present, and I was pretty

excited, given all the great things I've heard. But boy, this CD

really blows. I don't know what in the world all these people are

talking about, but I know one thing for sure - it can't be the music!

Don't blow your cash on this - get something good.

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15 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

Make a political statement......Don't buy Dixie Chicks , July 6, 2006

Reviewer: harry44callahan (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

Contrary to the other reviewer, I AM appalled at the un-American

statements which have been made by the 'Chicks. So, until they learn

to keep their politics to themselves, I think they should reap the

reward of their statements. Country music fans are notoriously

patriotic folks; they should know better than to alienate thier

fanbase. I used to be a fan, but no more.

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19 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

worst ever, July 5, 2006

Reviewer: J. P Petko - See all my reviews

they are now more into politics than music and they have no one to

blame but themselves. their music has suffered for it.

there best music is behind them.

now, if you want something good , might i recommend alison krauss. she

has talent and no axe to grind.

Disappointing, July 4, 2006

Reviewer: D. Inman (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

The CD was completely disappointing. The music was dark. There's not a

single cut worth replaying. Will some cowboy please come and take them

away.

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47 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

TRIED TO SELL IT AT A YARD SELL BUT COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY!, June 30,

2006

Reviewer: R. CORLEY - See all my reviews

I WAS GIVEN THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY. IT IS THE WORST BIRTHDAY GIFT AN

AMERICAN CAN POSSIBLY RECEIVE. I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY.

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16 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

Really bad album, June 29, 2006

Reviewer: K. Smith (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

The Chicks should sing and get out of politics. This whole album is

geared to making a statement. Shut up and sing girls!! We don't care

about your opinions.

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25 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

Would not buy their album, June 26, 2006

Reviewer: M. Pritchard - See all my reviews

It doesn't matter how anyone rates this album..I used to love their

music and I liked their spunkyness. Now, no way..Natalie has pushed

the limits of respect of this wonderful place-America. There is a way

of voicing your opinion without being mean and downright "in your

face". She should eat a little humble pie.

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28 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

Disappointed fan, June 25, 2006

Reviewer: LRD (Schaumburg, Il United States) - See all my reviews

I looked forward to the new Dixie Chicks album, but was quite

disappointed. The one star rating is for the two passable songs on

this CD, "The Long Way Around" and "Not Ready to Make Nice". The rest

are really quite boring. By the fifth or sixth song they were all

blending together.

I don't have a problem with their politics. I recently bought Neil

Young's "Living with War". I don't have a problem with the branching

out into country rock. I do think they should have found some good

songs to cover instead of doing all their own stuff.

Maybe they felt they should make this statement, but for the great

musicians and singers they usually are, this is a pretty poor attempt.

Not worth the money!!

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55 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

This sucks I-man, you lied., June 25, 2006

Reviewer: Philip C. Gossett III "Dead head Phil." (East Coast.) - See

all my reviews

I got this for my wife, I had to suffer through it yesterday on the

way to Red Lobster. Some of the songs had a nice mellow beat and

sounded all right, but most of it sucked, the singing sounded

monotone. Way to much drama to boot, save your money. Imus said this

was good, he was wrong. I was disapointed.

TCBRN.

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23 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

Disappointed, June 25, 2006

Reviewer: L. Cook (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

First CD I bought of theirs & am disappointed. Will probably pawn off

the cd onto someone I know.

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48 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

Yeah, I get it already, June 18, 2006

Reviewer: Christopher Meadows (Christiansburg, Va.) - See all my

reviews

As a fan of the Chicks' music, I'm disapointed to say that this is

pure political agenda driven CRAP, though I think we pretty much all

expected that. This album is basically an in-your-face retaliation of

their past fallout with the political crowd. I'm all for free speech,

but if your a firm believer in not mixing music and politics then this

isn't for you.

Hey Chicks, the true fans could care less about your political

beliefs, right or left. Just stop with the politics and play MUSIC!

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91 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

Silly, June 16, 2006

Reviewer: Rozella - See all my reviews

Initially, I didn't think this album was worth reviewing; but, the

whiny single is so silly and pathetic it could not be helped. The

NRTMN single is basically a temper tantrum insisting that the Chick's

are just "not ready" to forgive the people who disagree with them.

Excuse me, but I don't remember anyone apologizing to them in the

first place. Apologize for what? Just as these ladies have the right

to state their views; people have the right to react to it in any way

they please. How ridiculous that these girls think someone is

apologizing to them for disagreeing. Typical whiny Hollywood elitists

who think they can state their opinions and no one can disagree. These

girls are tired and angry.

Also, how offensive that severel reviewers say that "republicans are

racist". Excuse me; but, I am black. I am a Republican. I can vote,

think, believe whatever way I choose. I don't have to subscribe to the

liberal dogma that I believe to be destructive to my people just

because some uppity, white suburban housefrau (who's never been to my

neighborhood or one like it) says some ignorant lie about a political

party. (Pat) Please stop assuming that you speak for me. Your attempts

to keep my people slave to one politcal party is your way of keeping

us powerless. That's not happening anymore. We have the right to

diversity of thought, too.

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43 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

Disappointed, June 16, 2006

Reviewer: Music fan in TX (Lewisville, TX United States) - See all my

reviews

I looked forward to the release of this CD for a long time, but now

that it's here I have to say I'm disappointed. My opinion has nothing

to do with politics (which seems to be the motivation for many of the

other reviews - good and bad). I've been a fan of the Dixie Chicks in

the past because their music was full of life and fun to listen to.

While musically this record is impressive, lyrically it's just

self-absorbed and whiny. It's obvious that the events of the past

couple years have taken a huge toll on them, but I think they could

have crafted a more meaningful response had they stuck to the humor

and light-heartedness of some of their earlier releases. They have

been quoted as saying this album is more "mature." I disagree - if

anything, this is just one long (slow, BORING) temper tantrum about

how the world has mistreated them, which isn't a very mature response

to adversity. Nothing like playing the victim to get attention - but

not a good way to get people to really listen to and appreciate your

music. Sorry Chicks - find your spark and try again.

Blah, June 14, 2006

Reviewer: gooup "gooup" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

Since my first review hasn't made it onto this page (hmmm ... am i

sensing some lack of freedom of speech on the part of Amazon?! Say it

isn't so!)

So, i will repeat myself. Unimaginative, angry, bitter and otherwise a

self-important pity party of an album

How i WISH i could give it NO stars.

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39 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

Don't waste your money, June 14, 2006

Reviewer: Bonnie D. "bondem777" (United States) - See all my reviews

Instead of wasting your hard earned dollars on this fluff, go and buy

the Wreckers album, which is much better. I am tired of hearing about

George Bush. This has nothing to do with George Bush. That is old

news, and the Chicks are still trying to use it to sell albums. The

fact is, it's not a great album, and you can make a political

statement in many ways that are totally free, so why waste your money?

I also am disappointed in the fact that Dixie Chicks are going so far

as to bash their own fans these days. Pass this one by.

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34 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

A shocked former "fan", June 11, 2006

Reviewer: flowerbud (NY) - See all my reviews

After buying this CD ~ the CD isn't all that great by the way, most of

the people on here who are giving it more than 3 stars are on here for

political reasons, obviously ~ there was a statement made by the

chicks which said they don't want any fan who has Toby Keith or Reba

McIntyre in their disc changer. I was appalled and immediately took

action...I threw "Taking The Long Way" out the window. There! Now

everybody's happy.

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30 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

Not sure what to say..., June 11, 2006

Reviewer: TexasGal "TG" (TX) - See all my reviews

I admit, I feel the same way about Bush that they do, so yes, I went

out and bought the CD because of that. Now I know that just because I

agree with them politically doesn't mean the music was great. This

album is depressing, as someone else said, it's blah! Sorry chicks,

love you anyway. Keep expressing yourself, you're a great example to

women everywhere! As for me and my music purchases, I'll stick to

buying what I know is real talent, like Bruce Springsteen and Neil

Young.

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31 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

Overrated, June 11, 2006

Reviewer: Robert T. Hutchison "rthutchison" - See all my reviews

People are hyping this for political reasons. Check out the Wreckers

album instead.

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20 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

Still not a Chicks fan, June 10, 2006

Reviewer: e "10acErnie" (Music City USA) - See all my reviews

I'm not a fan of the Dixie Chicks, never was. I really don't like the

watered down, Cookie Cutter, Pop Country stuff. However, I'm a big

Rick Rubin fan so I decided to check this album out. I love the work

Rubin did with Johnny Cash..... and the Chili Peppers new album is

great......and The Cult, Electric album is one of the greatest albums

of all time.....and The Beastie Boys.....yeah!!! Rick Rubin can do no

wrong.......well almost no wrong, I guess.

If you are a DC fan you'll probably like this album, but to me it

sounds like Sherly Crow.... if Crow couldn't write songs and had no

talent.

If you want rootsy, genuine, heart felt Country get Barricades &

Brickwalls by Kasey Chambers. BTW The Chicks have always said Kasey

Chambers is a big influence on them. The difference is Chambers has it

in her soul and the Chicks have to try to be good....and it just ain't

working.

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23 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

Why is it....., June 10, 2006

Reviewer: Princess "me" (NY) - See all my reviews

that my review was deleted? I just read alot of people say that their

reviews for this dumb CD had their original reviews deleted, just like

mine. Well, I could care less, but those of you who shout "Free

Speech" remember that it doesn't just pertain to you anti-Bush people,

it pertains to everyone. The big mouthed Natalie said some things that

ticked us off, she needs to live with her consequences. I bet you if

none of the reviews were deleted, this CD would only have one star.

It's amazing how a 4 1/2 star CD of these women can't even sell enough

tickets. Amazing, huh?

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23 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

alright at best, June 10, 2006

Reviewer: BlondieChicago (Chicago) - See all my reviews

They are trying a little to hard..... I think it's over girls just let

it go.

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30 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

The Chicks Don't Shine In This One, June 8, 2006

Reviewer: Sadie "Sadie" (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my

reviews

I knew this wasn't supposed to be country, but I still expected it to

be as great as their other albums. I was wrong. It's quite

simply....boring. I've played their other albums over and over until

I've memorized every word. After listening to this one twice I still

can't get into any of the songs. They all sound alike, there's not a

hit in the bunch. No peppy or happy songs in the bunch. It's like the

women are all depressed at the point in their lives when they made

this album, and it shows in the music. I'm hoping something good

happens for them so they'll come out with some music that shows their

real talent.

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25 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

what happened?????, June 8, 2006

Reviewer: jose canseco "ingolf" (evergreen state) - See all my reviews

I have been a Dixie Chicks fan for a long time. This alum was a great

dissapointment. I was expecting more of there traditional bluegrass

background and catchy tunes. The entire album made me want to fall

asleep. Its like they were doing an acustic session. The material was

brutal. It feels like they forgot what made them famous.

Not what I expected, June 8, 2006

Reviewer: M. Fidelman "avid_history_reader" (Carlsbad, CA United

States) - See all my reviews

Because of their snub of their fan base, I thought they had the good

sense to deliver a spectacular album to "show up" their many critics.

They failed in this attempt and have alientated even more people by

their recent comments.

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26 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

B Flat CD, June 8, 2006

Reviewer: E. Jaleski "The Listener" (Longboat Key, FL) - See all my

reviews

This CD typifies the reasons for illegal downloading - two good songs

followed by filler. The CD goes over the top in presenting a boring

repetitious wall-of-sound, performers made weary by dullness and the

most unimaginative drummer I have heard on a major release in a

decade. DCX could lose the drummer.

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21 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

Not Willing - To Forgive or Forget, June 7, 2006

Reviewer: Alan Rockman (Upland, California) - See all my reviews

Little "Clueless" Natalie wants to go Hollywood. Little Natalie was

never really Country anyway, even if the other two spoiled brats were.

She's not willing to make nice. Well, that's Ms. Maines' or Mrs.

Pashdar's prerogative, but it is also ours to tell the little girl and

her Dipsy Clucks bye-bye too.

C'mon Nashville. Enough of the Maines, the Clucks, the Urbans, the

Chesneys, the Crows and the Flats. Give us more Paisleys, more Evans -

and musicians steeped in the tradition of Owens and Cash. Not some

little girls sans brains and sans talent.

Just read that Dipsy Cluck ticket sales for the summer shows have

nose-dived into the dungheap they created. Gee, I wonder why? Maybe

Natalie or some of her Neo-Fat friends can tell us all why. Then

again, maybe not.

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22 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

Three Drab Queens., June 7, 2006

Reviewer: Ms. AJ "Right" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

If you think this album is selling for its quality, think again.

It's selling because the Chicks figured out that picking fights with

powerful politicians works for getting your name in the news.

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35 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

BLACK MAN'S REVIEW WAS THROWN OUT!, June 6, 2006

Reviewer: Papa Baggy T (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

Well it does look like there still is segregation in some places.

Namely on a very liberally biased site like this that had deleted my

original review of this recording.

ain't that something?

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25 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

I'll Be Consistent, June 6, 2006

Reviewer: cherie (new york) - See all my reviews

I so very much agree with The Twizzler from Philly and Green-T from

Chicago. All of these wine&cheese/art gallery rats/birkenstock

wearing/patchouli smelling progressives singing the praises over this

group and this CD truly shows me how desperate so many of the Left are

in their rage for Bush & Co.

My roomate, a left leaning Dem bought this CD along with a few others

lefties in her study group just "to show support for Natalie" LOL She

never even opened the CD! I did and i hated it for the simple reasons:

I don't like country music or folk music in general.

I couldn't stand the angsty whining of these three "chicks."

I thought this stuff became passe with the death of Kurt Cobain and

the decline in popularity of Lilith Fair pseudo-folkies like Fiona

Apple, Morissette and that other Natalie - Natalie Merchant.

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15 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

Buy it and move to Canada!, June 6, 2006

Reviewer: Leave it if you don't love it (Peoria, Illinois) - See all

my reviews

If you don't like living here & enjoy verbally tearing down your

country as this trio does please buy this trash and move to Canada.

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40 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

Come On Amazon!, June 6, 2006

Reviewer: The Twizzler (Philly Style) - See all my reviews

You guys really need to stop the machinations with the reviews. So

many 1-star/2-star reiews of books, DVDs and CDs get deleted so that

the overall approval rating stays up there. If you delete them because

they lack relevent content, that I can understand. But, by the same

logic you should do the same with the 5-star reviews that similarly

lack relevency.

I've read at least several dozen 5-star reviews and many of them have

only an obligatory "Loved it!" comment, showing me that so many

haven't heard this CD. Many even say that they haven't heard the CD or

don't own it. One reviewer from Phoenix said, "I hate country music

and never owned a Dixie Chicks album... I listen to punk rock, rap,

R&B but I just want to stick it to the rednecks..." Why are such

reviews as these allowed to stay?

Reviewer Green-T is correct in her observation that so many of these

rave reviews are really just to spite true C&W fans. For example, here

in Philly, at the time of the Natalie Maines anti-Bush tirade, college

radio station WXPN started playing Dixie Chicks songs. They never

played a Dixie Chicks songs before that. It is all pathetic

politicking. And as for the ratings here and the Billboard Charts it

is misleading.

This CD is so below the quality of the previous DC releases. Their

bluegrass-friendly, easy going style has been replaced by the

bitterness and resentment and moany wailing similar to the

personalities of so many of their newfound "fans." Their is an

overemphasis on Natalie to the point of it being sickening. Emily

Robison and Martie Maguire are by now pretty much a backup band!

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34 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

THE REASON IT'S #1 ..., June 6, 2006

Reviewer: Green-T (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Look down at the customer forums and most of the full starred reviews

and check out the new Dixie Chicks supporters.

People who've never bought a Country CD in all of their lives bought

this one just to make it a hit and thereby make a statement. They look

down on all of us Country fans. Heck! they look down on this country

itself, Period!

Real Country Music fans know what's up and we're not buying into it

for a minute.

So enjoy your fair weather friends Natalie. You and me and cousin

Bobby Lee all know they won't stick around, especially not by the time

the next CD comes round. If another one come round that is.

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27 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

No Passion, Uninspired, Hollow, June 5, 2006

Reviewer: Sir Loin Ofbeef "No" (Carmel, IN United States) - See all my

reviews

I am a fan of the Dixie Chicks and have loved their previous work, but

something about this album seems rushed. All the songs feature lyrics

which never really go anywhere, it's almost as if they're being too

safe. I really didn't like it. I want my money back Natalie!

