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Music Review: Miranda Lambert – Revolution

The pride of Lindale, Texas continues to defy all expectations. When every other country artist on the chart is a chirpy little blonde singing lines from her 9th grade journal. Lambert, writing or co-writing all but four of the album’s 15 tracks, waves her classic country pride flag but amps it way up instead of the lazily chasing a hits-laden pot of gold.
From the Eno/Lanois U2 era opener of the of the excellent White Lies and skipping off the grid Airstream Song, the Sgt. Pepper’s era psychedelic sound effects of Maintain The Pain (where we find Ms. Lambert puts a bullet in her radio. Pop Country commentary Texas style?) to the Sticky Fingers/Southern groove of Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go.

Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum co-wrote Love Song, a song that in Lady A’s hands would probably have been a hot slick mess. Me and Your Cigarettes could do with less electronic hand-claps, but is still a fine song of addiction and regrets co-written by current and boyfriend, Blake Shelton and former Columbia Records artist Ashley Monroe.

Lamert also has a great ear for covers. Here her cover of Fred Eaglesmith’s Time to Get a Gun is a great interpretation and she delivers it like the song of populist last resort it is and not some 2nd amendment rally cry. John Prine’s That’s the Way the World Goes ‘Round absurdest study is given a honky-tonk treatment spiked with Ramones punk-pop adrenaline. The fine art of Southwestern passive-aggression with is detailed in fine form with the scorching Only Prettier.

Lambert is nothing if not study in adept duality. She has been able to straddle the line between country and rock in a way that doesn’t get her tossed into the Americana side of the tracks and she’s the only current country mainstream artists to land on the cover of People and No Depression. Here’s a swaller and a holler to Lambert and hoping she continues to surprise her fans shame Nashville with more gems like Revolution.

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Comment by Peter Boyle on November 3, 2009 at 5:19pm: This is a brilliant album - good to see Miranda getting some recognition on No Depression. It's an ambitious artistic statement and demands to be heard. Her songwriting just keeps getting better and better - let's hope there's much more to come.

Comment by Kyla Fairchild on November 3, 2009 at 9:03pm: I really enjoyed her last record, thanks for the reminder to check out the latest.

Here's a link to the cover story on Miranda from issue #69 in the ND archives.

Comment by Easy Ed on November 3, 2009 at 9:33pm: You know, some of us like chirpy little blondes singing lines from their 9th grade journals. Aside from that, I absolutely love Miranda's voice and long for the day where we get her stripped down (no..not that) with maybe just a guitar, dobro and mandolin. While this one didn't quite do it for me, it is as Peter Boyle says "an ambitious artistic statement" and there's more than a few here who I think might fall in love with it. Adept duality...I got to use that some day.

Comment by TwangNation.com on November 3, 2009 at 10:52pm: Lambert, Jamey Johnson and Ashton Shepherd give me a sliver of hope in the Nashville system.

Comment by Jim Moulton on November 4, 2009 at 12:42am: Somethin' ain't right here, Nashville country and No Depression? Sure, she is good, but not any better than Martina Mcbride. She was really on the cover of No Depression?
Jim

Comment by Peter Boyle on November 4, 2009 at 3:57am: I don't think you should dismiss something just because its commercial Jim. Easy Ed - I think you're onto something there - if there's anything at all that holds the album back it's the production. There's a great writeup over at the 9513 (who also gave the album a four and a half star review) http://www.the9513.com/everything-louder-than-everything-else/ Some of the greatest country artists and songwriters have been commercial successes - think Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard. Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater - give this album a listen and you're sure to be impressed.

Comment by Peter Boyle on November 4, 2009 at 4:02am: Thanks for the link to archives - what a great story and interview.

Comment by TwangNation.com on November 4, 2009 at 6:27am: Peter Boyle, agreed. But there are different times and the benchmark and look of "success" is different then it used to be. But that might just be m looking back with rode-colored specs...

Comment by Kyla Fairchild on November 4, 2009 at 8:28am: Also Dierks Bentley in the "sliver of hope" category mentioned above. I have really enjoyed his records also. Is there anyone else that could be added to the list?

Comment by TwangNation.com on November 4, 2009 at 10:22am: kyla, good call. I'm also still holding onto hope that the Dixie Chicks get back to thier roots and do what they do best.

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