onthebeatntrack

Some of you might have noticed a little addition to the Rock family last week! Yes, I’ve increased my brood by one with the overdue arrival of mefargo, the travel-journalling younger sibling for onthebeatntrack. Now now, I don’t want you getting all ‘stupid (but quite entertaining) new kid is gettin all the attention’ and whatever on me, because I’m committed to you – sorry, to US – and to prove it to you I’ve bought the domain name for onthebeatntrack. So, like Madonna before us, WE have now ditched the WordPress surname (unnecessary as they really are) and are simply now known as onthebeatntrack.com – you see, I DO still love you! Just think of mefargo like a temporary foster child – only here for a short amount of time, but will require some intensive attention while in my care. But still here I am, giving you a li’l lovin’. Although, looking at the number of onthebeatntrack subscribers, I can’t even be sure you all  even want this level of commitment from me … (dot dot dot)

Now, you might think that looking after two blogs should be a breeze for someone who works zero hours per week and with my natural flair for the excessive use of words but you’d be surprised, really you would! I thought so too and that I’d be in contention for some kind of parent of the year award, that is before I realised that being a single parent is really kind of high maintenance and, yes, somewhat inconvenient at times. I’m afraid it seems that devoting my time and effort to something other than myself isn’t a natural strength – who would have thought? (a question that doesn’t require a response, but thanks for your input nonetheless). While I’ll try to ensure that the inclusion of a new family member doesn’t destroy your current standard of living in the blogoshpere, I do ask that you be the understanding and patient ‘trackies’ that I know you can be and perhaps even reflect on how fortunate you’ve been over the last 23 entries to have had my undivided attention – yes, acknowledging that my ‘attention’ does enjoy a little division even at the best of times. Can you do that for me? It’s not like I’ve really ever asked for much from you – I let you come and go as you please, I continue to dish up the words and let you eat them whenever you like or even not at all (despite my persistent reminders) and while strongly encouraged, I don’t even make you do your homework! (Are you just suddenly realising how good you’ve got it? Yeah, me too! Board goes up $20 per week effective immediately! Now, finish reading this and then go to your room.)

But like every cool parent, there comes a time where you have to make unpopular decisions and show the kids who the motherf*thering boss is around here. Today is that day. I am that dual parenting role authority figure. Go on, sigh your sighs and roll your eyes (wait until I tell them that there’s real homework this week – I’d better tell them later, don’t want them to throw a full tanty) because today I’m going to introduce you to some friends of mine – the Dixie Chicks.

Some of you may already know them and hopefully for you this will be an indulgent pleasure for your senses (much like the little pancakes with chocolate sauce and condensed milk I’ve been ‘enjoying’ ‘occasionally’ of late) while others among US may think that they’ve met them but they’ve no doubt judged a country music trio by their album cover. Today I’m asking THOSE people to erase the prior track/ record and get ready to make nice, because I’ll admit that I was a little like you once, though only a teeny tiny bit and it was a really long time ago, but that should be enough for me to empathise with you and you to identify with me. Let’s go back to that time, shall we …

I remember when the Dixie Chicks first came on the scene they were so kitsch that it was kind of endearing, but really when you’re an 18 year old who just received the Steps CD for your birthday as a ‘sincere’ gift – and it should be noted that you were pleased with that gift – you’ve gotta tread carefully and do some reputational damage control and that DOESN’T include buying a CD by a country music trio with bad music videos who call themselves the Dixie Chicks. Plus, when my Mum said that she’d really like the CD I accepted my fate – I must dismiss them if I am to retain any credibility, and even more seriously, to achieve my ultimate goal of ‘being cool’.

So that was it. I did a good job too because not only did I just kinda forget about them, but I obviously went onto become both credible and cool (subjective and conceited opinion noted). Years later, my next encounter came when they released a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’ – and it was beautiful and because I was now about 7 years more mature and less concerned by public opinion, I totally and publicly loved it. It showcases what I would eventually learn is the charm of the chicks – Natalie’s perfect (yes, perfect) voice which remains soaring even at the most delicate moments, the sharp and moody sounds of the string instruments played by the two sisters – Emily & Martie – and the perfect harmonies of all three and their ability to combine all of these strengths to convey a very clear emotion and message.

It wasn’t like I asked them to move in or anything though, so we just played every now and again but they proved to be persistent and apparently didn’t like just being a ‘sometime’ friend. They gradually and quite randomly made themselves present, like when I was innocently taping the Grammy’s a couple of years back. When I went to watch it they were all over it! Singing ‘Not Ready to Make Nice’ and accepting a number of awards, including Album of the Year – yep, that’s right, “THE Dixie Chicks?!” That’s what I thought too. I already liked and respected Not Ready to Make Nice having seen the very powerful and dark artsy video for that song, but after seeing them sing it live … Werr-Owww-Wwew. The raw passion on top of the already climatic sounds and frustrated words of the song was something I’ve gladly not forgotten. When Natalie belts out “how in the world can the words that I said, send somebody so over the edge ….” followed by the crescendo (cue violins) I’m just about drowning in a sea of goosebumps.

