Fly [LP] in Bloomington, MN

Wide Open Spaces
unveiled the new incarnation of
the Chicks
, revealing an eclectic, assured group that was simultaneously rootsy and utterly modern, but if that 1998 de facto debut captured the band just leaving the ground,
Fly
-- perhaps appropriately, given the title -- finds the group in full flight, in full possession of their talents. This time around, the different sounds they draw upon are more fully integrated, which only makes them more distinctive as a group. Even if the whole of the album feels more of a piece, they still take the time to deliver a slice of pure honky tonk on "Hello Mr. Heartache" and a piece of breakneck bluegrass on the rip-roaring, wickedly clever "Sin Wagon," which is also one of the group originals here, a collaboration between
Natalie Maines
and
Emily Robison
and outside writer
Stephony Smith
. It -- along with the
Maines
-co-written "Without You," the
/
Robison
"Don't Waste Your Heart," and
Martie Seidel
's co-written "Ready to Run" and "Cowboy Take Me Away" -- showcase the trio's increasing craft as writers, which is one of the reasons this album sounds unified. But even the outside-written material feels like the group, whether it's the twangy boogie "Some Days You Gotta Dance,"
Patty Griffin
's "Let Him Fly," the melancholy "Cold Day in July," and especially "Goodbye Earl," where a wife gets revenge on her abusive husband. Like before, the group moves gracefully between these different styles, with
providing a powerful, compelling focus with
Seidel
offering sensitive support, and this blend makes
a rich, nuanced album that just gets better with repeated listens. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine