CD review: Miranda Lambert, “Revolution”
A version of this review appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country
Miranda Lambert “Revolution” (Sony)
Oklahoma firebrand Miranda Lambert continues to rebel against the cookie-cutter anthems and syrupy ballads all too often featured on country radio with her third album, “Revolution.”
“Revolution” successfully orbits around the complexities of the Tishomingo resident’s persona: She’s an avid huntress and passionate animal welfare advocate, a declared Christian and acknowledged rabble-rouser, a Southern belle best known for her tuneful revenge fantasies “Gunpowder & Lead” and “Kerosene.”
Lambert wrote or co-wrote 12 of the 15 tracks on “Revolution,” and her songwriting reveals a new level of maturity and an improved knack for crafting material for her voice.
The Texas-bred singer-songwriter conveys a range of genuine emotion, from vulnerability and bitter sadness on the brokenhearted ballad “Dead Flowers” to wistful longing on the old-fashioned country tune “Airstream Song.” She exudes calm loathing on her current single, “White Liar,” in which she buttonholes a deceitful lover and then reveals he isn’t the only dishonest one.
Instead of throwing punches and starting a barfight, she engages in a little peacekeeping and gets in a verbal jab in the funny “Only Prettier,” one of my favorites on the record.
Fans of Lambert’s previous albums — her 2005 debut “Kerosene” and 2007’s acclaimed “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” — shouldn’t worry: She still does angry exceedingly well. She seethes with woman-scorned rage on “Sin for Sin,” which she penned with her boyfriend and neighbor, fellow country star Blake Shelton. And when Lambert howls about shooting her radio on “Maintain the Pain,” that’s Shelton shouting against the driving ‘80s rock-inspired guitars.
The couple worked with Ashley Monroe on “Me and Your Cigarettes,” a deceptively catchy song about an unhealthily addictive affair. They also collaborate with Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood on “Love Song,” a substantive, mature ballad about real love rather than fairytale romance.
“Revolution” only wobbles with Lambert’s cover of Fred Eaglesmith’s fretful “Time to Get a Gun,” which seems inauthentic considering her gun-toting reputation.
— BAM
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Comments
OMG I agree 100% Miranda Lambert has taken a huge step back and will pay dearly for it. There isn’t a song besides Dead Flowers that could possible make any noise on the charts.
What in the world was she thinking in trying to reinvent Jewel? The cover and back of the CD even look like Jewel!
Aside from Dead Flowers which indeed has already worn out its welcome, it took me until song 13 Sin Of Sin to find a Miranda Lambert song on the CD. I had to “next” through every song that started with a slow acoustic guitar all the way to song 13. What a waste!
Then when I saw some promise with Sin Of Sin, I lost it with song 14 “thats the way the world goes round” as it’s one of worst recorded songs I’ve heard in a long time. The sound is total mud and noise.
In a nutshell, don’t buy this garbage CD. I hope Miranda and her record company realize they have made a huge mistake and release a another in 6-8 months as George Strait seems to do.
This was just a major disappointment Miranda!!!!!
im a HUGE miranda fan…..but this CD does nothing for me ..the best tune dead flowers has already had its time to shine and it didnt..