Self Destructing Effort?, June 5, 2006

Reviewer: The Penitent (Denver) - See all my reviews

The DC belong to that group of artists that do not have a defined

stile. Their music is not Country or pop, some sort of estrange "in

between". These artists achieve phenomenal success for a sort period

of time, but they never sustain the test of time. They have a couple

of songs and one or two albums that skyrocket and that's it. In the

case of DC "Wide Open Spaces" and "Home"

They also seem to be on a mission to actually speed up the

disintegration process and disappear into oblivion as fast as

possible. Their hysterical and nonsensical remarks and opinions

already alienated them years ago. It's OK not to apologize if you

actually believe in what you say regardless on how stupid it may

sound. But if you are trying to come back at least do not talk about

it, let it go, don't remind your fans, people are forgiving, just do

what you do best; music.

Unfortunately this outing is their worst, the songs are permeated by

the controversy and hate they generated, the vocals sound whinny, and

the music overproduced.

Sorry, skip this one.

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7 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

no thanks, June 3, 2006

Reviewer: Brad Fiennes (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

I received one of the CDs alexlee purchased to give away as gifts. The

music was awful, the Chicks are traitors, and their fans are traitors,

so all things considered, I burned it. Thanks, alex.

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22 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

THEY SEEM TO HAVE LOST IT..., June 3, 2006

Reviewer: Dan Hammer "Dan" (Texas) - See all my reviews

THE FIRST TWO WERE GREAT BUT I DO NOT CARE FOR THIS ONE AT ALL. I GAVE

IT TO MY SISTER AND SHE GAVE IT TO A FRIEND AT WORK. I DO NOT KNOW

WHAT HAPPENED BUT THEY SURE AIN'T THE SAME CHICKS THEY USED TO BE.

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10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

Poor Attempt at Pop, June 1, 2006

Reviewer: C. Hicks - See all my reviews

While talented musicians, the Dixie Chicks need to stick to country

and stop trying to crossover to pop. This is their attempt to "dis"

their country audience... Poor attempt at that...UGH.

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39 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

Navel gazing, June 1, 2006

Reviewer: Mike Group - See all my reviews

The Dixie Chicks are three incredibly talented muscians who have shown

an amazing ability in the past for arrangement, performance, and

writing. Sadly, they have fallen into the trap of taking themselves

too seriously. They now believe that their lives and opinions are more

interesting to their fans than their music. Except for the title

track, this album is boring. Music should be about life, but not so

introspective that the only one who appreciates what is in the music

is the one performing it. This album is for the Dixie Chicks, not for

anyone else. A true example of finding your own navel more fascinating

than anything else outside of your own existence.

I've been listening to music for more than 40 years and I've seen it

happen many times before. As soon as an artist says, "This album is an

exploration of new territory, more mature, expression of myself, a

political statement, etc."; you can be sure it is going to be perhaps

their last gasp. What seems to happen is that the artist loses their

sense of 'joy' in the music and just become too serous. Some make it

through this period, re-emerge and return to their roots; most fade

away. This is probably the Chicks last album.

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29 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

Matured?, June 1, 2006

Reviewer: J. Pitts (Spring Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

The review said they matured but it seems to me they've matured from

the Dixie Chicks with a wonderful bluegrass sound to Natalie Maines &

the Dixie Chicks. The sisters are fading into the background. I bought

their previous albums for the bluegrass and because I thought the

sisters did such a wonderful job with their respective instruments.

It's so sad that one blurt of no real significance has changed all

that.

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19 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

Are All You Folks Naive Or Just Stupid !!!, May 31, 2006

Reviewer: RetiredVet "Redskins Rule" (Washington D.C.) - See all my

reviews

An Associate of mine bought this album ;and yes i suffered by

listening to the entire album;i am not a country fan per se,nor do i

care what people's political beliefs are since i am not into all

that,what is worse than war (been in a few) is anyone trying to profit

from it and say it's for the troops ,have you guys and gals listened

to these Women interviews on t.v. and radio not to mention print,they

are not in touch with reality,kinda like that guy that brainwashed his

wife Uh,oh yeah Tom Cruise ,this music as a whole is not 2 bad / Dixie

chicks ,please where do these clowns come up with these names for

bands,BUT this music is not 2 GOOD either,so forget these wannabees

and by a real album for real talent ;like Elvis or 1 better ;Carrie

Underwood,at least they aren't political and have a hell of alot more

talent!!if you don't like my review ,than that will prove my point!!!

nuff said...Dixie Chicks ,sounds like some form of chicken you cook

:-)

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16 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

Average pop cd by a no talent group, May 31, 2006

Reviewer: SouthernProud - See all my reviews

I am a huge country music fan. I have never been a fan of the Dixie

Chicks because their music has never been country in my eyes. The

Dixie Chicks do not have pleasant sounding voices. Their old songs

never appealed to me and their new anti America, Anti conservative,

anti southern, anti country music and their fans mentality do not

appeal to me. If you are a hateful, bigoted, close minded person, this

cd is for you.

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26 of 152 people found the following review helpful:

The worst album of 2006, May 28, 2006

Reviewer: hardrock ninja - See all my reviews

I was aghast on listening to this awful album which is more worse than

their previous efforts.They have abandoned country for boring

pretentious pop music tripe.I would not recommend this boring album to

anyone.To me Living with war from Neil Young is a much better album

and a much better purchase.

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29 of 174 people found the following review helpful:

Awful, Horrible, and a piece of Trash, May 28, 2006

Reviewer: Mr. Gary W. Hill - See all my reviews

If you liked the purity of all the instruments on Home you will hate

this Album.

The Chicks have gone steadily downhill since Home.

On their World Tour album they included that stupid steel guitar which

completely drowned out the banjo and violin.

This in your face, I can say anything I want, and you can kiss my rear

end attitude shows how little class they now have.

There isn't one good song on this album, plus I only heard the banjo

once and very little violin.

Save your money, and don't waste it on these fools.

They need to get back to what made them popular in the first place.

Sorry album, May 27, 2006

Reviewer: J. Rudd "musicman" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This is a terrible piece of work and would not suggest it for anyone

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25 of 153 people found the following review helpful:

Actually,zero stars is more appropriate, May 26, 2006

Reviewer: progrocklover - See all my reviews

The Dixie chicks are not country anymore folks.They are more of a

vapid,awful pop band who are more into making boring synthesized

music.I could not hear even a single note of a guitar on this

album.And the attack on George Bush was sickening.Stay away from this

crap.Get any cd from Bob Dylan instead.

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30 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

More Contemporary Country Grabage, May 26, 2006

Reviewer: Joshua S. Johnson (Charleston, WV United States) - See all

my reviews

My wife and I heard the Dixie Chicks on Good Morning America

performing two of the songs from their new album. All of the political

drama aside, the songs I heard were nothing more than contemporary pop

country garbage. My wife, who is more of a Chicks fan than I agreed

that it did not even sound like their type of music. Their first two

albums showed merit and a touch of true country style. I wouldn't be

surprised to see this album hitting the bargain bin very soon.

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32 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

not impressed, May 26, 2006

Reviewer: C. Koch (pittsburgh) - See all my reviews

OK, just what genre does this group fit into now? Do they still

consider themselves country? adult contemporary? Pop? I just don't get

the fascination with this mediocre and self described controversial

and self promoting group - sorry. Don't waste your money.

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33 of 169 people found the following review helpful:

Bomber, May 25, 2006

Reviewer: S. Somers "yankeefan12753" (FLORIDA) - See all my reviews

I think this cd is the worst they have ever made. I will NEVER BUY

another cd from this group again!

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27 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

Love Dixie Chicks, Hate new CD, May 24, 2006

Reviewer: L. DeLuccio (California, United States) - See all my reviews

I love the Dixie Chicks, always have and loved them even more after

they spoke their minds. However, this new CD sucks! Sorry girls. It's

very depressing, it's not the "fun" chicks as all the other CD's it's

all very moody, slow and depressing and dark. I'm not happy at all and

I over paid by alot of money and I can't take it back, I'm probably

posting it on here soon to sell..

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27 of 143 people found the following review helpful:

Who Butchered the Dixie Chicks??, May 24, 2006

Reviewer: Terri W (Indiantown, FL United States) - See all my reviews

Politics aside, I eagerly anticipated the release of this CD. After

listening to it, all I can say is "where did they go"? Their

previously joyful- to-listen-to music has been replaced by the

rantings of a bitter woman (Maines). P U.

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24 of 200 people found the following review helpful:

don't waste your money, May 24, 2006

Reviewer: A. Cason "amandy" (TX) - See all my reviews

Very whiny. The lyrics and their voices make me cringe. I regret

buying any of their music.

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32 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

Disappointing, May 24, 2006

Reviewer: D. Dunn (Kalamazoo, MI USA) - See all my reviews

I've been a Dixie Chicks fan since I first heard Wide Open Spaces and

I have all of their albums. Their political statements don't bother me

so I have no grudge against them there. I just think that musically

this was a very forgettable album. The only track I really liked was

Voice Inside My Head, where Natalie really showed how strong her voice

is. The others songs that were passable were The Long Way Around and

Not Ready To Make Nice. I found Lullaby to be 6 minutes of boring

repetition. I guess I prefer a more country/bluegrass/acoustic sound,

most of the songs just didn't catch my ear. I also thought that the

album photographs were really ugly.

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27 of 178 people found the following review helpful:

Another One Bites The Dust, May 23, 2006

Reviewer: Richard J. Atkinson "ratkin" (Queensbury, NY USA) - See all

my reviews

So, let's see... The Dixie Chicks have totally abandoned the musical

style that made them famous (has anybody heard from Martie and Emily's

instruments lately?)in favor of a bland, guitar-based pop. They've

gone from writing and/or performing happy, up-tempo music with a

wicked sense of humor in favor of coming off like a collection of

whiny, preachy kvetches. And then to make up for all that, they've

decided to go out of their way to annoy the majority of their original

fan base. While I may own several Dixie Chicks albums, this one will

not be staying in my collection long enough to join them.

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Sad, May 23, 2006

Reviewer: R Biggs "Tri" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

I don't write a review unless i feel stongly about it.

I'd give it less than one star if I could.

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28 of 227 people found the following review helpful:

pathetic!, May 23, 2006

Reviewer: Alonzo M. Layton "lon" (Wilmington, NC USA) - See all my

reviews

save your money! ... the bargain bins will be full of this album very

soon! You'll be able to buy this garbage very cheaply very soon.

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49 of 197 people found the following review helpful:

A let down, May 23, 2006

Reviewer: Douglas W. Jordan "D Jordan" (USA) - See all my reviews

The first thing that hit me in this CD was, as someone else posted,

that it sounded more like a Maines solo work rather than a Chicks CD.

Second, the songs, while ok, just did not have the same feel of their

last 2 CDs. I suppose given all that's happened that was inevitable

and that is unfortunate. Stylisticly this is nothing like "Home" or

"Wide Open Spaces" and if that is what you are looking for, save your

money, this one's not for you. I was and I'm very disappointed. With

this CD it's like they put on someone else's clothes, and they don't

fit.

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0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Run-Of-The-Mill Country Undercut by Adolescent Political Posturing,

February 13, 2007

Reviewer: UFO6 (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I'd resolved to take an objective view of this album as a musical

work rather than as a political comment and, well, that's mostly

impossible - because the "Chicks" have apparently turned their musical

career into what Thomas Paine once called "a political hobbyhorse," in

much the same way as Michael Jackson devolved into self-absorbed

whining about the consequences of his own actions, in "Leave Me

Alone" and "Privacy."

Ignoring the embarrassing juvenility that is "Make Nice," this is

pedestrian post-Brooks pop-rock country - well done but not precisely

what one could call outstanding, much less the ...best music release

of 2006? Please. The selection of "Long Way" as

"Album/Record/Single/Country Album/Performance of the Year" is even

more embarrassing - as evidence that the "Grammy Awards" have become

little more than a soapbox for cheap political activism. Much like the

aforementioned single, as it happens.

So the folks in charge of the Grammys have subordinated their entire

2007 program to expressing their political views (Bravo, guys,) while

curious listeners can only respond to "Taking The Long Way" with a

bewildered "This...is IT?" Not specifically the gem that the hype

suggests.

Corrine Bailey Rae - that stunning new talent with a voice like a

Stradivarius - has got to be shaking her head in amazement like the

rest of us. But I suspect she, for one, is a musician classy enough to

take a snub without whining over it into a studio microphone.

P.S. - Oh and BTW: I never, ever sugar-coat a review for the sake of

"Helpful" votes. As the great percussionist and lyricist Mr. Peart put

it, "You can twist perceptions/ Reality won't budge."

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4 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

Pretty voices, October 29, 2006

Reviewer: Shane (Lowell, Mass) - See all my reviews

An okay cd. They do have pretty voices. I just don't hear anything

special on this cd. Sadly, Chicks fans are giving it 5 stars out of

loyalty. They cheapen Sgt.Pepper and other classics when they vote

this way. Please review this cd and if you give it 5 stars explain in

your comments that you are merely a blind fan. Politics..the Chicks

can say anything they want. I also hope Tim Russert records a cd of

songs.

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6 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

DISAPPOINTING, APART FROM 3 OR 4 'FAIR TO MIDDLING' TRACKS, October

27, 2006

Reviewer: Colin Spence (Formby, UK) - See all my reviews

I'd never heard of the Dixie Chicks until a few weeks ago when a

couple of their songs were getting some airplay over here in the UK -

so I bought this album (unheard).

I would describe their music, based on this album, as 'pop-rock with a

veneer of country'. Natalie Maines' voice reminds me a little of

Emmylou Harris, but less polished and too high-pitched for my liking

(although this may appeal to some listeners). The vocal harmonies are

pretty good (very 'tight') but, again, rather high-pitched. Lyrics are

OK but nothing special; The songs are not exactly melodic but most are

listenable (but many are very forgettable also).

Whilst the band members may be good musicians, there is little in the

way of vocal or instrumental variety - almost all tracks stick to the

lead voice/backing vocals/standard arrangement formula. Production, on

many tracks, is way over the top (even for this type of music) -

there's nothing subtle about it.

I quite liked the following tracks : 'The Long Way Around', 'Not Ready

to Make Nice', 'Everybody Knows' and 'I Hope', but the whole album has

a monotonous sound and predictable arrangements. If this is typical of

their music, I don't think I will be buying any more of their albums -

can't understand why there are SO MANY 4 & 5 star reviews.

UPDATE (22 Jan 07) : In view of the emotional fervour generated by

reviews of this album, I thought I'd come back to my review, having

listened to the album a few more times since.

Much of what I said before remains unchanged. However, I've had a

significant change of mind about the quality of the lyrics (I didn't

pay sufficient attention to them first time round), here are some

comments about the tracks which I preferred most - PLEASE NOTE : I am

reviewing the album in terms of how much I enjoyed the music, so if I

like the lyrics of a song, it does NOT mean that I also agree with

their sentiments :

'The Long Way Round' - well crafted pop song, catchy 'radio friendly'

melody, good lyrics and some deft fiddle playing.

'Not Ready To Make Nice' - dramatic song, decent melody, great lyrics

(pretty abrasive).

'Lubbock or Leave It' - strong 'rocker' with pummelling base; but it

is the clever and uncompromising lyrics that make this song.

'I Hope' - a soulful sound, some great guitar playing about 4 minutes

into the song.

The remaining songs have reasonably good lyrics but, in most other

respects, they are fairly ordinary (pleasant but bland). I don't

expect music albums to be perfect, by any means, but there is just too

much about the music here that I simply don't like, so I can't justify

more than 2.5 stars. However, many people do like this album (or, at

least, claim to), so I guess I'm in a minority on this one.

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18 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

The low price is a giveaway, September 24, 2006

Reviewer: V. Vanderbent (Riverdale, NY United States) - See all my

reviews

I should have known - this album is just for the diehard fans. How

good the Chicks were on Wide Open Spaces, this falls far, far short of

my expectations. Ballad after ballad, the album fails to deliver.

Strong harmonies, sure. Good vocal sound, OK, it's there. But albums

are ultimately about a story; if they are not, I'm not interested. I'd

rather go to a place like iTunes and purchase the songs I really like

and skip the rest. 'Taking the long way' lacks the story I am looking

for, the composition as a complete album, a sense of integration if

you will, synthesis. And that's what I should have known before

rushing to buy the CD on Amazon right when it came out: the price says

everything. If it's really a rock-solid album, it won't be on sale for

just under 10 bucks. They'll want more because they know it's worth

more. This is just to fill the Chicks' coffers and they should be

ashamed for doing that to their fans. Two stars at best.

