Who can say that The Dixie Chicks haven't had a rough run over most of the last decade and keep a straight face? Between the band's surrealist battle with Washington and the Bush administration, diminished record sales (sure – Taking The Long Way went double platinum in the US, but compared with Home – which went six times platinum in the US alone – that result isn't exactly comparable) and other assorted woes both personal and professional, the band's strength was understandably sapped; so they decided to take a break from active studio work.
It has now been four years since that break began; that, for those keeping score, marks the second-longest break in Dixie Chicks history (the longest being the five-year gap between Shouldn't a Told You That and Wide Open Spaces), so fans wouldn't have been justified had they begun to wonder whatever became of the band.
Choosing not to wait for an “unwilling and uninspired” Natalie Maines to get it in gear (rest assured, apparently the band has not broken up), sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison have returned to active duty under the name Court Yard Hounds and, surprisingly, the difference in approach is enormous; the giant New Country licks that made Dixie Chicks a household name are virtually non-existent in these dozen tracks, but that actually works to their advantage as the duo seeks to make a hard differentiation between this new outlet and the one currently on the back burner.
Without their chief voice present, the remaining Dixie Chicks find new and exciting ways to get over with listeners and may even attract the attention of some totally new (to them) and receptive audiences. While neither Maguire nor Robison has a vocal presence the same size as Maines, the duo is possessed of the same natural melodic intuition and interplay that so many other siblings have expressed (the single easiest and most valid comparison would be to the work of Curt and Cris Kirkwood) and that more than fills the void normally occupied by their usual front woman; she is not missed here, and no one really thinks to look as they listen. Songs including “Delight (Something New Under The Sun),” “Ain't No Son.” “Then Again” and “It Didn't Make A Sound” all leave nothing lacking as Robison takes the lead and Maguire backs her up marvelously. It works out so well, in fact, that listeners may start to wonder not when The Dixie Chicks will return, but where Court Yard Hounds have been all their lives. The rock/country hybrid that the duo plays with on these songs also plays to the strength that the Meat Puppets have in that the sound is open enough to allow any listener in and take whatever they choose away; it can play to a rock or country audience easily in that regard.
All that said though, and it'll all be tempered by what happens next. As good as Court Yard Hounds might be, the question that hangs over it (as is the case with so many other side projects) is how long it will last. With Court Yard Hounds out on May 4, 2010 but a Dixie Chicks tour supporting The Eagles confirmed to begin the following June, it doesn't leave much time or opportunity to properly show audiences what this band can do, and that's a pity. When they get the time, hopefully Court Yard Hounds will get some decent play; there's certainly a sort of sound and quality here that begs for a follow-up.
Artist:
www.courtyardhounds.com/
www.myspace.com/courtyardhounds
Download:
Court Yard Hounds – “It Didn't Make A Sound” – Court Yard Hounds
Album:
Court Yard Hounds comes out on May 4, 2010 via Columbia/Sony Music. Pre-order it here on Amazon .
