Gaslighter
Details
LP / Format
Columbia / Label
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CRITIC REVIEWS
100
By blending early-21st-century pop savvy with the storytelling that made country music so crucial to the American canon, Gaslighter is all fire and nerve, performed by three women whose musical bona fides are rivaled only by their rock-solid backbones.
9mo
100
With slick, tasteful production from Jack Antanoff built around shining guitars and perfectly balanced vocal arrangements, this is a powerful addition to the genre.
9mo
91
The journey of Gaslighter is bolstered by the same strong group dynamic that put The Chicks on the map years ago, all through a lush but often dialed-back, new sound that ventures further into the pop realm.
9mo
90
It’s an arresting finish to an album so full of emotion, it takes a while to absorb it all. It’s not perfect, and it’s not meant to be. But the juxtaposition of slickness and rawness somehow works, making the kind of statement the Chicks have been working toward since they first sang of mattress dancing and offing that unfaithful Earl.
9mo
90
Gaslighter is bold and incendiary, finding the Chicks reclaiming their relevance. Thankfully, the Chicks rejected silencing as Gaslighter reestablishes their penchant for vocalizing raw truths.
9mo
90
The true triumph of Gaslighter is that it refuses to let the people who have wronged them take anymore than they already have.
8mo
86
Gaslighter is the best country album of 2020 because it forces empathy onto the listener while reminding us we don’t have to be superheroes to make a difference.
9mo
85
With Gaslighter, The Chicks wield both the scalpel and the microscope with equal skill. And they sure can sing.
9mo
80
Gaslighter may not have been the album that country music needed, but it’s clearly the one that the Chicks needed to make.
9mo
80
It's an inspiring, swift-footed return from a band who've always carried more than their fair share. With Gaslighter, the Chicks sound unburdened.
9mo
80
Still political, still resilient – if you were a fan of The Dixie Chicks back in 2006, then The Chicks are precisely who you hoped they would grow to be in 2020.
9mo
80
A straight-talking delight, ‘Gaslighter’ refuses to radically overhaul The Chicks’ sound, and that’s ultimately why it’s so successful. Retaining that fine balance between country and pop, it allows the three-piece space to be true to themselves, ably building on their storied catalogue.
9mo
80
The Chicks’ first long player in 14 years ... doubles down on the band’s outspokenness and their lived experience.
9mo
80
There’s less kitsch cowgirl and more of a strong statement, of feminism and the future.
9mo
80
There’s more going on here than a name change: the band’s trademark country-pop-with-attitude is fuelled by stories of rage and psychological abuse.
9mo
80
Gaslighter itself is filled with tangled, contradictory emotions, a place where vulnerability signals strength, and this complexity conveys how the Chicks have opened up a new chapter in their career. They've left behind their original name, their old connections, their old genre, and are firmly focused on the future.
9mo
80
The former Dixie Chicks return with a sensational, bruised eighth album.
Print Only
9mo
80
From bow to stern The Chicks take us on a musical boat ride, with infectious top lines you’ll be humming long after the album has ended – just make sure you don’t leave your tights.
8mo
76
This is certainly the poppiest the band has ever sounded, and the album has a handful of trite or overly-cheesy moments, but these are easy to overlook when it all sounds this good, and when so many of Maines’ lyrics are this precise and honest.
8mo
70
The trio’s first album in 14 years is a genuinely compelling new take on the punchy country sound that’s always made them stand out. But its links between the personal and the political are foggy.
9mo
70
The Chicks deliver some classic songs that honour their past while showing an appetite for new ideas.
8mo
70
To be fair, we get excellent pop hooks and singalong choruses out of it, but the ill-contained rage and intimate details start to make the pain more self-indulgent than universal.
8mo
60
The trio’s first album in nearly 15 years is their most pop-sounding yet, and their most honest.
9mo
50
While their refusal to pander to the political expectations of mainstream country is commendable, they could afford to take more liberties with the musical cliches thereof: listening to Gaslighter is a bit like eating 12 courses of dessert.
8mo
The Chicks, or the Dixie Chicks, are a group that have been around for a while but I’ve never listened to their music. The last time they dropped music was 14 years ago, when I was way too young to know who they were. So this is my first experience with them, and I’m not usually a fan of country music, but this album is really special.
One thing I really respect about it is the confidence and raw energy it exudes. On tracks like March March and Sleep At Night, there’s such a ... read more
One thing I really respect about it is the confidence and raw energy it exudes. On tracks like March March and Sleep At Night, there’s such a ... read more
Their first album as The Chicks and in nearly fifteen years at that, these three country titans come together for an album where they have as much to say as they virtually always have. They translate emotion through southern storytelling and Maines utilizing her powerful voice for the message at hand.
If the main singles were any indication, these songs were going to be a story of vindication. Gaslighter and March March may be two of the best songs The Chicks have ever put out there, with one ... read more
If the main singles were any indication, these songs were going to be a story of vindication. Gaslighter and March March may be two of the best songs The Chicks have ever put out there, with one ... read more
After 30 years of being in the industry, The (Dixie) Chicks still knows how to deliver enjoyable and melodious vocal harmonies. While deviating more from country and leaning more on pop, their sound is still polished. The opening track "Gaslighter" is arguably the best track there is in the album, although the remaining tracks are no slouch either. The pop sensibilities are subtle but sensible. Accompanied with the cohesive structure, the album is enjoyable end to end. The Chicks ... read more
Sabe-se que términos de relacionamentos costumam render álbuns completamente majestosos, como os clássicos discos de Adele, o impecável "Vulnicura" de Björk e "MAGDALENE" de FKA twigs, uma obra fascinante. Com o grupo "The Chicks" não poderia ser diferente, após um hiato de quase 15 anos, as veteranas do country retornam em grande estilo, para sem esforços, restabelecer seu triunfo.
"Gaslighter" ... read more
"Gaslighter" ... read more
6/10
Despite the score, I am still very pleasantly surprised. The Chicks had some soul and passion in them for Gaslighter. I was expecting some Luke Combs or Sam Hunt lifeless stuff but this was a lot more folksy and artsy.
Some of the lyrical themes reminded me a bit of the new Phoebe Bridgers record. Speaking of, some of these songs are written phenomenally.
So on to the negatives. I think the title track is a very weak opener and I found that chorus to be very grating. Also, I think the ... read more
Despite the score, I am still very pleasantly surprised. The Chicks had some soul and passion in them for Gaslighter. I was expecting some Luke Combs or Sam Hunt lifeless stuff but this was a lot more folksy and artsy.
Some of the lyrical themes reminded me a bit of the new Phoebe Bridgers record. Speaking of, some of these songs are written phenomenally.
So on to the negatives. I think the title track is a very weak opener and I found that chorus to be very grating. Also, I think the ... read more
pitchfork.com
Dixie Chicks Change Name to The Chicks 
stereogum.com
Dixie Chicks Postpone Gaslighter 
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Year End Lists
| #3 | / | Los Angeles Times |
| #4 | / | TIME |
| #6 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
| #8 | / | Billboard |
| #15 | / | Riff Magazine |
| #21 | / | PopMatters |
| #37 | / | Slant Magazine |
| #38 | / | Consequence of Sound |
| #40 | / | Idolator |
| #84 | / | Albumism |
More Lists
Track List
- Gaslighter
- Sleep at Night
- Texas Man
- Everybody Loves You
- For Her
- March March
- My Best Friend's Weddings
- Tights On My Boat
- Julianna Calm Down
- Young Man
- Hope It's Something Good
- Set Me Free
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Added on: November 21, 2019