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13 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

Mature?, September 22, 2006

Reviewer: ECU_Classic_Music_Fan (Charlotte, NC United States) - See

all my reviews

Why is it that whenever a musician becomes outspoken against the

system, any system, they are then forever labeled mature? Yes, their

marketing scheme worked miracles. Once they made their infamous

remarks in England they were able to easily cross over to the 'pop'

side of the music industry. Witness the cover shot of them on the

Rolling Stone right after the remarks. That doesn't make them mature

in my eyes. They're just another group of misled innocents who will

end up on Behind the Music in 15 years crying about how they were

taken advantage of during this period.

As for the cd, it's really no better or worse than what they did

before. Average, average, average.

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4 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

A Sure Winner!, August 18, 2006

Reviewer: Ralphie's Mom "RJG" (New York) - See all my reviews

I would recommend buying this CD. I was never into the Dixie Chicks

but heard a single track and decided to take a chance. I don't regret

it. The combination of words & music with the haunting violin solo's

make it a winning combination. Not your usual country sound; but

country matured!

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14 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

Taking The Long Way, July 25, 2006

Reviewer: Dardo Gabriel Golstein "Gato Orlando" (Buenos

Aires,Argentina) - See all my reviews

I think that is a boring album,and nothing related with another great

live performing of Dixie Chicks.Period!

I had waste my money!

Depressing - not a good effort, July 18, 2006

Reviewer: Richw "Rliege" (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews

I like the DCX. I think they are the best thing to happen to country

music in a long time; a breath of fresh air. I think their best effort

was FLY with WIDE OPEN SPACES a close second. They sounded like they

had fun recording both of these CDs, and the bands were outstanding.

But TAKING THE LONG WAY is slow and boring. The songs just run

together and all the fun is gone. The band is just average, like the

music.

I see many of the other reviews rate this 5 stars. I guess I just

don't get it or understand their enthusiasm. It's just not the same

sound.

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40 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

Harmless, Overhyped Fluff, July 14, 2006

Reviewer: Sean Wilson (Malone NY) - See all my reviews

Considering all the media hype and fanatically positive reviews, the

songs on this album turned out to be pretty unexceptional, even

boring. It's the kind of music that will soon be forgotten - but then

I don't think the Dixie Chicks are about music anymore. Politically

correct types will buy anything they put out and, judging by all the

crazed five-star reviews, may even convince themselves that the music

is something better than what it is.

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45 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

Dixie Chicks fans apparently don't read newspapers..., July 11, 2006

Reviewer: Fred in NYC (New York NY) - See all my reviews

It has been more than three weeks since Natalie Maines denounced

patriotism - but their fans still keep writing reviews here at Amazon

claiming they are "patriotic" (see below). How can you be both

patriotic and against patriotism at the same time?

The music on this CD quite unexiting. It would almost be boring except

for Ms. Maines whiny vocals, which are irritating enough to keep the

listener agitated. Don't waste your money.

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16 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

where's the spunk?, July 11, 2006

Reviewer: SPAR Neff "Linnea" (Newport News, va USA) - See all my

reviews

I'm a big dixie chicks fan despite Natalie's attempt to mix politics

with entertainment. I even enjoyed the pre Natalie Dixie Chicks. But I

wont stay a fan long if the albums are as dry as this one. The part I

like most about the chicks seemed to have fallen by the wayside. There

weren't any toe tapping, sing-a-long songs. I didn't like the remake

of "mississippi" I thought the original played during the Rock The

Vote concert was better. I understand the Dixie chicks had some

important things to say here but I feel there could be a more positive

way to do it. Sorry girls, still waiting for a good come back.

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51 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

Don't Wave the Flag - That Would Be Dumb!, July 4, 2006

Reviewer: Rick Walsh (Forest Hills NY USA) - See all my reviews

One reviewer claims that we should celebrate July 4th by buying this

CD instead of waving the Stars and Stripes. He claims that the USA is

"the focus of evil in the World." Given that the Dixie Chicks' Natalie

Maines recently denounced "patriotism" as "wrong," I guess that if you

hate your country, that would be a good idea. But the songs I've heard

from this CD are just highly commercial pop-fluff with whining

singing. Plus, I love my country. I guess I'll be a jingoistic yahoo

and celebrate the 4th by buying a Toby Keith CD instead.

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22 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

Not a sinlge hit on the album., June 30, 2006

Reviewer: Your #1 fan "Your #1 fan" - See all my reviews

Ok, take the war out of it, take the politics out of it, take whatever

baggage you have out of the equasion. I'm comparing this album to

their last three releases, and it simply doesnt measure up. The songs

(written by the Chicks themselves, and it shows) are kinda dull. No

hooks. No toe-tapping. Hey, I remember when these girls could sing fun

songs (Long Time Gone, I Can Love You Better), and beautiful songs

(Cowboy Take Me Away, Landslide, Wide Open Spaces or controversial

songs (Goodbye, Earl) - but you wont find any of those here. Just some

sad, self-indugent lyrics.

Buy a Dixie Chicks album if you're new to them, but don't buy this

one.

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38 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

Just an outlet to vent, June 29, 2006

Reviewer: KatCajun (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

Earlier work by far the best. This collection was nothing more than an

outlet to vent their continued frustruations with the media backlash.

These ladies are far too talented to produce a mediocre album. The

lullabies written about their children are worth listening to.

Hopefully, they'll learn that yes, we all have a right to free speech,

but it does cost (our soldiers' sacrifice and possibly their pocket

books)........ maybe next time will be better

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17 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

Not the normal Dixie Chicks, June 28, 2006

Reviewer: Nicole J. Munar (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

I have a couple Dixie Chicks CD's and this one is by far the worst

one. It is very dark, depressing and slow. It doesn't have their usual

upbeat, almost campy feel. I was disappointed.

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34 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

What a waste!, June 28, 2006

Reviewer: Tina "Momof3" (WV USA) - See all my reviews

I heard this CD only because my friend purchased it. This one doesn't

compare to their great albums in the past. Don't waste your money.

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17 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

Taking The Long Way, June 26, 2006

Reviewer: Ronald B. Glover (Huntsville, AL. USA) - See all my reviews

Another pitiful effort by this group. I am sick and tired of country

music imposters

Not one review of the album in the bunch.

Plenty of admissions of right-wing crying to mommy pussytude.

"Ricky Bobby" <rickyb@wonderb.com> wrote in message

news:fgl5t2pmscmfr0epvv1v1srivatpbjhlp5@4ax.com...

> From amazon.com:

>

>

> This album is mainstream garbage, February 13, 2007

> Reviewer: RpgFan (glendale, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

> This album is the worst mainstream piece of garbage I have ever heard.

> The only reason they won so many grammy awards is because the academy

> of music is a bunch of left wing liberals and they want to stick it to

> the president.

>

> Real good, basically your telling people its ok to bash your country

> while playing in another country and then we will reward you with a

> bunch of grammy awards for it.

>

> Complete drivel, these losers will never get a cent of my money.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 5 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Hate it, February 13, 2007

> Reviewer: M. Skinner (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

>

> and HATE THE DIXIE CHICKS. I used to be a huge fan but since they

> can't keep their traps shut - I hate them and what they now stand for.

> Sing music and keep your politics out of it.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 9 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

>

> No stars for this mess!, February 12, 2007

> Reviewer: D. Kowlessar "CD QUEEN" (MD) - See all my reviews

>

> Bush bashers or not....this album's content is all about the Bush

> comment and backlash The Chicks received a few years ago. If they

> really wanted to move on they would have stayed away from the topic in

> their music (at least for 98% of the album) but it is too redundant in

> this album. Not their best work and I used to be a huge fan but they

> are losing me by the year! Not worth the cash to buy this one.

> Hopefully they will produce a more rounded album next.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 188 of 452 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Taking the Long Way is such a political album that it reflects

> Maines' Martyr Complex and Self-invovled Egomania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,

> January 22, 2007

> Reviewer: Nero's Fire Against The Christians "Murmillo Gladiator" (A

> Coward's Mother Does Not Weep) - See all my reviews

>

>

> Taking the Long Way--should be called "Taking the Liberal Sellout Way

> for a Pop Audience While Stabbing Country Music Fans in the Back"--is

> the Dixie Chicks' notoriously billed "comeback" album, after Natalie

> Maines ineptly ruined their careers by provoking the real, American

> patriots called country music fans!!!! It's impossible to separate

> politics and current events from the music on this CD since Taking the

> Long Way glaringly symbolizes the Chicks' defiant attitude towards

> those (real Americans and patriots) who demanded an apology from them

> for their anti-American, anti-Bush tirade on foreign shores in 2003.

>

> Since they alienated the country music fan base--where they rightly

> received death threats and had their CDs symbolically boycotted by

> country music radio stations--the music on Taking the Long Way is

> totally a 180 degree turnaround from the country on their prior CDs.

> The vast majority of songs on this CD are pop/rock, and as such, they

> egregiously appeal to a new audience, that audience being those in the

> more liberal, blue states with an appetite for thoughtless pop/light

> rocky music--the complete opposite of the patriots, real Americans and

> conservatives making up the country music fan base. The Chicks'

> calculatingly necessary shift to the musical left was born not out of

> artistic "merit"; it was pressured on them by a country music fan base

> that Maines segregated/antagonized with her anti-Bush tirade.

> Likewise, because of their shunning of country music fans, their tour

> last year saw many E-M-P-T-Y arenas and sub-par ticket sales with only

> liberal, big cities really going to their concerts!!!! Taking the Long

> Way also debuted with the lowest number of first week sales of ANY of

> their albums.

>

> This treasonous shift to pop music is seen instantly on the first

> song, The Long Way Around. Though it begins subtly like a country

> tune, it's clear they plotted a rockier tune due to the overpowering

> basslines and speedier guitar "licks." The lyrical content of The Long

> Way Around is also planned to appeal to a stereotypical liberals'

> school of thought because of the shamelessly outright rejection of

> traditional values espoused in that wreck of a song. Maines sings,

> lewdly, about smoking (obviously some illegal or self-destructive

> substance) with hippies and also repels the honorable, traditional

> virtues of her high-school classmates from Lubbock, Texas, for

> settling down and raising families with their husbands!!!!

> Predictably, impressionable, liberal apologists will find merit in the

> song's quaint resolve set to a hopeful melody.

>

> From there, the album's ALL downhill in a worsening, downward spiral

> as the Chicks furiously plan to attract liberals with their

> suspicious, newly found values system and remorselessness about

> Maines' anti-Bush tirade. In Not Ready to Make Nice, Maines scornfully

> sings of berating Bush all over again if she had a second go at it!!!!

> Contradictorily, Maines defies reconciliation, then wonders why the

> heck she keeps paying the price of being hated by a large segment of

> patriotic Americans, and rightly so. Also disturbing in the song's

> lyrical content is Maines' admission that her tirade against Bush was

> totally unwarrantable hatred of a perfect stranger and her plans to

> tell her daughter that it's "ok" to do so. When Maines sings, "I'm mad

> as hell," she's clearly using her continuous upkeep of her anti-Bush

> controversy as a maneuver to generate interest around her band.

>

> Despairingly, simple-minded liberals will misguidedly credit Maines

> for what they misconceive as her "standing up" for what she believes

> in. But, the impartial listener will sentence her for being so

> arrogant that she presumes the world revolves around her and her

> little controversy. Also noteworthy in that song is the

> feint-but-audible rock guitar that's prominently used to underscore

> Maines' resolve--again, verifying the theme that the Chicks have

> basically turned into a rock/pop outfit.

>

> Though I analytically went into detail on only two songs, I could've

> just as easily dissected other songs like Easy Silence (comfort in

> family interspersed with complaints about war and radio stations),

> Everybody Knows (paranoia and insecurity about being in the

> spotlight), Bitter End (irreconcilable partings), or Lubbock or Leave

> It (ridicules Maines' southern hometown of Lubbock, Texas, with scorn

> of liberal elitism). But, I focused on The Long Way Around and Not

> Ready To Make Nice to make a convincing case and convict the Chicks

> for writing an album with a political agenda.

>

> Though the Chicks insecurely made their first, brittle foray into

> writing some songs, they didn't independently write this record,

> getting help from liberal radicals like Sheryl Crow. As such, the

> songwriting quality is noticeably lowered from CDs like Home. This

> album is just a phonily dressed-up version of the girls exercising

> their martyr complex, as in assuming that they've been "through hell"

> because of Maines' foot-in-mouth slur against Bush, yet it reflects on

> them as a CD wherein they presume that their rightly deserved backlash

> somehow elevated them to the status of "heroes," totally furthest from

> the truth.

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 11 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Entertain us, keep your political thoughts to yourself, October 31,

> 2006

> Reviewer: Rocknwoman "rocknwoman" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

> I have been a long time fan, but..... I was very dismayed to hear what

> Natalie said in concert, overseas. We pay entertainers to entertain

> us, not cram their political views down our throats as the only

> realistic, viable opinions. The freedoms we have in this country come

> from a long line of soldiers that put on the uniform and stood up for

> what America stands for. I saw them last week on the Oprah Winfrey

> show and as the song says, their not ready to make nice, granted the

> lyrics could be applied to many situations, but in this case we know

> what they refer too. They owe this country a big opology, and until I

> hear it, I won't buy their cd's anymore.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 11 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Save your money, October 16, 2006

> Reviewer: Dr. C. (Springfield, Missouri) - See all my reviews

> I can't believe they ever won the Grammies that they have when I hear

> any of their recent albums. I may not be the only one who thinks that

> they aren't any good anymore when you consider that they had to cancel

> a lot of their concerts on their last tour due to not selling enough

> tickets at many of them. Save your money!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 17 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not much new, October 2, 2006

> Reviewer: Bob "...think!" (USA) - See all my reviews

> The Dixie Chicks are selling this album at a deep discount and are

> cancelling concerts across America. There is a reason: they're

> offering nothing new. More of the same. They haven't grown, and the

> act has gotten old.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 26 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Sadly Self-Indulgent, September 25, 2006

> Reviewer: Tampa Quilter "Amazon Groupie" (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my

> reviews

> After all the hype, I'd hoped it would be an album back to their

> musical roots; sadly it is not. Too bad.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 15 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Please go away..., September 16, 2006

> Reviewer: The Producer (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my

> reviews

> It's slick, it's cute but it ain't country. Nashville needs to

> regurgitate this crap and get it's soul back. As far as their

> political evangelism goes: nobody cares. These dim-whitted chicks

> tried to get into the Hollywood and Michael Moore "in crowd" with

> their anti-American statements. It back-fired, didn't it Chickies?

> Your grand kids could of had a much larger inheritance. Think about it

> Natalie, the money is what country music is all about now and you have

> thrown away a fanny load of it. Please go away.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 9 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

>

> They've made a habit of bad behavior..., September 13, 2006

> Reviewer: Jennifer Monk "jlm325" (Atlanta, Ga United States) - See all

> my reviews

>

> The Bush "incident" is not the first time these girls have behaved

> poorly. Learn more about them and see how they replaced their lead

> singer right after they had their record deal but before they cut

> their first album. They've whined over royalty fees and sleazed up

> country music with "outfits". When you buy their music, you enable

> them to behave this way. I loved their music, just not their behavior.

>

> This CD is just not very good, September 9, 2006

> Reviewer: Bobby L (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

> I have several other Dixie Chicks CD that I like but I just personally

> hate this one.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 21 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Nothing like their previous releases, August 22, 2006

> Reviewer: L. DeJohn (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

>

> Where did their country sound go? It's nowhere to be found on this cd.

> We kept skipping over the songs looking for something that sounded

> like their usual country sound. This one needs to be placed in a

> different music style. If you are looking for the same old sound, look

> somewhere else. We were quite disappointed.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 39 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Taking the Wrong Way, July 24, 2006

> Reviewer: Karen Rhee (New York NY) - See all my reviews

> I was interested to read the review below claiming that no one except

> a redneck, pot-bellied Bush supporter who has never heard the CD could

> write a negative review about it. I'm a female Korean immigrant who I

> don't think qualifies as a "redneck." I've lived in the US for almost

> twenty years but am not a citizen so I can't vote. My view of Bush is

> mixed. I'm 5'6", 125 lbs, and do not have a pot belly. (I find it odd

> that someone would make fun of the appearance of a Bush supporter

> since my experience in the US has been, with regards to White people

> at least, that the few non-Jewish, heterosexual males outside of

> Hollywood who support the Democrats are usually unathletic, weird and

> ugly looking, like that ugliest of Americans, Michael Moore - who has

> a pretty large pot belly by the way.)

