Album Review: Miranda Lambert – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Call me biased because I think I am perhaps Pennsylvania’s biggest Lambert fan, but I thought this release out-did her debut album by far. From listening to both albums, one can definitely tell that Miranda has transformed into a vocal powerhouse full of maturity, elegance, and sass that was not as evident on her debut CD at age 20.

I was shocked when I read your review, Jim, that you totally failed to mention the last track on the CD, Easy From Now On. I think the song has a strategic position on the disk, that even IF you did hate the previous 10 tracks, a listener would be left with a moment of enjoyment at the very end. I, however, thought there wasn’t a dull track on the entire thing, filler-free.

Overall, I thought the CD was spectacular. And if anyone wants to determine that for themselves, it’s on listening party at CMT(dot)com.

The only thing that I can agree with Jim on is his assessment of the title track. If there is one I might skip over while listening, it is Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and so I don’t think it was the best move to name the album after it.

However, I believe the ballads on this album are just as good as those on Kerosene, and more believable. For example, “Desperate” was written entirely by Lambert with no assistance of a co-writer, and at Lambert’s age of 23 I’m more inclined to accept the possibility that this song was derrived from the experiences of the vocalist.

I must say it will be interesting to see what unfolds on the charts once this album is released since Blake Shelton will be releasing one on the same day.

So much for “Sugar and spice and everything nice,” eh? I guess I just don’t dig the whole bad girl persona and like Jim said, she lays it on so thick that it seems fake. I thought “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Dry Town,” and “Gunpowder and Lead” were a little over the top. “Desperation” wasn’t bad, but it was pretty forgettable. And how about this lyric from “Guilty In Here”: “That boy is like a sore in your mouth / that you just have to fight bite.” Now that is cringe worthy.

To me, “Easy From Now On,” “Love Letters,” “Famous In A Small Town,” and “More Like Her” were the most enjoyable tracks on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Jim’s last paragraph sums it all up quite nicely.

Baron: Gretchen Wilson came to my mind as well when listening to more than a couple of these songs.

First, thanks for all the comments. I will not agree or disagree with comments on my own postings, however I do appreciate the responses, and will answer questions.

Second, RE “Come To Bed”. I am a big John Rich fan, but I don’t think people got the whole Gretchen Wilson “featuring John Rich,” thing. Let’s face it — do most country radio listners actually know John Rich is the “Rich” part of Big & Rich? Or that he’s a super-famous mega-writer?

I think the Miranda album is terrific, and “Dry Town” is the weakest track on it (despite the pedigree of its authors, to whom I respectfully doff my hat). The songs are really strong, they’re not contrived like most mainstream country and the production has a satisfying gritty tinge. And given the polarizing effect of “Kerosene” (the song), I laughed out loud when I first heard “Gunpowder and Lead” kicking off the record. It’s like she was saying, “Screw metaphors, I’m just gonna shoot the sorry sonofabitch.”

I haven’t heard the new CD yet but did anybody read Lambert’s “blog” back from before her first CD came out? I put blog in quotes because I seem to recall it was more of a posting board than a blog. I stumbled across it a long time ago and she comes across as sweet and innocent as a Lifetime made for TV movie. This was from before she was famous and also included the period when the first song was breaking, so I assume it’s the “real” Lambert. That makes me suspicious there is some serious market matching going on. Blonde Gretchen Wilson? Younger GW? Whatever, let’s hope she stands up for herself and finds her voice.

I am buying that image totally. She has found her place as an artist in the world of country music, and this is who she is. Her bad girl persona (which isn’t an act) is what separates her from new female artists who are Barbie Doll products straight out of the Matel Factories.

Brady, if you were expecting a 21 year old girl who didn’t even release her first album to bring the house down when you saw her open for JMM, that was an unrealistic expectation. JMO

I liked it better the way that she did it for Kerosene, where “bad girl” was not the theme but just a really neat contrast to the album’s ballads and the dimpled blond on the album cover. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is less believable. Regarding Brady’s comment, Miranda has performed about a gazillion shows since you saw her. I saw her headline last August and thought that she was a terrific performer. However, I didn’t exactly think “outlaw” or “bad girl.”

Dave S: I wasn’t expecting her to bring the house down and was pretty impressed for not knowing who she was. I was just commenting about how that bad girl image wasn’t present then. Here’s what Blake Shelton has to say about the subject.

Matt C: I don’t doubt she’s a terrific performer and the past few years have probably done her a world of good. I didn’t mean for my previous comment to come off as derogatory, if it did.

I bought this CD this week and LOVE it! In fact some of the ballads have helped in a healing process. What I have noticed from this page is that all remarks I have seen have been from men. Try being a woman involved with a man who is mentally, verbally and physically abusive and see if you can relate to Miranda’s music. The problem is you are all men and can’t relate.