Album Review: The Chicks Set the World on Fire with ‘Gaslighter’
The Chicks cement their status as country music royalty with their first album in 14 years.
Written by Delaney Davis
Photo courtesy of the Rolling Stone
A lot has happened in the 14 years since The Chicks released their last studio album: the United States saw the rise of two historic presidencies, citizens across the globe took to the streets in response to mounting racial inequalities, and the world is still in the middle of a pandemic that has taken the life of over half a million people. In an environment plagued by such unrest, it would be fitting for the same group that publicly denounced the Iraq War to return to music with a biting protest album.
Rather than exploring the politics of our broken world, however, Gaslighter instead turns inward and grapples with the politics of heartbreak and betrayal.
Centered around lead singer Natalie Maines’ divorce from actor Adrian Pasdar, the album offers listeners a front row seat to the dissolution of the couple’s relationship, almost as if the audience itself is privy to the divorce proceedings. Opening track “Gaslighter” is a scathing portrayal of Pasdar, accusing him of not only being a gaslighter but “doin’ anything to get [his] ass farther” and “repeating the mistakes of [his] father.” The lyrics even hint at infidelity, with Maines reminding him “you know what exactly you did on my boat.” (Don’t worry, all questions will be answered in a later track.) Ironically, “Gaslighter” is the most upbeat song on the album, with Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer harmonizing triumphantly with Maines over banjo strums and viola strings. For The Chicks, revenge is a dish best served piping hot.
The next song, “Sleep at Night,” is more subdued than the album’s opener but nevertheless packs a punch. Maines pushes her ex to answer for his indiscretions with the piercing inquisition, “How do you sleep at night?” The track also gives Strayer and Maguire’s instrumentalism a chance to shine, with a fiddle mimicking the sound of a sarcastic laugh and banjo licks creating an ambiance that soothes and lulls in spite of the song’s somber lyrics.
Following track “Texas Man” turns to the opposite side of a nasty breakup: the optimistic readiness for a new lover and another chance at happiness. This new romance is as familiar and comforting as the band’s home state and offers a return to the bliss of the beginning stages of a relationship:
Feelin' my way in the dark
Steal a kiss in your car
Feelin' your way in the dark
Steal another one at the door
Compared to its predecessors, “Texas Man”’s production is much more minimalistic and light, matching its cheerier subject matter. Where lush instrumentation once reigned, a quiet acoustic guitar — courtesy of pop guru producer Jack Antonoff — dominates here. Still, past baggage casts a shadow over this track’s sunniness, with Maines letting any potential beau know that she’s “a little bit unraveled.”
Despite Gaslighter’s hyperfocus on breakups, The Chicks keep their outspoken reputation alive with the protest song “March March.” The band alludes to modern day political dilemmas over pulsing drum beats and keys, referencing the fight for reproductive freedom, the battle against climate change, and the question once on Americans’ lips: What the hell happened in Helsinki? Given the band’s history, “March March” is a refreshing, full-circle moment, but wedged between songs about a painful split, the track is admittedly out of place.
Image courtesy of Columbia
Questions regarding Maines and Pasdar’s divorce are answered in the rage-filled “Tights on My Boat,” which was mentioned in the album’s titular track. Maines doesn’t hold back, wishing her former lover a painful death and asking him “... will your dad pay your taxes now that I’m done?” The song’s biggest bombshell is in it’s pre-chorus, where she suggests that Pasdar had an affair with another woman on Maines’ own boat. Unfortunately for fans, the infamous tights are a figment of Maines’ imagination. On the Howard Stern show, Maines stated that the tights were a product of artistic license but her boat was involved. Like “Texas Man,” the song opts for minimal production, relying mainly on acoustic guitar. Oversaturated production isn’t necessary — anger seeps from Maines’ vocals with each and every word.
By far, the album’s standout track is the gentle yet fierce “Julianna Calm Down.” The Chicks, all three of which have been through divorces, namedrop their daughters and give them advice on dealing with failing relationships. “Just put on, put on, put on your best shoes / And strut the f-ck around like you've got nothing to lose,” rings atop a beautiful chaos of guitars, drums, violas, banjos, and even a Mellotron. The song blends together the perfect amounts of both peace and pandemonium, embodying the conflicting feelings often brought up after a breakup. The song is appropriately followed by “Young Man,” Maines’ plea to her sons to take only the best qualities from their father and to not let their parents’ divorce negatively impact their lives.
Album closer “Set Me Free” is, lyrically, the most emotional song on the album. The track is set against the backdrop of the tumultuous legal proceedings that marked Maines and Pasdar’s divorce. Pasdar reportedly asked to be given access to the group’s unreleased music as he claimed such songs violated the confidentiality clause in their prenuptial agreement. “Decency / Would be for you to sign and release me / If you ever loved me,” Maines begs, calling on her ex to end the emotional and legal turmoil that has tormented her throughout a lengthy divorce.
Even with a new name, The Chicks have done the impossible: they’ve created an album that is both true to their origins and seemingly brand new. Over a decade since their last release, the group that blessed us with “Wide Open Spaces,” “Not Ready to Make Nice,” and a cover of “Landslide” (that is arguably better than the original) is still going strong. Though filled with lyrics unique to Maines’ divorce, the album’s brutal honesty and unrestrained emotion make it the perfect soundtrack for our chaotic world right now. Gaslighter is a bright spot in what has otherwise been a very dark year.