>

> I did listen to the CD. I listened to it several times. I bought it so

> I was certainly going to try to get my money's worth! The problem is

> that the music really sucks. It sucks the first time that you listen

> to it and when you try again, it still sucks. As far as the singing,

> the reviewers who call it "whining" are telling the truth.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 36 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

>

> White Trash Without Talent , July 22, 2006

> Reviewer: Carl Niskanen (Seattle WA USA) - See all my reviews

> Have you heard of intelligent eyes? Look carefully at the CD cover

> photo. Intelligent eyes they are not. The Dixie Chicks have a distinct

> "the lights are on upstairs but nobody's home" look. They are just

> White trash from trailer park country and it is kind of amusing to

> read glowing reviews of the bimbos' album from those who fashion

> themselves as sophisticated and urbane. One reviewer suggests that

> only tobacco-chewing Toby Keith fans couldn't fall in love the music

> on this CD, but the man he describes sounds more like the Dixie

> Chicks' boyfriends/husbands.

>

> Well, I'm not a Toby Keith fan or a fan of country music. And I don't

> chew tobacco. I bought this CD based on the extremely positive reviews

> it got and feel like a victim of a con. I don't pay attention to

> professional music critics but find reviews from the general public to

> be more relaible. Not this time.

>

> This CD was presented as a new style for the Dixie Chicks, which

> should have been a good thing since I don't like their old style. It

> is not country unless Southern hick accents alone make music country.

> It was presented as a rock album (which is why I bought it) but it is

> really an overproduced pop mess full of clashing instruments and, for

> the most part, screeching vocals. Listening to it, I kept thinking

> that Natalie Maines must have been suffering from PMS when it was

> recorded. Well, what's ten bucks now-a-days anyhow?

>

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 24 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Don't bother, July 18, 2006

> Reviewer: farmwife "cary" (niagara, ND usa) - See all my reviews

> This album was a shocker! I was really disappointed and feel that the

> chicks did not live up to the quality that I had come to expect from

> them. It was as if they have all been off their prozac for a couple

> months, very depressing and angry!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 43 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Waste of Money , July 13, 2006

> Reviewer: Jen Kim (San Diego CA) - See all my reviews

> From the overproduced music to Natalie Maines whiny vocals, the music

> on this CD doesn't make it. I bought this CD based on all the rave

> reviews and feel like I was had. Who are the people giving all the

> five star reviews? The Dixie Chicks friends and relatives?

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 33 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not so much..., July 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Viv Tyler (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

> I really, really, wanted to like this. I LOVE the Chicks, always have,

> and totally supported them through the whole political thing. But I

> have to agree with the reviewers who have said that when all is said

> and done, the songs aren't very good. Nothing catchy or moving on

> here, like there usually is. Maybe it's because they used a bunch of

> other songwriters, or something - I don't know. I'm very disappointed.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 42 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Whoa, July 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Kim Reading (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

> Omigod what a lot of hype. I guess there are a lot of people around

> who really hate Bush, huh? I'll count myself among them, but man,

> there's gotta be a better way to show it than listening to this CD. My

> friend gave this to me for a birthday present, and I was pretty

> excited, given all the great things I've heard. But boy, this CD

> really blows. I don't know what in the world all these people are

> talking about, but I know one thing for sure - it can't be the music!

> Don't blow your cash on this - get something good.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 15 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Make a political statement......Don't buy Dixie Chicks , July 6, 2006

> Reviewer: harry44callahan (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

> Contrary to the other reviewer, I AM appalled at the un-American

> statements which have been made by the 'Chicks. So, until they learn

> to keep their politics to themselves, I think they should reap the

> reward of their statements. Country music fans are notoriously

> patriotic folks; they should know better than to alienate thier

> fanbase. I used to be a fan, but no more.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 19 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

>

> worst ever, July 5, 2006

> Reviewer: J. P Petko - See all my reviews

>

> they are now more into politics than music and they have no one to

> blame but themselves. their music has suffered for it.

> there best music is behind them.

>

> now, if you want something good , might i recommend alison krauss. she

> has talent and no axe to grind.

>

>

> Disappointing, July 4, 2006

> Reviewer: D. Inman (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

>

> The CD was completely disappointing. The music was dark. There's not a

> single cut worth replaying. Will some cowboy please come and take them

> away.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 47 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

>

> TRIED TO SELL IT AT A YARD SELL BUT COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY!, June 30,

> 2006

> Reviewer: R. CORLEY - See all my reviews

>

> I WAS GIVEN THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY. IT IS THE WORST BIRTHDAY GIFT AN

> AMERICAN CAN POSSIBLY RECEIVE. I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 16 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Really bad album, June 29, 2006

> Reviewer: K. Smith (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

>

> The Chicks should sing and get out of politics. This whole album is

> geared to making a statement. Shut up and sing girls!! We don't care

> about your opinions.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 25 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Would not buy their album, June 26, 2006

> Reviewer: M. Pritchard - See all my reviews

>

> It doesn't matter how anyone rates this album..I used to love their

> music and I liked their spunkyness. Now, no way..Natalie has pushed

> the limits of respect of this wonderful place-America. There is a way

> of voicing your opinion without being mean and downright "in your

> face". She should eat a little humble pie.

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 28 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointed fan, June 25, 2006

> Reviewer: LRD (Schaumburg, Il United States) - See all my reviews

> I looked forward to the new Dixie Chicks album, but was quite

> disappointed. The one star rating is for the two passable songs on

> this CD, "The Long Way Around" and "Not Ready to Make Nice". The rest

> are really quite boring. By the fifth or sixth song they were all

> blending together.

>

> I don't have a problem with their politics. I recently bought Neil

> Young's "Living with War". I don't have a problem with the branching

> out into country rock. I do think they should have found some good

> songs to cover instead of doing all their own stuff.

>

> Maybe they felt they should make this statement, but for the great

> musicians and singers they usually are, this is a pretty poor attempt.

> Not worth the money!!

>

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 55 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

>

> This sucks I-man, you lied., June 25, 2006

> Reviewer: Philip C. Gossett III "Dead head Phil." (East Coast.) - See

> all my reviews

>

> I got this for my wife, I had to suffer through it yesterday on the

> way to Red Lobster. Some of the songs had a nice mellow beat and

> sounded all right, but most of it sucked, the singing sounded

> monotone. Way to much drama to boot, save your money. Imus said this

> was good, he was wrong. I was disapointed.

> TCBRN.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 23 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointed, June 25, 2006

> Reviewer: L. Cook (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

>

> First CD I bought of theirs & am disappointed. Will probably pawn off

> the cd onto someone I know.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 48 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Yeah, I get it already, June 18, 2006

> Reviewer: Christopher Meadows (Christiansburg, Va.) - See all my

> reviews

>

> As a fan of the Chicks' music, I'm disapointed to say that this is

> pure political agenda driven CRAP, though I think we pretty much all

> expected that. This album is basically an in-your-face retaliation of

> their past fallout with the political crowd. I'm all for free speech,

> but if your a firm believer in not mixing music and politics then this

> isn't for you.

> Hey Chicks, the true fans could care less about your political

> beliefs, right or left. Just stop with the politics and play MUSIC!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 91 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Silly, June 16, 2006

> Reviewer: Rozella - See all my reviews

> Initially, I didn't think this album was worth reviewing; but, the

> whiny single is so silly and pathetic it could not be helped. The

> NRTMN single is basically a temper tantrum insisting that the Chick's

> are just "not ready" to forgive the people who disagree with them.

> Excuse me, but I don't remember anyone apologizing to them in the

> first place. Apologize for what? Just as these ladies have the right

> to state their views; people have the right to react to it in any way

> they please. How ridiculous that these girls think someone is

> apologizing to them for disagreeing. Typical whiny Hollywood elitists

> who think they can state their opinions and no one can disagree. These

> girls are tired and angry.

> Also, how offensive that severel reviewers say that "republicans are

> racist". Excuse me; but, I am black. I am a Republican. I can vote,

> think, believe whatever way I choose. I don't have to subscribe to the

> liberal dogma that I believe to be destructive to my people just

> because some uppity, white suburban housefrau (who's never been to my

> neighborhood or one like it) says some ignorant lie about a political

> party. (Pat) Please stop assuming that you speak for me. Your attempts

> to keep my people slave to one politcal party is your way of keeping

> us powerless. That's not happening anymore. We have the right to

> diversity of thought, too.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 43 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointed, June 16, 2006

> Reviewer: Music fan in TX (Lewisville, TX United States) - See all my

> reviews

> I looked forward to the release of this CD for a long time, but now

> that it's here I have to say I'm disappointed. My opinion has nothing

> to do with politics (which seems to be the motivation for many of the

> other reviews - good and bad). I've been a fan of the Dixie Chicks in

> the past because their music was full of life and fun to listen to.

> While musically this record is impressive, lyrically it's just

> self-absorbed and whiny. It's obvious that the events of the past

> couple years have taken a huge toll on them, but I think they could

> have crafted a more meaningful response had they stuck to the humor

> and light-heartedness of some of their earlier releases. They have

> been quoted as saying this album is more "mature." I disagree - if

> anything, this is just one long (slow, BORING) temper tantrum about

> how the world has mistreated them, which isn't a very mature response

> to adversity. Nothing like playing the victim to get attention - but

> not a good way to get people to really listen to and appreciate your

> music. Sorry Chicks - find your spark and try again.

>

>

> Blah, June 14, 2006

> Reviewer: gooup "gooup" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

> Since my first review hasn't made it onto this page (hmmm ... am i

> sensing some lack of freedom of speech on the part of Amazon?! Say it

> isn't so!)

>

> So, i will repeat myself. Unimaginative, angry, bitter and otherwise a

> self-important pity party of an album

>

> How i WISH i could give it NO stars.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 39 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Don't waste your money, June 14, 2006

> Reviewer: Bonnie D. "bondem777" (United States) - See all my reviews

> Instead of wasting your hard earned dollars on this fluff, go and buy

> the Wreckers album, which is much better. I am tired of hearing about

> George Bush. This has nothing to do with George Bush. That is old

> news, and the Chicks are still trying to use it to sell albums. The

> fact is, it's not a great album, and you can make a political

> statement in many ways that are totally free, so why waste your money?

> I also am disappointed in the fact that Dixie Chicks are going so far

> as to bash their own fans these days. Pass this one by.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 34 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

>

> A shocked former "fan", June 11, 2006

> Reviewer: flowerbud (NY) - See all my reviews

> After buying this CD ~ the CD isn't all that great by the way, most of

> the people on here who are giving it more than 3 stars are on here for

> political reasons, obviously ~ there was a statement made by the

> chicks which said they don't want any fan who has Toby Keith or Reba

> McIntyre in their disc changer. I was appalled and immediately took

> action...I threw "Taking The Long Way" out the window. There! Now

> everybody's happy.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 30 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not sure what to say..., June 11, 2006

> Reviewer: TexasGal "TG" (TX) - See all my reviews

> I admit, I feel the same way about Bush that they do, so yes, I went

> out and bought the CD because of that. Now I know that just because I

> agree with them politically doesn't mean the music was great. This

> album is depressing, as someone else said, it's blah! Sorry chicks,

> love you anyway. Keep expressing yourself, you're a great example to

> women everywhere! As for me and my music purchases, I'll stick to

> buying what I know is real talent, like Bruce Springsteen and Neil

> Young.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 31 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Overrated, June 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Robert T. Hutchison "rthutchison" - See all my reviews

>

> People are hyping this for political reasons. Check out the Wreckers

> album instead.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 20 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Still not a Chicks fan, June 10, 2006

> Reviewer: e "10acErnie" (Music City USA) - See all my reviews

> I'm not a fan of the Dixie Chicks, never was. I really don't like the

> watered down, Cookie Cutter, Pop Country stuff. However, I'm a big

> Rick Rubin fan so I decided to check this album out. I love the work

> Rubin did with Johnny Cash..... and the Chili Peppers new album is

> great......and The Cult, Electric album is one of the greatest albums

> of all time.....and The Beastie Boys.....yeah!!! Rick Rubin can do no

> wrong.......well almost no wrong, I guess.

>

> If you are a DC fan you'll probably like this album, but to me it

> sounds like Sherly Crow.... if Crow couldn't write songs and had no

> talent.

>

> If you want rootsy, genuine, heart felt Country get Barricades &

> Brickwalls by Kasey Chambers. BTW The Chicks have always said Kasey

> Chambers is a big influence on them. The difference is Chambers has it

> in her soul and the Chicks have to try to be good....and it just ain't

> working.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 23 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Why is it....., June 10, 2006

> Reviewer: Princess "me" (NY) - See all my reviews

> that my review was deleted? I just read alot of people say that their

> reviews for this dumb CD had their original reviews deleted, just like

> mine. Well, I could care less, but those of you who shout "Free

> Speech" remember that it doesn't just pertain to you anti-Bush people,

> it pertains to everyone. The big mouthed Natalie said some things that

> ticked us off, she needs to live with her consequences. I bet you if

> none of the reviews were deleted, this CD would only have one star.

> It's amazing how a 4 1/2 star CD of these women can't even sell enough

> tickets. Amazing, huh?

>

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>

>

>

>

> 23 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

>

> alright at best, June 10, 2006

> Reviewer: BlondieChicago (Chicago) - See all my reviews

> They are trying a little to hard..... I think it's over girls just let

> it go.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 30 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

>

> The Chicks Don't Shine In This One, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: Sadie "Sadie" (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my

> reviews

> I knew this wasn't supposed to be country, but I still expected it to

> be as great as their other albums. I was wrong. It's quite

> simply....boring. I've played their other albums over and over until

> I've memorized every word. After listening to this one twice I still

> can't get into any of the songs. They all sound alike, there's not a

> hit in the bunch. No peppy or happy songs in the bunch. It's like the

> women are all depressed at the point in their lives when they made

> this album, and it shows in the music. I'm hoping something good

> happens for them so they'll come out with some music that shows their

> real talent.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 25 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

>

> what happened?????, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: jose canseco "ingolf" (evergreen state) - See all my reviews

> I have been a Dixie Chicks fan for a long time. This alum was a great

> dissapointment. I was expecting more of there traditional bluegrass

> background and catchy tunes. The entire album made me want to fall

> asleep. Its like they were doing an acustic session. The material was

> brutal. It feels like they forgot what made them famous.

>

>

> Not what I expected, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: M. Fidelman "avid_history_reader" (Carlsbad, CA United

> States) - See all my reviews

>

> Because of their snub of their fan base, I thought they had the good

> sense to deliver a spectacular album to "show up" their many critics.

> They failed in this attempt and have alientated even more people by

> their recent comments.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 26 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

>

> B Flat CD, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: E. Jaleski "The Listener" (Longboat Key, FL) - See all my

> reviews

>

> This CD typifies the reasons for illegal downloading - two good songs

> followed by filler. The CD goes over the top in presenting a boring

> repetitious wall-of-sound, performers made weary by dullness and the

> most unimaginative drummer I have heard on a major release in a

> decade. DCX could lose the drummer.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 21 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not Willing - To Forgive or Forget, June 7, 2006

> Reviewer: Alan Rockman (Upland, California) - See all my reviews

>

> Little "Clueless" Natalie wants to go Hollywood. Little Natalie was

> never really Country anyway, even if the other two spoiled brats were.

> She's not willing to make nice. Well, that's Ms. Maines' or Mrs.

> Pashdar's prerogative, but it is also ours to tell the little girl and

> her Dipsy Clucks bye-bye too.

>

> C'mon Nashville. Enough of the Maines, the Clucks, the Urbans, the

> Chesneys, the Crows and the Flats. Give us more Paisleys, more Evans -

> and musicians steeped in the tradition of Owens and Cash. Not some

> little girls sans brains and sans talent.

>

> Just read that Dipsy Cluck ticket sales for the summer shows have

> nose-dived into the dungheap they created. Gee, I wonder why? Maybe

> Natalie or some of her Neo-Fat friends can tell us all why. Then

> again, maybe not.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 22 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Three Drab Queens., June 7, 2006

> Reviewer: Ms. AJ "Right" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

> If you think this album is selling for its quality, think again.

>

> It's selling because the Chicks figured out that picking fights with

> powerful politicians works for getting your name in the news.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 35 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

>

> BLACK MAN'S REVIEW WAS THROWN OUT!, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: Papa Baggy T (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

> Well it does look like there still is segregation in some places.

