For twenty years or so, America chose Carrie Underwood, Morgan Wallen and Jason Aldean over Miranda Lambert; then Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”, co-written and co-produced by Lambert, became the longest-running No. 1 single of all time. The timing for a new album is ideal, and Crisco arrives with no lack of confidence – Lambert may have released a few blah albums, but none are half-crazy. Crisco figures among the chatter, unfortunately, which pains me because for a long time, this country group was my favorite pop artist, all genres combined.
Working with new producer Jesse Frasure and a new band, including her husband Brendan McLoughlin as occasional co-writer, Lambert recorded an impeccable and delightful approximation of late ’70s country disco: the era of Bill Anderson’s “I Can’t Wait Any Longer” and Mel McDaniel’s “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On,” not to mention the late Dolly Parton’s “Baby I’m Burnin’.” A thoughtfully arranged string section supports more than half of the pieces. The problem with Crisco isn’t it a clean bell-bottomed flirt: her friends Brandy Clark and Ashley Monroe slipped in there without any problem several years ago. This is banal writing.
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Lambert can play many roles, but she’s most convincing when playing a wild role (the mode that, aside from “Mama’s Broken Heart,” country radio has liked the least). “Cuttin’ Onions” ranks as one of his best About Stuff songs. Over Dann Huff’s complimentary guitar licks and Aaron Sterling’s exclamatory bass drum, Lambert rhymes “Vidalia” and “tell ya” for the sake of an idiot not worth a tear. She, Langley and co-writer Natalie Hemby slip into “Snakeskin Boots,” a noir western with an Ennio Morricone vibe about a femme fatale who slips into an executioner’s noose. Playing the most terrifying version of the female devils buried in the songs of male country palookas, Lambert is fully realized. No wonder his fastest ones have difficulty entering the Top 10.
Gn entert