I’d planned on getting the Album, Taking the Long Way, after this but I must’ve got distracted by new offerings from other more established friends (I think one was Fiona Apple and her truly Extraordinary Machine).

The real turning point came some months later, when Margaret Pomeranz of ABC’s At the Movies fame reviewed a documentary titled ‘Shut Up and Sing’, which followed the Dixie Chicks after ‘controversial’ comments made by Natalie on the subject of President George W. Bush. The film maker was there and filming on the night that the comments were made and continues to document their journey right through to the making of their award winning album. So intrigued by Maggers’ extremely favourable review of the doco, I had to see it for myself. And so INSPIRED by the movie itself, I went and bought the album. And so IN LOVE with album – still, even more than 3 years on – here I am writing about it. And so PERSUADED by my words, you’ll go and get the DVD … and the cycle will (hopefully) continue. To understand the magnitude of the events that unfold, you truly have to see it to believe it – frightening stuff.

What I found most remarkable about this recent chapter in the Dixie Chicks’ story, is that this album was the first time they have EVER contributed to songwriting. While that’s not remarkable in itself, that they were so motivated by their experiences to contribute this time around and that the results are quite phenomenal is what I do find so incredible. Admittedly, the album’s producer is one Rick Rubin, master producer and unbelievably eclectic in his brilliance – he is likely more famous for producing Blood Sugar Sex Magik for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Toxicity for System of a Down, and even 99 Problems for Jay-Z. And that’s just a sample, impressive huh?

Like the documentary, Taking the Long Way largely – yet not always directly – addresses the you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it reaction from their home state of Texas after Natalie’s comments were quickly filtered through the media there. There is, of course, the flagship and still spine tingling Not Ready to Make Nice and very clearly pointed Everybody Knows and Bitter End which both address the matter at hand (“farewell to old friends, let’s raise a glass to the bitter end …”). It should be noted that this, their home state, was a population almost entirely responsible for the Dixie Chicks’ standing as the highest selling country artists of ALL time – the transformation proved to be swift and total.

In amongst the more blatantly political tracks, they have managed to create some of the most sincere and beautiful songs about hope, love and their beliefs, yet almost every song bears the scars from their fight for what is essentially their right to free speech – this is America, after all.

Of my many favoured songs on this album, I’ll quickly note a couple of my most favoured. Easy Silence is blissfully heartwarming and sings of finding comfort (and comfortable silence) during the turmoil in the company of a loved one “it’s the peaceful quiet you create for me, and the way you keep the world at bay for me …” – it’s stunning (not a word I believe I’ve ever used before, but it totally deserves it). Taking the Long Way is a nice little philosophy on life and wouldn’t be out of place as a motto for at least one person I know (namely me), but as the song story unfolds it becomes more obviously a nod to how they’ve ended up where their career has taken them as a group. The Neil Finn co-write Silent House is also pretty special. While it’s hard to go past Ready to Make Nice, if I had to pick one track above all others it would be Lullaby. This tender, bare and yet totally-enveloping-in-its-understatedness 5 or so minutes of magic is actually what love sounds like. This ‘lullaby’ for their children sounds almost like nothing, but is probably much closer to everything and is something that they will all have to treasure for many years to come. Bless.

The entire album is almost flawless – it is instantly familiar despite being a music genre foreign to most people (most of my people anyway). And as proven on my recent travels, like a trusty old mate I can call on it at any time and know that it will deliver.

Interestingly, after the unbreakable camaraderie they showed through the whole ordeal (in itself incredibly moving) and the inspired songwriting that ensued, I read a couple of weeks ago that Martie and Emily have a side project as a duo called the Court Yard Hounds (c’mon, what have we learnt already today about judging musical acts by their name, hmm?). They do insist that the Dixie Chicks haven’t split, but it’s hard to come back after making an album so inspired, so personal and so successful and find some new purpose. I can feel that, disappointing as it may be. Let’s just hope someone somewhere finds a little place for Natalie’s big voice too – as I said, it IS perfection.

Ok, so your onthebeatntrack challenge for this week (not to be confused with homework) … is to spend about 90 minutes (not including travel time) watching Shut Up and Sing. The story that unfolds is fascinating whatever your political or musical persuasion. The rest? Well, the music is a little more personal to your tastes, so I’ll leave that up to you. But just know that Taking the Long Way is totally onthebeatntrack endorsed. I’ve STAMPED it bitches!

BUT IF … you choose not to participate in the challenge, then at least watch the clip for Not Ready to Make Nice, or get all sentimental and shit and listen to Lullaby and let it serenade you into slumber. Might just take some of my own advice for a change and just do that …

Do let me know how you get on, won’t you?