> Namely on a very liberally biased site like this that had deleted my

> original review of this recording.

>

> ain't that something?

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 25 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

>

> I'll Be Consistent, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: cherie (new york) - See all my reviews

> I so very much agree with The Twizzler from Philly and Green-T from

> Chicago. All of these wine&cheese/art gallery rats/birkenstock

> wearing/patchouli smelling progressives singing the praises over this

> group and this CD truly shows me how desperate so many of the Left are

> in their rage for Bush & Co.

> My roomate, a left leaning Dem bought this CD along with a few others

> lefties in her study group just "to show support for Natalie" LOL She

> never even opened the CD! I did and i hated it for the simple reasons:

> I don't like country music or folk music in general.

> I couldn't stand the angsty whining of these three "chicks."

>

> I thought this stuff became passe with the death of Kurt Cobain and

> the decline in popularity of Lilith Fair pseudo-folkies like Fiona

> Apple, Morissette and that other Natalie - Natalie Merchant.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 15 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Buy it and move to Canada!, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: Leave it if you don't love it (Peoria, Illinois) - See all

> my reviews

> If you don't like living here & enjoy verbally tearing down your

> country as this trio does please buy this trash and move to Canada.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 40 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Come On Amazon!, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: The Twizzler (Philly Style) - See all my reviews

> You guys really need to stop the machinations with the reviews. So

> many 1-star/2-star reiews of books, DVDs and CDs get deleted so that

> the overall approval rating stays up there. If you delete them because

> they lack relevent content, that I can understand. But, by the same

> logic you should do the same with the 5-star reviews that similarly

> lack relevency.

> I've read at least several dozen 5-star reviews and many of them have

> only an obligatory "Loved it!" comment, showing me that so many

> haven't heard this CD. Many even say that they haven't heard the CD or

> don't own it. One reviewer from Phoenix said, "I hate country music

> and never owned a Dixie Chicks album... I listen to punk rock, rap,

> R&B but I just want to stick it to the rednecks..." Why are such

> reviews as these allowed to stay?

> Reviewer Green-T is correct in her observation that so many of these

> rave reviews are really just to spite true C&W fans. For example, here

> in Philly, at the time of the Natalie Maines anti-Bush tirade, college

> radio station WXPN started playing Dixie Chicks songs. They never

> played a Dixie Chicks songs before that. It is all pathetic

> politicking. And as for the ratings here and the Billboard Charts it

> is misleading.

> This CD is so below the quality of the previous DC releases. Their

> bluegrass-friendly, easy going style has been replaced by the

> bitterness and resentment and moany wailing similar to the

> personalities of so many of their newfound "fans." Their is an

> overemphasis on Natalie to the point of it being sickening. Emily

> Robison and Martie Maguire are by now pretty much a backup band!

>

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 34 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

>

> THE REASON IT'S #1 ..., June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: Green-T (Chicago) - See all my reviews

> Look down at the customer forums and most of the full starred reviews

> and check out the new Dixie Chicks supporters.

>

> People who've never bought a Country CD in all of their lives bought

> this one just to make it a hit and thereby make a statement. They look

> down on all of us Country fans. Heck! they look down on this country

> itself, Period!

>

> Real Country Music fans know what's up and we're not buying into it

> for a minute.

>

> So enjoy your fair weather friends Natalie. You and me and cousin

> Bobby Lee all know they won't stick around, especially not by the time

> the next CD comes round. If another one come round that is.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 27 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

>

> No Passion, Uninspired, Hollow, June 5, 2006

> Reviewer: Sir Loin Ofbeef "No" (Carmel, IN United States) - See all my

> reviews

> I am a fan of the Dixie Chicks and have loved their previous work, but

> something about this album seems rushed. All the songs feature lyrics

> which never really go anywhere, it's almost as if they're being too

> safe. I really didn't like it. I want my money back Natalie!

>

>

> Self Destructing Effort?, June 5, 2006

> Reviewer: The Penitent (Denver) - See all my reviews

> The DC belong to that group of artists that do not have a defined

> stile. Their music is not Country or pop, some sort of estrange "in

> between". These artists achieve phenomenal success for a sort period

> of time, but they never sustain the test of time. They have a couple

> of songs and one or two albums that skyrocket and that's it. In the

> case of DC "Wide Open Spaces" and "Home"

>

> They also seem to be on a mission to actually speed up the

> disintegration process and disappear into oblivion as fast as

> possible. Their hysterical and nonsensical remarks and opinions

> already alienated them years ago. It's OK not to apologize if you

> actually believe in what you say regardless on how stupid it may

> sound. But if you are trying to come back at least do not talk about

> it, let it go, don't remind your fans, people are forgiving, just do

> what you do best; music.

>

> Unfortunately this outing is their worst, the songs are permeated by

> the controversy and hate they generated, the vocals sound whinny, and

> the music overproduced.

>

> Sorry, skip this one.

>

>

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>

>

>

>

> 7 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

>

> no thanks, June 3, 2006

> Reviewer: Brad Fiennes (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

> I received one of the CDs alexlee purchased to give away as gifts. The

> music was awful, the Chicks are traitors, and their fans are traitors,

> so all things considered, I burned it. Thanks, alex.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 22 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

>

> THEY SEEM TO HAVE LOST IT..., June 3, 2006

> Reviewer: Dan Hammer "Dan" (Texas) - See all my reviews

> THE FIRST TWO WERE GREAT BUT I DO NOT CARE FOR THIS ONE AT ALL. I GAVE

> IT TO MY SISTER AND SHE GAVE IT TO A FRIEND AT WORK. I DO NOT KNOW

> WHAT HAPPENED BUT THEY SURE AIN'T THE SAME CHICKS THEY USED TO BE.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Poor Attempt at Pop, June 1, 2006

> Reviewer: C. Hicks - See all my reviews

>

> While talented musicians, the Dixie Chicks need to stick to country

> and stop trying to crossover to pop. This is their attempt to "dis"

> their country audience... Poor attempt at that...UGH.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 39 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Navel gazing, June 1, 2006

> Reviewer: Mike Group - See all my reviews

> The Dixie Chicks are three incredibly talented muscians who have shown

> an amazing ability in the past for arrangement, performance, and

> writing. Sadly, they have fallen into the trap of taking themselves

> too seriously. They now believe that their lives and opinions are more

> interesting to their fans than their music. Except for the title

> track, this album is boring. Music should be about life, but not so

> introspective that the only one who appreciates what is in the music

> is the one performing it. This album is for the Dixie Chicks, not for

> anyone else. A true example of finding your own navel more fascinating

> than anything else outside of your own existence.

>

> I've been listening to music for more than 40 years and I've seen it

> happen many times before. As soon as an artist says, "This album is an

> exploration of new territory, more mature, expression of myself, a

> political statement, etc."; you can be sure it is going to be perhaps

> their last gasp. What seems to happen is that the artist loses their

> sense of 'joy' in the music and just become too serous. Some make it

> through this period, re-emerge and return to their roots; most fade

> away. This is probably the Chicks last album.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 29 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Matured?, June 1, 2006

> Reviewer: J. Pitts (Spring Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

>

> The review said they matured but it seems to me they've matured from

> the Dixie Chicks with a wonderful bluegrass sound to Natalie Maines &

> the Dixie Chicks. The sisters are fading into the background. I bought

> their previous albums for the bluegrass and because I thought the

> sisters did such a wonderful job with their respective instruments.

> It's so sad that one blurt of no real significance has changed all

> that.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 19 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Are All You Folks Naive Or Just Stupid !!!, May 31, 2006

> Reviewer: RetiredVet "Redskins Rule" (Washington D.C.) - See all my

> reviews

> An Associate of mine bought this album ;and yes i suffered by

> listening to the entire album;i am not a country fan per se,nor do i

> care what people's political beliefs are since i am not into all

> that,what is worse than war (been in a few) is anyone trying to profit

> from it and say it's for the troops ,have you guys and gals listened

> to these Women interviews on t.v. and radio not to mention print,they

> are not in touch with reality,kinda like that guy that brainwashed his

> wife Uh,oh yeah Tom Cruise ,this music as a whole is not 2 bad / Dixie

> chicks ,please where do these clowns come up with these names for

> bands,BUT this music is not 2 GOOD either,so forget these wannabees

> and by a real album for real talent ;like Elvis or 1 better ;Carrie

> Underwood,at least they aren't political and have a hell of alot more

> talent!!if you don't like my review ,than that will prove my point!!!

> nuff said...Dixie Chicks ,sounds like some form of chicken you cook

> :-)

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 16 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Average pop cd by a no talent group, May 31, 2006

> Reviewer: SouthernProud - See all my reviews

> I am a huge country music fan. I have never been a fan of the Dixie

> Chicks because their music has never been country in my eyes. The

> Dixie Chicks do not have pleasant sounding voices. Their old songs

> never appealed to me and their new anti America, Anti conservative,

> anti southern, anti country music and their fans mentality do not

> appeal to me. If you are a hateful, bigoted, close minded person, this

> cd is for you.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 26 of 152 people found the following review helpful:

>

> The worst album of 2006, May 28, 2006

> Reviewer: hardrock ninja - See all my reviews

> I was aghast on listening to this awful album which is more worse than

> their previous efforts.They have abandoned country for boring

> pretentious pop music tripe.I would not recommend this boring album to

> anyone.To me Living with war from Neil Young is a much better album

> and a much better purchase.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 29 of 174 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Awful, Horrible, and a piece of Trash, May 28, 2006

> Reviewer: Mr. Gary W. Hill - See all my reviews

>

> If you liked the purity of all the instruments on Home you will hate

> this Album.

> The Chicks have gone steadily downhill since Home.

> On their World Tour album they included that stupid steel guitar which

> completely drowned out the banjo and violin.

> This in your face, I can say anything I want, and you can kiss my rear

> end attitude shows how little class they now have.

> There isn't one good song on this album, plus I only heard the banjo

> once and very little violin.

> Save your money, and don't waste it on these fools.

> They need to get back to what made them popular in the first place.

>

> Sorry album, May 27, 2006

> Reviewer: J. Rudd "musicman" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

>

> This is a terrible piece of work and would not suggest it for anyone

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 25 of 153 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Actually,zero stars is more appropriate, May 26, 2006

> Reviewer: progrocklover - See all my reviews

> The Dixie chicks are not country anymore folks.They are more of a

> vapid,awful pop band who are more into making boring synthesized

> music.I could not hear even a single note of a guitar on this

> album.And the attack on George Bush was sickening.Stay away from this

> crap.Get any cd from Bob Dylan instead.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 30 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

>

> More Contemporary Country Grabage, May 26, 2006

> Reviewer: Joshua S. Johnson (Charleston, WV United States) - See all

> my reviews

>

> My wife and I heard the Dixie Chicks on Good Morning America

> performing two of the songs from their new album. All of the political

> drama aside, the songs I heard were nothing more than contemporary pop

> country garbage. My wife, who is more of a Chicks fan than I agreed

> that it did not even sound like their type of music. Their first two

> albums showed merit and a touch of true country style. I wouldn't be

> surprised to see this album hitting the bargain bin very soon.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 32 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

>

> not impressed, May 26, 2006

> Reviewer: C. Koch (pittsburgh) - See all my reviews

>

> OK, just what genre does this group fit into now? Do they still

> consider themselves country? adult contemporary? Pop? I just don't get

> the fascination with this mediocre and self described controversial

> and self promoting group - sorry. Don't waste your money.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 33 of 169 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Bomber, May 25, 2006

> Reviewer: S. Somers "yankeefan12753" (FLORIDA) - See all my reviews

>

> I think this cd is the worst they have ever made. I will NEVER BUY

> another cd from this group again!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 27 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Love Dixie Chicks, Hate new CD, May 24, 2006

> Reviewer: L. DeLuccio (California, United States) - See all my reviews

>

> I love the Dixie Chicks, always have and loved them even more after

> they spoke their minds. However, this new CD sucks! Sorry girls. It's

> very depressing, it's not the "fun" chicks as all the other CD's it's

> all very moody, slow and depressing and dark. I'm not happy at all and

> I over paid by alot of money and I can't take it back, I'm probably

> posting it on here soon to sell..

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 27 of 143 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Who Butchered the Dixie Chicks??, May 24, 2006

> Reviewer: Terri W (Indiantown, FL United States) - See all my reviews

> Politics aside, I eagerly anticipated the release of this CD. After

> listening to it, all I can say is "where did they go"? Their

> previously joyful- to-listen-to music has been replaced by the

> rantings of a bitter woman (Maines). P U.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 24 of 200 people found the following review helpful:

>

> don't waste your money, May 24, 2006

> Reviewer: A. Cason "amandy" (TX) - See all my reviews

>

> Very whiny. The lyrics and their voices make me cringe. I regret

> buying any of their music.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 32 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointing, May 24, 2006

> Reviewer: D. Dunn (Kalamazoo, MI USA) - See all my reviews

>

> I've been a Dixie Chicks fan since I first heard Wide Open Spaces and

> I have all of their albums. Their political statements don't bother me

> so I have no grudge against them there. I just think that musically

> this was a very forgettable album. The only track I really liked was

> Voice Inside My Head, where Natalie really showed how strong her voice

> is. The others songs that were passable were The Long Way Around and

> Not Ready To Make Nice. I found Lullaby to be 6 minutes of boring

> repetition. I guess I prefer a more country/bluegrass/acoustic sound,

> most of the songs just didn't catch my ear. I also thought that the

> album photographs were really ugly.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 27 of 178 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Another One Bites The Dust, May 23, 2006

> Reviewer: Richard J. Atkinson "ratkin" (Queensbury, NY USA) - See all

> my reviews

>

> So, let's see... The Dixie Chicks have totally abandoned the musical

> style that made them famous (has anybody heard from Martie and Emily's

> instruments lately?)in favor of a bland, guitar-based pop. They've

> gone from writing and/or performing happy, up-tempo music with a

> wicked sense of humor in favor of coming off like a collection of

> whiny, preachy kvetches. And then to make up for all that, they've

> decided to go out of their way to annoy the majority of their original

> fan base. While I may own several Dixie Chicks albums, this one will

> not be staying in my collection long enough to join them.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

> Sad, May 23, 2006

> Reviewer: R Biggs "Tri" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

> I don't write a review unless i feel stongly about it.

>

> I'd give it less than one star if I could.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 28 of 227 people found the following review helpful:

>

> pathetic!, May 23, 2006

> Reviewer: Alonzo M. Layton "lon" (Wilmington, NC USA) - See all my

> reviews

>

> save your money! ... the bargain bins will be full of this album very

> soon! You'll be able to buy this garbage very cheaply very soon.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 49 of 197 people found the following review helpful:

>

> A let down, May 23, 2006

> Reviewer: Douglas W. Jordan "D Jordan" (USA) - See all my reviews

>

> The first thing that hit me in this CD was, as someone else posted,

> that it sounded more like a Maines solo work rather than a Chicks CD.

> Second, the songs, while ok, just did not have the same feel of their

> last 2 CDs. I suppose given all that's happened that was inevitable

> and that is unfortunate. Stylisticly this is nothing like "Home" or

> "Wide Open Spaces" and if that is what you are looking for, save your

> money, this one's not for you. I was and I'm very disappointed. With

> this CD it's like they put on someone else's clothes, and they don't

> fit.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Run-Of-The-Mill Country Undercut by Adolescent Political Posturing,

> February 13, 2007

> Reviewer: UFO6 (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

> I'd resolved to take an objective view of this album as a musical

> work rather than as a political comment and, well, that's mostly

> impossible - because the "Chicks" have apparently turned their musical

> career into what Thomas Paine once called "a political hobbyhorse," in

> much the same way as Michael Jackson devolved into self-absorbed

> whining about the consequences of his own actions, in "Leave Me

> Alone" and "Privacy."

>

> Ignoring the embarrassing juvenility that is "Make Nice," this is

> pedestrian post-Brooks pop-rock country - well done but not precisely

> what one could call outstanding, much less the ...best music release

> of 2006? Please. The selection of "Long Way" as

> "Album/Record/Single/Country Album/Performance of the Year" is even

> more embarrassing - as evidence that the "Grammy Awards" have become

> little more than a soapbox for cheap political activism. Much like the

> aforementioned single, as it happens.

>

> So the folks in charge of the Grammys have subordinated their entire

> 2007 program to expressing their political views (Bravo, guys,) while

> curious listeners can only respond to "Taking The Long Way" with a

> bewildered "This...is IT?" Not specifically the gem that the hype

> suggests.

>

> Corrine Bailey Rae - that stunning new talent with a voice like a

> Stradivarius - has got to be shaking her head in amazement like the

> rest of us. But I suspect she, for one, is a musician classy enough to

> take a snub without whining over it into a studio microphone.

>

> P.S. - Oh and BTW: I never, ever sugar-coat a review for the sake of

> "Helpful" votes. As the great percussionist and lyricist Mr. Peart put

> it, "You can twist perceptions/ Reality won't budge."

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 4 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Pretty voices, October 29, 2006

> Reviewer: Shane (Lowell, Mass) - See all my reviews

> An okay cd. They do have pretty voices. I just don't hear anything

> special on this cd. Sadly, Chicks fans are giving it 5 stars out of

> loyalty. They cheapen Sgt.Pepper and other classics when they vote

> this way. Please review this cd and if you give it 5 stars explain in

> your comments that you are merely a blind fan. Politics..the Chicks

> can say anything they want. I also hope Tim Russert records a cd of

> songs.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 6 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

>

> DISAPPOINTING, APART FROM 3 OR 4 'FAIR TO MIDDLING' TRACKS, October

> 27, 2006

> Reviewer: Colin Spence (Formby, UK) - See all my reviews

>

> I'd never heard of the Dixie Chicks until a few weeks ago when a

> couple of their songs were getting some airplay over here in the UK -

> so I bought this album (unheard).

>

> I would describe their music, based on this album, as 'pop-rock with a

> veneer of country'. Natalie Maines' voice reminds me a little of

> Emmylou Harris, but less polished and too high-pitched for my liking

> (although this may appeal to some listeners). The vocal harmonies are

> pretty good (very 'tight') but, again, rather high-pitched. Lyrics are

> OK but nothing special; The songs are not exactly melodic but most are

> listenable (but many are very forgettable also).

>

> Whilst the band members may be good musicians, there is little in the

> way of vocal or instrumental variety - almost all tracks stick to the

> lead voice/backing vocals/standard arrangement formula. Production, on

> many tracks, is way over the top (even for this type of music) -

> there's nothing subtle about it.

>

> I quite liked the following tracks : 'The Long Way Around', 'Not Ready

> to Make Nice', 'Everybody Knows' and 'I Hope', but the whole album has

> a monotonous sound and predictable arrangements. If this is typical of

> their music, I don't think I will be buying any more of their albums -

> can't understand why there are SO MANY 4 & 5 star reviews.

>

> UPDATE (22 Jan 07) : In view of the emotional fervour generated by

> reviews of this album, I thought I'd come back to my review, having

> listened to the album a few more times since.

>

> Much of what I said before remains unchanged. However, I've had a

> significant change of mind about the quality of the lyrics (I didn't

> pay sufficient attention to them first time round), here are some

> comments about the tracks which I preferred most - PLEASE NOTE : I am

> reviewing the album in terms of how much I enjoyed the music, so if I

> like the lyrics of a song, it does NOT mean that I also agree with

> their sentiments :

>

> 'The Long Way Round' - well crafted pop song, catchy 'radio friendly'

> melody, good lyrics and some deft fiddle playing.

>

> 'Not Ready To Make Nice' - dramatic song, decent melody, great lyrics

> (pretty abrasive).

>

> 'Lubbock or Leave It' - strong 'rocker' with pummelling base; but it

> is the clever and uncompromising lyrics that make this song.

>

> 'I Hope' - a soulful sound, some great guitar playing about 4 minutes

> into the song.

>

> The remaining songs have reasonably good lyrics but, in most other

> respects, they are fairly ordinary (pleasant but bland). I don't

> expect music albums to be perfect, by any means, but there is just too

> much about the music here that I simply don't like, so I can't justify

> more than 2.5 stars. However, many people do like this album (or, at

> least, claim to), so I guess I'm in a minority on this one.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 18 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

>

> The low price is a giveaway, September 24, 2006

> Reviewer: V. Vanderbent (Riverdale, NY United States) - See all my

> reviews

>

> I should have known - this album is just for the diehard fans. How

> good the Chicks were on Wide Open Spaces, this falls far, far short of

> my expectations. Ballad after ballad, the album fails to deliver.

> Strong harmonies, sure. Good vocal sound, OK, it's there. But albums

> are ultimately about a story; if they are not, I'm not interested. I'd

> rather go to a place like iTunes and purchase the songs I really like

> and skip the rest. 'Taking the long way' lacks the story I am looking

> for, the composition as a complete album, a sense of integration if

> you will, synthesis. And that's what I should have known before

> rushing to buy the CD on Amazon right when it came out: the price says

> everything. If it's really a rock-solid album, it won't be on sale for

> just under 10 bucks. They'll want more because they know it's worth

> more. This is just to fill the Chicks' coffers and they should be

> ashamed for doing that to their fans. Two stars at best.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 13 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Mature?, September 22, 2006

> Reviewer: ECU_Classic_Music_Fan (Charlotte, NC United States) - See

> all my reviews

> Why is it that whenever a musician becomes outspoken against the

> system, any system, they are then forever labeled mature? Yes, their

> marketing scheme worked miracles. Once they made their infamous

> remarks in England they were able to easily cross over to the 'pop'

> side of the music industry. Witness the cover shot of them on the

> Rolling Stone right after the remarks. That doesn't make them mature

> in my eyes. They're just another group of misled innocents who will

> end up on Behind the Music in 15 years crying about how they were

> taken advantage of during this period.

>

> As for the cd, it's really no better or worse than what they did

> before. Average, average, average.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 4 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

>

> A Sure Winner!, August 18, 2006

> Reviewer: Ralphie's Mom "RJG" (New York) - See all my reviews

> I would recommend buying this CD. I was never into the Dixie Chicks

> but heard a single track and decided to take a chance. I don't regret

> it. The combination of words & music with the haunting violin solo's

> make it a winning combination. Not your usual country sound; but

> country matured!

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 14 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Taking The Long Way, July 25, 2006

> Reviewer: Dardo Gabriel Golstein "Gato Orlando" (Buenos

> Aires,Argentina) - See all my reviews

>

> I think that is a boring album,and nothing related with another great

> live performing of Dixie Chicks.Period!

> I had waste my money!

>

> Depressing - not a good effort, July 18, 2006

> Reviewer: Richw "Rliege" (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews

> I like the DCX. I think they are the best thing to happen to country

> music in a long time; a breath of fresh air. I think their best effort

> was FLY with WIDE OPEN SPACES a close second. They sounded like they

> had fun recording both of these CDs, and the bands were outstanding.

>

> But TAKING THE LONG WAY is slow and boring. The songs just run

> together and all the fun is gone. The band is just average, like the

> music.

>

> I see many of the other reviews rate this 5 stars. I guess I just

> don't get it or understand their enthusiasm. It's just not the same

> sound.

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 40 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Harmless, Overhyped Fluff, July 14, 2006

> Reviewer: Sean Wilson (Malone NY) - See all my reviews

> Considering all the media hype and fanatically positive reviews, the

> songs on this album turned out to be pretty unexceptional, even

> boring. It's the kind of music that will soon be forgotten - but then

> I don't think the Dixie Chicks are about music anymore. Politically

> correct types will buy anything they put out and, judging by all the

> crazed five-star reviews, may even convince themselves that the music

> is something better than what it is.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 45 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Dixie Chicks fans apparently don't read newspapers..., July 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Fred in NYC (New York NY) - See all my reviews

> It has been more than three weeks since Natalie Maines denounced

> patriotism - but their fans still keep writing reviews here at Amazon

> claiming they are "patriotic" (see below). How can you be both

> patriotic and against patriotism at the same time?

>

> The music on this CD quite unexiting. It would almost be boring except

> for Ms. Maines whiny vocals, which are irritating enough to keep the

> listener agitated. Don't waste your money.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 16 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

>

> where's the spunk?, July 11, 2006

> Reviewer: SPAR Neff "Linnea" (Newport News, va USA) - See all my

> reviews

> I'm a big dixie chicks fan despite Natalie's attempt to mix politics

> with entertainment. I even enjoyed the pre Natalie Dixie Chicks. But I

> wont stay a fan long if the albums are as dry as this one. The part I

> like most about the chicks seemed to have fallen by the wayside. There

> weren't any toe tapping, sing-a-long songs. I didn't like the remake

> of "mississippi" I thought the original played during the Rock The

> Vote concert was better. I understand the Dixie chicks had some

> important things to say here but I feel there could be a more positive

> way to do it. Sorry girls, still waiting for a good come back.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 51 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Don't Wave the Flag - That Would Be Dumb!, July 4, 2006

> Reviewer: Rick Walsh (Forest Hills NY USA) - See all my reviews

> One reviewer claims that we should celebrate July 4th by buying this

> CD instead of waving the Stars and Stripes. He claims that the USA is

> "the focus of evil in the World." Given that the Dixie Chicks' Natalie

> Maines recently denounced "patriotism" as "wrong," I guess that if you

> hate your country, that would be a good idea. But the songs I've heard

> from this CD are just highly commercial pop-fluff with whining

> singing. Plus, I love my country. I guess I'll be a jingoistic yahoo

> and celebrate the 4th by buying a Toby Keith CD instead.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 22 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not a sinlge hit on the album., June 30, 2006

> Reviewer: Your #1 fan "Your #1 fan" - See all my reviews

> Ok, take the war out of it, take the politics out of it, take whatever

> baggage you have out of the equasion. I'm comparing this album to

> their last three releases, and it simply doesnt measure up. The songs

> (written by the Chicks themselves, and it shows) are kinda dull. No

> hooks. No toe-tapping. Hey, I remember when these girls could sing fun

> songs (Long Time Gone, I Can Love You Better), and beautiful songs

> (Cowboy Take Me Away, Landslide, Wide Open Spaces or controversial

> songs (Goodbye, Earl) - but you wont find any of those here. Just some

> sad, self-indugent lyrics.

>

> Buy a Dixie Chicks album if you're new to them, but don't buy this

> one.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 38 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Just an outlet to vent, June 29, 2006

> Reviewer: KatCajun (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

> Earlier work by far the best. This collection was nothing more than an

> outlet to vent their continued frustruations with the media backlash.

> These ladies are far too talented to produce a mediocre album. The

> lullabies written about their children are worth listening to.

> Hopefully, they'll learn that yes, we all have a right to free speech,

> but it does cost (our soldiers' sacrifice and possibly their pocket

> books)........ maybe next time will be better

>

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 17 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not the normal Dixie Chicks, June 28, 2006

> Reviewer: Nicole J. Munar (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

>

> I have a couple Dixie Chicks CD's and this one is by far the worst

> one. It is very dark, depressing and slow. It doesn't have their usual

> upbeat, almost campy feel. I was disappointed.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 34 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

>

> What a waste!, June 28, 2006

> Reviewer: Tina "Momof3" (WV USA) - See all my reviews

> I heard this CD only because my friend purchased it. This one doesn't

> compare to their great albums in the past. Don't waste your money.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 17 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Taking The Long Way, June 26, 2006

> Reviewer: Ronald B. Glover (Huntsville, AL. USA) - See all my reviews

>

> Another pitiful effort by this group. I am sick and tired of country

> music imposters

>

>

>

"Ricky Bobby" <rickyb@wonderb.com> wrote in message

news:fgl5t2pmscmfr0epvv1v1srivatpbjhlp5@4ax.com...

> From amazon.com:

What you posted are NOT reviews by Amazon.com.

These are reviews that anyone can post -- in order to post a review on

Amazon, it's not necessary to read the book or listen to the album.

Controversial books and other items on Amazon tend to attract wackadoodles

who never read or listened to the item -- they just get on Amazon and post

shit.

Which is what we have here.

>

>

> This album is mainstream garbage, February 13, 2007

> Reviewer: RpgFan (glendale, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

> This album is the worst mainstream piece of garbage I have ever heard.

> The only reason they won so many grammy awards is because the academy

> of music is a bunch of left wing liberals and they want to stick it to

> the president.

>

> Real good, basically your telling people its ok to bash your country

> while playing in another country and then we will reward you with a

> bunch of grammy awards for it.

>

> Complete drivel, these losers will never get a cent of my money.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 5 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Hate it, February 13, 2007

> Reviewer: M. Skinner (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

>

> and HATE THE DIXIE CHICKS. I used to be a huge fan but since they

> can't keep their traps shut - I hate them and what they now stand for.

> Sing music and keep your politics out of it.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 9 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

>

> No stars for this mess!, February 12, 2007

> Reviewer: D. Kowlessar "CD QUEEN" (MD) - See all my reviews

>

> Bush bashers or not....this album's content is all about the Bush

> comment and backlash The Chicks received a few years ago. If they

> really wanted to move on they would have stayed away from the topic in

> their music (at least for 98% of the album) but it is too redundant in

> this album. Not their best work and I used to be a huge fan but they

> are losing me by the year! Not worth the cash to buy this one.

> Hopefully they will produce a more rounded album next.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 188 of 452 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Taking the Long Way is such a political album that it reflects

> Maines' Martyr Complex and Self-invovled Egomania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,

> January 22, 2007

> Reviewer: Nero's Fire Against The Christians "Murmillo Gladiator" (A

> Coward's Mother Does Not Weep) - See all my reviews

>

>

> Taking the Long Way--should be called "Taking the Liberal Sellout Way

> for a Pop Audience While Stabbing Country Music Fans in the Back"--is

> the Dixie Chicks' notoriously billed "comeback" album, after Natalie

> Maines ineptly ruined their careers by provoking the real, American

> patriots called country music fans!!!! It's impossible to separate

> politics and current events from the music on this CD since Taking the

> Long Way glaringly symbolizes the Chicks' defiant attitude towards

> those (real Americans and patriots) who demanded an apology from them

> for their anti-American, anti-Bush tirade on foreign shores in 2003.

>

> Since they alienated the country music fan base--where they rightly

> received death threats and had their CDs symbolically boycotted by

> country music radio stations--the music on Taking the Long Way is

> totally a 180 degree turnaround from the country on their prior CDs.

> The vast majority of songs on this CD are pop/rock, and as such, they

> egregiously appeal to a new audience, that audience being those in the

> more liberal, blue states with an appetite for thoughtless pop/light

> rocky music--the complete opposite of the patriots, real Americans and

> conservatives making up the country music fan base. The Chicks'

> calculatingly necessary shift to the musical left was born not out of

> artistic "merit"; it was pressured on them by a country music fan base

> that Maines segregated/antagonized with her anti-Bush tirade.

> Likewise, because of their shunning of country music fans, their tour

> last year saw many E-M-P-T-Y arenas and sub-par ticket sales with only

> liberal, big cities really going to their concerts!!!! Taking the Long

> Way also debuted with the lowest number of first week sales of ANY of

> their albums.

>

> This treasonous shift to pop music is seen instantly on the first

> song, The Long Way Around. Though it begins subtly like a country

> tune, it's clear they plotted a rockier tune due to the overpowering

> basslines and speedier guitar "licks." The lyrical content of The Long

> Way Around is also planned to appeal to a stereotypical liberals'

> school of thought because of the shamelessly outright rejection of

> traditional values espoused in that wreck of a song. Maines sings,

> lewdly, about smoking (obviously some illegal or self-destructive

> substance) with hippies and also repels the honorable, traditional

> virtues of her high-school classmates from Lubbock, Texas, for

> settling down and raising families with their husbands!!!!

> Predictably, impressionable, liberal apologists will find merit in the

> song's quaint resolve set to a hopeful melody.

>

> From there, the album's ALL downhill in a worsening, downward spiral

> as the Chicks furiously plan to attract liberals with their

> suspicious, newly found values system and remorselessness about

> Maines' anti-Bush tirade. In Not Ready to Make Nice, Maines scornfully

> sings of berating Bush all over again if she had a second go at it!!!!

> Contradictorily, Maines defies reconciliation, then wonders why the

> heck she keeps paying the price of being hated by a large segment of

> patriotic Americans, and rightly so. Also disturbing in the song's

> lyrical content is Maines' admission that her tirade against Bush was

> totally unwarrantable hatred of a perfect stranger and her plans to

> tell her daughter that it's "ok" to do so. When Maines sings, "I'm mad

> as hell," she's clearly using her continuous upkeep of her anti-Bush

> controversy as a maneuver to generate interest around her band.

>

> Despairingly, simple-minded liberals will misguidedly credit Maines

> for what they misconceive as her "standing up" for what she believes

> in. But, the impartial listener will sentence her for being so

> arrogant that she presumes the world revolves around her and her

> little controversy. Also noteworthy in that song is the

> feint-but-audible rock guitar that's prominently used to underscore

> Maines' resolve--again, verifying the theme that the Chicks have

> basically turned into a rock/pop outfit.

>

> Though I analytically went into detail on only two songs, I could've

> just as easily dissected other songs like Easy Silence (comfort in

> family interspersed with complaints about war and radio stations),

> Everybody Knows (paranoia and insecurity about being in the

> spotlight), Bitter End (irreconcilable partings), or Lubbock or Leave

> It (ridicules Maines' southern hometown of Lubbock, Texas, with scorn

> of liberal elitism). But, I focused on The Long Way Around and Not

> Ready To Make Nice to make a convincing case and convict the Chicks

> for writing an album with a political agenda.

>

> Though the Chicks insecurely made their first, brittle foray into

> writing some songs, they didn't independently write this record,

> getting help from liberal radicals like Sheryl Crow. As such, the

> songwriting quality is noticeably lowered from CDs like Home. This

> album is just a phonily dressed-up version of the girls exercising

> their martyr complex, as in assuming that they've been "through hell"

> because of Maines' foot-in-mouth slur against Bush, yet it reflects on

> them as a CD wherein they presume that their rightly deserved backlash

> somehow elevated them to the status of "heroes," totally furthest from

> the truth.

>

>

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>

>

>

>

> 11 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Entertain us, keep your political thoughts to yourself, October 31,

> 2006

> Reviewer: Rocknwoman "rocknwoman" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

> I have been a long time fan, but..... I was very dismayed to hear what

> Natalie said in concert, overseas. We pay entertainers to entertain

> us, not cram their political views down our throats as the only

> realistic, viable opinions. The freedoms we have in this country come

> from a long line of soldiers that put on the uniform and stood up for

> what America stands for. I saw them last week on the Oprah Winfrey

> show and as the song says, their not ready to make nice, granted the

> lyrics could be applied to many situations, but in this case we know

> what they refer too. They owe this country a big opology, and until I

> hear it, I won't buy their cd's anymore.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 11 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Save your money, October 16, 2006

> Reviewer: Dr. C. (Springfield, Missouri) - See all my reviews

> I can't believe they ever won the Grammies that they have when I hear

> any of their recent albums. I may not be the only one who thinks that

> they aren't any good anymore when you consider that they had to cancel

> a lot of their concerts on their last tour due to not selling enough

> tickets at many of them. Save your money!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 17 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not much new, October 2, 2006

> Reviewer: Bob "...think!" (USA) - See all my reviews

> The Dixie Chicks are selling this album at a deep discount and are

> cancelling concerts across America. There is a reason: they're

> offering nothing new. More of the same. They haven't grown, and the

> act has gotten old.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 26 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Sadly Self-Indulgent, September 25, 2006

> Reviewer: Tampa Quilter "Amazon Groupie" (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my

> reviews

> After all the hype, I'd hoped it would be an album back to their

> musical roots; sadly it is not. Too bad.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 15 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Please go away..., September 16, 2006

> Reviewer: The Producer (Sarasota, FL United States) - See all my

> reviews

> It's slick, it's cute but it ain't country. Nashville needs to

> regurgitate this crap and get it's soul back. As far as their

> political evangelism goes: nobody cares. These dim-whitted chicks

> tried to get into the Hollywood and Michael Moore "in crowd" with

> their anti-American statements. It back-fired, didn't it Chickies?

> Your grand kids could of had a much larger inheritance. Think about it

> Natalie, the money is what country music is all about now and you have

> thrown away a fanny load of it. Please go away.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 9 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

>

> They've made a habit of bad behavior..., September 13, 2006

> Reviewer: Jennifer Monk "jlm325" (Atlanta, Ga United States) - See all

> my reviews

>

> The Bush "incident" is not the first time these girls have behaved

> poorly. Learn more about them and see how they replaced their lead

> singer right after they had their record deal but before they cut

> their first album. They've whined over royalty fees and sleazed up

> country music with "outfits". When you buy their music, you enable

> them to behave this way. I loved their music, just not their behavior.

>

> This CD is just not very good, September 9, 2006

> Reviewer: Bobby L (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

> I have several other Dixie Chicks CD that I like but I just personally

> hate this one.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 21 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Nothing like their previous releases, August 22, 2006

> Reviewer: L. DeJohn (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

>

> Where did their country sound go? It's nowhere to be found on this cd.

> We kept skipping over the songs looking for something that sounded

> like their usual country sound. This one needs to be placed in a

> different music style. If you are looking for the same old sound, look

> somewhere else. We were quite disappointed.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 39 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Taking the Wrong Way, July 24, 2006

> Reviewer: Karen Rhee (New York NY) - See all my reviews

> I was interested to read the review below claiming that no one except

> a redneck, pot-bellied Bush supporter who has never heard the CD could

> write a negative review about it. I'm a female Korean immigrant who I

> don't think qualifies as a "redneck." I've lived in the US for almost

> twenty years but am not a citizen so I can't vote. My view of Bush is

> mixed. I'm 5'6", 125 lbs, and do not have a pot belly. (I find it odd

> that someone would make fun of the appearance of a Bush supporter

> since my experience in the US has been, with regards to White people

> at least, that the few non-Jewish, heterosexual males outside of

> Hollywood who support the Democrats are usually unathletic, weird and

> ugly looking, like that ugliest of Americans, Michael Moore - who has

> a pretty large pot belly by the way.)

>

> I did listen to the CD. I listened to it several times. I bought it so

> I was certainly going to try to get my money's worth! The problem is

> that the music really sucks. It sucks the first time that you listen

> to it and when you try again, it still sucks. As far as the singing,

> the reviewers who call it "whining" are telling the truth.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 36 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

>

> White Trash Without Talent , July 22, 2006

> Reviewer: Carl Niskanen (Seattle WA USA) - See all my reviews

> Have you heard of intelligent eyes? Look carefully at the CD cover

> photo. Intelligent eyes they are not. The Dixie Chicks have a distinct

> "the lights are on upstairs but nobody's home" look. They are just

> White trash from trailer park country and it is kind of amusing to

> read glowing reviews of the bimbos' album from those who fashion

> themselves as sophisticated and urbane. One reviewer suggests that

> only tobacco-chewing Toby Keith fans couldn't fall in love the music

> on this CD, but the man he describes sounds more like the Dixie

> Chicks' boyfriends/husbands.

>

> Well, I'm not a Toby Keith fan or a fan of country music. And I don't

> chew tobacco. I bought this CD based on the extremely positive reviews

> it got and feel like a victim of a con. I don't pay attention to

> professional music critics but find reviews from the general public to

> be more relaible. Not this time.

>

> This CD was presented as a new style for the Dixie Chicks, which

> should have been a good thing since I don't like their old style. It

> is not country unless Southern hick accents alone make music country.

> It was presented as a rock album (which is why I bought it) but it is

> really an overproduced pop mess full of clashing instruments and, for

> the most part, screeching vocals. Listening to it, I kept thinking

> that Natalie Maines must have been suffering from PMS when it was

> recorded. Well, what's ten bucks now-a-days anyhow?

>

>

>

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>

>

>

>

> 24 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Don't bother, July 18, 2006

> Reviewer: farmwife "cary" (niagara, ND usa) - See all my reviews

> This album was a shocker! I was really disappointed and feel that the

> chicks did not live up to the quality that I had come to expect from

> them. It was as if they have all been off their prozac for a couple

> months, very depressing and angry!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 43 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Waste of Money , July 13, 2006

> Reviewer: Jen Kim (San Diego CA) - See all my reviews

> From the overproduced music to Natalie Maines whiny vocals, the music

> on this CD doesn't make it. I bought this CD based on all the rave

> reviews and feel like I was had. Who are the people giving all the

> five star reviews? The Dixie Chicks friends and relatives?

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 33 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not so much..., July 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Viv Tyler (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

> I really, really, wanted to like this. I LOVE the Chicks, always have,

> and totally supported them through the whole political thing. But I

> have to agree with the reviewers who have said that when all is said

> and done, the songs aren't very good. Nothing catchy or moving on

> here, like there usually is. Maybe it's because they used a bunch of

> other songwriters, or something - I don't know. I'm very disappointed.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 42 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Whoa, July 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Kim Reading (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

> Omigod what a lot of hype. I guess there are a lot of people around

> who really hate Bush, huh? I'll count myself among them, but man,

> there's gotta be a better way to show it than listening to this CD. My

> friend gave this to me for a birthday present, and I was pretty

> excited, given all the great things I've heard. But boy, this CD

> really blows. I don't know what in the world all these people are

> talking about, but I know one thing for sure - it can't be the music!

> Don't blow your cash on this - get something good.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 15 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Make a political statement......Don't buy Dixie Chicks , July 6, 2006

> Reviewer: harry44callahan (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

> Contrary to the other reviewer, I AM appalled at the un-American

> statements which have been made by the 'Chicks. So, until they learn

> to keep their politics to themselves, I think they should reap the

> reward of their statements. Country music fans are notoriously

> patriotic folks; they should know better than to alienate thier

> fanbase. I used to be a fan, but no more.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 19 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

>

> worst ever, July 5, 2006

> Reviewer: J. P Petko - See all my reviews

>

> they are now more into politics than music and they have no one to

> blame but themselves. their music has suffered for it.

> there best music is behind them.

>

> now, if you want something good , might i recommend alison krauss. she

> has talent and no axe to grind.

>

>

> Disappointing, July 4, 2006

> Reviewer: D. Inman (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

>

> The CD was completely disappointing. The music was dark. There's not a

> single cut worth replaying. Will some cowboy please come and take them

> away.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 47 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

>

> TRIED TO SELL IT AT A YARD SELL BUT COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY!, June 30,

> 2006

> Reviewer: R. CORLEY - See all my reviews

>

> I WAS GIVEN THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY. IT IS THE WORST BIRTHDAY GIFT AN

> AMERICAN CAN POSSIBLY RECEIVE. I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 16 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Really bad album, June 29, 2006

> Reviewer: K. Smith (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

>

> The Chicks should sing and get out of politics. This whole album is

> geared to making a statement. Shut up and sing girls!! We don't care

> about your opinions.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 25 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Would not buy their album, June 26, 2006

> Reviewer: M. Pritchard - See all my reviews

>

> It doesn't matter how anyone rates this album..I used to love their

> music and I liked their spunkyness. Now, no way..Natalie has pushed

> the limits of respect of this wonderful place-America. There is a way

> of voicing your opinion without being mean and downright "in your

> face". She should eat a little humble pie.

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 28 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointed fan, June 25, 2006

> Reviewer: LRD (Schaumburg, Il United States) - See all my reviews

> I looked forward to the new Dixie Chicks album, but was quite

> disappointed. The one star rating is for the two passable songs on

> this CD, "The Long Way Around" and "Not Ready to Make Nice". The rest

> are really quite boring. By the fifth or sixth song they were all

> blending together.

>

> I don't have a problem with their politics. I recently bought Neil

> Young's "Living with War". I don't have a problem with the branching

> out into country rock. I do think they should have found some good

> songs to cover instead of doing all their own stuff.

>

> Maybe they felt they should make this statement, but for the great

> musicians and singers they usually are, this is a pretty poor attempt.

> Not worth the money!!

>

>

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 55 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

>

> This sucks I-man, you lied., June 25, 2006

> Reviewer: Philip C. Gossett III "Dead head Phil." (East Coast.) - See

> all my reviews

>

> I got this for my wife, I had to suffer through it yesterday on the

> way to Red Lobster. Some of the songs had a nice mellow beat and

> sounded all right, but most of it sucked, the singing sounded

> monotone. Way to much drama to boot, save your money. Imus said this

> was good, he was wrong. I was disapointed.

> TCBRN.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 23 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointed, June 25, 2006

> Reviewer: L. Cook (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

>

> First CD I bought of theirs & am disappointed. Will probably pawn off

> the cd onto someone I know.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 48 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Yeah, I get it already, June 18, 2006

> Reviewer: Christopher Meadows (Christiansburg, Va.) - See all my

> reviews

>

> As a fan of the Chicks' music, I'm disapointed to say that this is

> pure political agenda driven CRAP, though I think we pretty much all

> expected that. This album is basically an in-your-face retaliation of

> their past fallout with the political crowd. I'm all for free speech,

> but if your a firm believer in not mixing music and politics then this

> isn't for you.

> Hey Chicks, the true fans could care less about your political

> beliefs, right or left. Just stop with the politics and play MUSIC!

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 91 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Silly, June 16, 2006

> Reviewer: Rozella - See all my reviews

> Initially, I didn't think this album was worth reviewing; but, the

> whiny single is so silly and pathetic it could not be helped. The

> NRTMN single is basically a temper tantrum insisting that the Chick's

> are just "not ready" to forgive the people who disagree with them.

> Excuse me, but I don't remember anyone apologizing to them in the

> first place. Apologize for what? Just as these ladies have the right

> to state their views; people have the right to react to it in any way

> they please. How ridiculous that these girls think someone is

> apologizing to them for disagreeing. Typical whiny Hollywood elitists

> who think they can state their opinions and no one can disagree. These

> girls are tired and angry.

> Also, how offensive that severel reviewers say that "republicans are

> racist". Excuse me; but, I am black. I am a Republican. I can vote,

> think, believe whatever way I choose. I don't have to subscribe to the

> liberal dogma that I believe to be destructive to my people just

> because some uppity, white suburban housefrau (who's never been to my

> neighborhood or one like it) says some ignorant lie about a political

> party. (Pat) Please stop assuming that you speak for me. Your attempts

> to keep my people slave to one politcal party is your way of keeping

> us powerless. That's not happening anymore. We have the right to

> diversity of thought, too.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 43 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Disappointed, June 16, 2006

> Reviewer: Music fan in TX (Lewisville, TX United States) - See all my

> reviews

> I looked forward to the release of this CD for a long time, but now

> that it's here I have to say I'm disappointed. My opinion has nothing

> to do with politics (which seems to be the motivation for many of the

> other reviews - good and bad). I've been a fan of the Dixie Chicks in

> the past because their music was full of life and fun to listen to.

> While musically this record is impressive, lyrically it's just

> self-absorbed and whiny. It's obvious that the events of the past

> couple years have taken a huge toll on them, but I think they could

> have crafted a more meaningful response had they stuck to the humor

> and light-heartedness of some of their earlier releases. They have

> been quoted as saying this album is more "mature." I disagree - if

> anything, this is just one long (slow, BORING) temper tantrum about

> how the world has mistreated them, which isn't a very mature response

> to adversity. Nothing like playing the victim to get attention - but

> not a good way to get people to really listen to and appreciate your

> music. Sorry Chicks - find your spark and try again.

>

>

> Blah, June 14, 2006

> Reviewer: gooup "gooup" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

> Since my first review hasn't made it onto this page (hmmm ... am i

> sensing some lack of freedom of speech on the part of Amazon?! Say it

> isn't so!)

>

> So, i will repeat myself. Unimaginative, angry, bitter and otherwise a

> self-important pity party of an album

>

> How i WISH i could give it NO stars.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 39 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Don't waste your money, June 14, 2006

> Reviewer: Bonnie D. "bondem777" (United States) - See all my reviews

> Instead of wasting your hard earned dollars on this fluff, go and buy

> the Wreckers album, which is much better. I am tired of hearing about

> George Bush. This has nothing to do with George Bush. That is old

> news, and the Chicks are still trying to use it to sell albums. The

> fact is, it's not a great album, and you can make a political

> statement in many ways that are totally free, so why waste your money?

> I also am disappointed in the fact that Dixie Chicks are going so far

> as to bash their own fans these days. Pass this one by.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 34 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

>

> A shocked former "fan", June 11, 2006

> Reviewer: flowerbud (NY) - See all my reviews

> After buying this CD ~ the CD isn't all that great by the way, most of

> the people on here who are giving it more than 3 stars are on here for

> political reasons, obviously ~ there was a statement made by the

> chicks which said they don't want any fan who has Toby Keith or Reba

> McIntyre in their disc changer. I was appalled and immediately took

> action...I threw "Taking The Long Way" out the window. There! Now

> everybody's happy.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 30 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not sure what to say..., June 11, 2006

> Reviewer: TexasGal "TG" (TX) - See all my reviews

> I admit, I feel the same way about Bush that they do, so yes, I went

> out and bought the CD because of that. Now I know that just because I

> agree with them politically doesn't mean the music was great. This

> album is depressing, as someone else said, it's blah! Sorry chicks,

> love you anyway. Keep expressing yourself, you're a great example to

> women everywhere! As for me and my music purchases, I'll stick to

> buying what I know is real talent, like Bruce Springsteen and Neil

> Young.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 31 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Overrated, June 11, 2006

> Reviewer: Robert T. Hutchison "rthutchison" - See all my reviews

>

> People are hyping this for political reasons. Check out the Wreckers

> album instead.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 20 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Still not a Chicks fan, June 10, 2006

> Reviewer: e "10acErnie" (Music City USA) - See all my reviews

> I'm not a fan of the Dixie Chicks, never was. I really don't like the

> watered down, Cookie Cutter, Pop Country stuff. However, I'm a big

> Rick Rubin fan so I decided to check this album out. I love the work

> Rubin did with Johnny Cash..... and the Chili Peppers new album is

> great......and The Cult, Electric album is one of the greatest albums

> of all time.....and The Beastie Boys.....yeah!!! Rick Rubin can do no

> wrong.......well almost no wrong, I guess.

>

> If you are a DC fan you'll probably like this album, but to me it

> sounds like Sherly Crow.... if Crow couldn't write songs and had no

> talent.

>

> If you want rootsy, genuine, heart felt Country get Barricades &

> Brickwalls by Kasey Chambers. BTW The Chicks have always said Kasey

> Chambers is a big influence on them. The difference is Chambers has it

> in her soul and the Chicks have to try to be good....and it just ain't

> working.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 23 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Why is it....., June 10, 2006

> Reviewer: Princess "me" (NY) - See all my reviews

> that my review was deleted? I just read alot of people say that their

> reviews for this dumb CD had their original reviews deleted, just like

> mine. Well, I could care less, but those of you who shout "Free

> Speech" remember that it doesn't just pertain to you anti-Bush people,

> it pertains to everyone. The big mouthed Natalie said some things that

> ticked us off, she needs to live with her consequences. I bet you if

> none of the reviews were deleted, this CD would only have one star.

> It's amazing how a 4 1/2 star CD of these women can't even sell enough

> tickets. Amazing, huh?

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 23 of 97 people found the following review helpful:

>

> alright at best, June 10, 2006

> Reviewer: BlondieChicago (Chicago) - See all my reviews

> They are trying a little to hard..... I think it's over girls just let

> it go.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 30 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

>

> The Chicks Don't Shine In This One, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: Sadie "Sadie" (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my

> reviews

> I knew this wasn't supposed to be country, but I still expected it to

> be as great as their other albums. I was wrong. It's quite

> simply....boring. I've played their other albums over and over until

> I've memorized every word. After listening to this one twice I still

> can't get into any of the songs. They all sound alike, there's not a

> hit in the bunch. No peppy or happy songs in the bunch. It's like the

> women are all depressed at the point in their lives when they made

> this album, and it shows in the music. I'm hoping something good

> happens for them so they'll come out with some music that shows their

> real talent.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 25 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

>

> what happened?????, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: jose canseco "ingolf" (evergreen state) - See all my reviews

> I have been a Dixie Chicks fan for a long time. This alum was a great

> dissapointment. I was expecting more of there traditional bluegrass

> background and catchy tunes. The entire album made me want to fall

> asleep. Its like they were doing an acustic session. The material was

> brutal. It feels like they forgot what made them famous.

>

>

> Not what I expected, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: M. Fidelman "avid_history_reader" (Carlsbad, CA United

> States) - See all my reviews

>

> Because of their snub of their fan base, I thought they had the good

> sense to deliver a spectacular album to "show up" their many critics.

> They failed in this attempt and have alientated even more people by

> their recent comments.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 26 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

>

> B Flat CD, June 8, 2006

> Reviewer: E. Jaleski "The Listener" (Longboat Key, FL) - See all my

> reviews

>

> This CD typifies the reasons for illegal downloading - two good songs

> followed by filler. The CD goes over the top in presenting a boring

> repetitious wall-of-sound, performers made weary by dullness and the

> most unimaginative drummer I have heard on a major release in a

> decade. DCX could lose the drummer.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 21 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Not Willing - To Forgive or Forget, June 7, 2006

> Reviewer: Alan Rockman (Upland, California) - See all my reviews

>

> Little "Clueless" Natalie wants to go Hollywood. Little Natalie was

> never really Country anyway, even if the other two spoiled brats were.

> She's not willing to make nice. Well, that's Ms. Maines' or Mrs.

> Pashdar's prerogative, but it is also ours to tell the little girl and

> her Dipsy Clucks bye-bye too.

>

> C'mon Nashville. Enough of the Maines, the Clucks, the Urbans, the

> Chesneys, the Crows and the Flats. Give us more Paisleys, more Evans -

> and musicians steeped in the tradition of Owens and Cash. Not some

> little girls sans brains and sans talent.

>

> Just read that Dipsy Cluck ticket sales for the summer shows have

> nose-dived into the dungheap they created. Gee, I wonder why? Maybe

> Natalie or some of her Neo-Fat friends can tell us all why. Then

> again, maybe not.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 22 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Three Drab Queens., June 7, 2006

> Reviewer: Ms. AJ "Right" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

> If you think this album is selling for its quality, think again.

>

> It's selling because the Chicks figured out that picking fights with

> powerful politicians works for getting your name in the news.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 35 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

>

> BLACK MAN'S REVIEW WAS THROWN OUT!, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: Papa Baggy T (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

> Well it does look like there still is segregation in some places.

> Namely on a very liberally biased site like this that had deleted my

> original review of this recording.

>

> ain't that something?

>

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>

>

>

>

> 25 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

>

> I'll Be Consistent, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: cherie (new york) - See all my reviews

> I so very much agree with The Twizzler from Philly and Green-T from

> Chicago. All of these wine&cheese/art gallery rats/birkenstock

> wearing/patchouli smelling progressives singing the praises over this

> group and this CD truly shows me how desperate so many of the Left are

> in their rage for Bush & Co.

> My roomate, a left leaning Dem bought this CD along with a few others

> lefties in her study group just "to show support for Natalie" LOL She

> never even opened the CD! I did and i hated it for the simple reasons:

> I don't like country music or folk music in general.

> I couldn't stand the angsty whining of these three "chicks."

>

> I thought this stuff became passe with the death of Kurt Cobain and

> the decline in popularity of Lilith Fair pseudo-folkies like Fiona

> Apple, Morissette and that other Natalie - Natalie Merchant.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 15 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Buy it and move to Canada!, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: Leave it if you don't love it (Peoria, Illinois) - See all

> my reviews

> If you don't like living here & enjoy verbally tearing down your

> country as this trio does please buy this trash and move to Canada.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 40 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Come On Amazon!, June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: The Twizzler (Philly Style) - See all my reviews

> You guys really need to stop the machinations with the reviews. So

> many 1-star/2-star reiews of books, DVDs and CDs get deleted so that

> the overall approval rating stays up there. If you delete them because

> they lack relevent content, that I can understand. But, by the same

> logic you should do the same with the 5-star reviews that similarly

> lack relevency.

> I've read at least several dozen 5-star reviews and many of them have

> only an obligatory "Loved it!" comment, showing me that so many

> haven't heard this CD. Many even say that they haven't heard the CD or

> don't own it. One reviewer from Phoenix said, "I hate country music

> and never owned a Dixie Chicks album... I listen to punk rock, rap,

> R&B but I just want to stick it to the rednecks..." Why are such

> reviews as these allowed to stay?

> Reviewer Green-T is correct in her observation that so many of these

> rave reviews are really just to spite true C&W fans. For example, here

> in Philly, at the time of the Natalie Maines anti-Bush tirade, college

> radio station WXPN started playing Dixie Chicks songs. They never

> played a Dixie Chicks songs before that. It is all pathetic

> politicking. And as for the ratings here and the Billboard Charts it

> is misleading.

> This CD is so below the quality of the previous DC releases. Their

> bluegrass-friendly, easy going style has been replaced by the

> bitterness and resentment and moany wailing similar to the

> personalities of so many of their newfound "fans." Their is an

> overemphasis on Natalie to the point of it being sickening. Emily

> Robison and Martie Maguire are by now pretty much a backup band!

>

>

>

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>

>

>

>

> 34 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

>

> THE REASON IT'S #1 ..., June 6, 2006

> Reviewer: Green-T (Chicago) - See all my reviews

> Look down at the customer forums and most of the full starred reviews

> and check out the new Dixie Chicks supporters.

>

> People who've never bought a Country CD in all of their lives bought

> this one just to make it a hit and thereby make a statement. They look

> down on all of us Country fans. Heck! they look down on this country

> itself, Period!

>

> Real Country Music fans know what's up and we're not buying into it

> for a minute.

>

> So enjoy your fair weather friends Natalie. You and me and cousin

> Bobby Lee all know they won't stick around, especially not by the time

> the next CD comes round. If another one come round that is.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 27 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

>

> No Passion, Uninspired, Hollow, June 5, 2006

> Reviewer: Sir Loin Ofbeef "No" (Carmel, IN United States) - See all my

> reviews

> I am a fan of the Dixie Chicks and have loved their previous work, but

> something about this album seems rushed. All the songs feature lyrics

> which never really go anywhere, it's almost as if they're being too

> safe. I really didn't like it. I want my money back Natalie!

>

>

> Self Destructing Effort?, June 5, 2006

> Reviewer: The Penitent (Denver) - See all my reviews

> The DC belong to that group of artists that do not have a defined

> stile. Their music is not Country or pop, some sort of estrange "in

> between". These artists achieve phenomenal success for a sort period

> of time, but they never sustain the test of time. They have a couple

> of songs and one or two albums that skyrocket and that's it. In the

> case of DC "Wide Open Spaces" and "Home"

>

> They also seem to be on a mission to actually speed up the

> disintegration process and disappear into oblivion as fast as

> possible. Their hysterical and nonsensical remarks and opinions

> already alienated them years ago. It's OK not to apologize if you

> actually believe in what you say regardless on how stupid it may

> sound. But if you are trying to come back at least do not talk about

> it, let it go, don't remind your fans, people are forgiving, just do

> what you do best; music.

>

> Unfortunately this outing is their worst, the songs are permeated by

> the controversy and hate they generated, the vocals sound whinny, and

> the music overproduced.

>

> Sorry, skip this one.

>

>

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>

>

>

>

> 7 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

>

> no thanks, June 3, 2006

> Reviewer: Brad Fiennes (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

> I received one of the CDs alexlee purchased to give away as gifts. The

> music was awful, the Chicks are traitors, and their fans are traitors,

> so all things considered, I burned it. Thanks, alex.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 22 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

>

> THEY SEEM TO HAVE LOST IT..., June 3, 2006

> Reviewer: Dan Hammer "Dan" (Texas) - See all my reviews

> THE FIRST TWO WERE GREAT BUT I DO NOT CARE FOR THIS ONE AT ALL. I GAVE

> IT TO MY SISTER AND SHE GAVE IT TO A FRIEND AT WORK. I DO NOT KNOW

> WHAT HAPPENED BUT THEY SURE AIN'T THE SAME CHICKS THEY USED TO BE.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Poor Attempt at Pop, June 1, 2006

> Reviewer: C. Hicks - See all my reviews

>

> While talented musicians, the Dixie Chicks need to stick to country

> and stop trying to crossover to pop. This is their attempt to "dis"

> their country audience... Poor attempt at that...UGH.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 39 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Navel gazing, June 1, 2006

> Reviewer: Mike Group - See all my reviews

> The Dixie Chicks are three incredibly talented muscians who have shown

> an amazing ability in the past for arrangement, performance, and

> writing. Sadly, they have fallen into the trap of taking themselves

> too seriously. They now believe that their lives and opinions are more

> interesting to their fans than their music. Except for the title

> track, this album is boring. Music should be about life, but not so

> introspective that the only one who appreciates what is in the music

> is the one performing it. This album is for the Dixie Chicks, not for

> anyone else. A true example of finding your own navel more fascinating

> than anything else outside of your own existence.

>

> I've been listening to music for more than 40 years and I've seen it

> happen many times before. As soon as an artist says, "This album is an

> exploration of new territory, more mature, expression of myself, a

> political statement, etc."; you can be sure it is going to be perhaps

> their last gasp. What seems to happen is that the artist loses their

> sense of 'joy' in the music and just become too serous. Some make it

> through this period, re-emerge and return to their roots; most fade

> away. This is probably the Chicks last album.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 29 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Matured?, June 1, 2006

> Reviewer: J. Pitts (Spring Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

>

> The review said they matured but it seems to me they've matured from

> the Dixie Chicks with a wonderful bluegrass sound to Natalie Maines &

> the Dixie Chicks. The sisters are fading into the background. I bought

> their previous albums for the bluegrass and because I thought the

> sisters did such a wonderful job with their respective instruments.

> It's so sad that one blurt of no real significance has changed all

> that.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 19 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Are All You Folks Naive Or Just Stupid !!!, May 31, 2006

> Reviewer: RetiredVet "Redskins Rule" (Washington D.C.) - See all my

> reviews

> An Associate of mine bought this album ;and yes i suffered by

> listening to the entire album;i am not a country fan per se,nor do i

> care what people's political beliefs are since i am not into all

> that,what is worse than war (been in a few) is anyone trying to profit

> from it and say it's for the troops ,have you guys and gals listened

> to these Women interviews on t.v. and radio not to mention print,they

> are not in touch with reality,kinda like that guy that brainwashed his

> wife Uh,oh yeah Tom Cruise ,this music as a whole is not 2 bad / Dixie

> chicks ,please where do these clowns come up with these names for

> bands,BUT this music is not 2 GOOD either,so forget these wannabees

> and by a real album for real talent ;like Elvis or 1 better ;Carrie

> Underwood,at least they aren't political and have a hell of alot more

> talent!!if you don't like my review ,than that will prove my point!!!

> nuff said...Dixie Chicks ,sounds like some form of chicken you cook

> :-)

>

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>

>

>

>

> 16 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Average pop cd by a no talent group, May 31, 2006

> Reviewer: SouthernProud - See all my reviews

> I am a huge country music fan. I have never been a fan of the Dixie

> Chicks because their music has never been country in my eyes. The

> Dixie Chicks do not have pleasant sounding voices. Their old songs

> never appealed to me and their new anti America, Anti conservative,

> anti southern, anti country music and their fans mentality do not

> appeal to me. If you are a hateful, bigoted, close minded person, this

> cd is for you.

>

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>

>

>

>

> 26 of 152 people found the following review helpful:

>

> The worst album of 2006, May 28, 2006

> Reviewer: hardrock ninja - See all my reviews

> I was aghast on listening to this awful album which is more worse than

> their previous efforts.They have abandoned country for boring

> pretentious pop music tripe.I would not recommend this boring album to

> anyone.To me Living with war from Neil Young is a much better album

> and a much better purchase.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 29 of 174 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Awful, Horrible, and a piece of Trash, May 28, 2006

> Reviewer: Mr. Gary W. Hill - See all my reviews

>

> If you liked the purity of all the instruments on Home you will hate

> this Album.

> The Chicks have gone steadily downhill since Home.

> On their World Tour album they included that stupid steel guitar which

> completely drowned out the banjo and violin.

> This in your face, I can say anything I want, and you can kiss my rear

> end attitude shows how little class they now have.

> There isn't one good song on this album, plus I only heard the banjo

> once and very little violin.

> Save your money, and don't waste it on these fools.

> They need to get back to what made them popular in the first place.

>

> Sorry album, May 27, 2006

> Reviewer: J. Rudd "musicman" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

>

> This is a terrible piece of work and would not suggest it for anyone

>

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>

>

>

>

> 25 of 153 people found the following review helpful:

>

> Actually,zero stars is more appropriate, May 26, 2006

> Reviewer: progrocklover - See all my reviews

> The Dixie chicks are not country anymore folks.They are more of a

> vapid,awful pop band who are more into making boring synthesized

> music.I could not hear even a single note of a guitar on this

> album.And the attack on George Bush was sickening.Stay away from this

> crap.Get any cd from Bob Dylan instead.

>

> Comment | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

>

>

>

>

> 30 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

>

> More Contemporary Country Grabage, May 26, 2006

> Reviewer: Joshua S. Johnson (Charleston, WV United States) - See all

> my reviews

>

> My wife and I heard the Dixie Chicks on Good Morning America

> performing two of the songs from their new album. All of the political

> drama aside, the songs I heard were nothing more than contemporary pop

> country garbage. My wife, who is more of a Chicks fan than I agreed

> that it did not even sound like their type of music. Their first two