The Malec Minute: Why Miranda Lambert is Overrated
When I sat down to write this column, I had every intention of avoiding the “O” word. I swear I did. Too often the word is used by critics as a way to lambaste an artist without articulating any specific points against the music in question. It’s an easy out, a way to look like you’re being critical and comparative when you really don’t know your Jeannie Seely from your Dottie West. I’m even guilty of using it on various occasions myself. But in this case, there’s no way around it.
Not after two-plus years of listening to the traditionalists and the fringe anoint Miranda Lambert the genre’s savior. Not after watching a string of tacky, out-of-control performances, including her appearance on last week’s CMA Awards. And definitely not after watching Stylus magazine name Crazy Ex-Girlfriend the second best album of 2007–in all genres.
So I tried. I tried not to say it. But someone has to be a voice of reason, and the truth is that there’s just no better word to describe the actuality of the following: Miranda Lambert is overrated, and her rabid popularity is as musically unfounded as, oh, I don’t know, let’s go with Carrie Underwood’s.
Yeah, I said it. Did everyone else forget that Lambert’s big break also came from a TV talent competition? Lambert and Underwood sit at two opposite ends of the same continuum, and are so adored by their fans for the same basic reason–what these two artists represent is far more important than the quality of the music they make.
Underwood’s fans, for example, will often be heard saying things like, “I like Carrie because she’s new Country. She’s not that old-style twangy stuff. I hate that twangy stuff.” But Lambert’s fans will often be heard saying things like, “I like Miranda because she’s not that new, pop-Country crap. I hate that fluffy, pop-Country crap.”
And therein lies Lambert’s big draw. She’s (definitely) not that “fluffy, pop-country crap”. Whereas Underwood, the small-town sorority girl/girl next door/everywoman, represents the young, pop-based movement of the genre, the movement that says, “this ain’t your daddy’s country,” Lambert represents the rebel; she’s the outlaw, the bad girl. It’s trendy and cool to like Miranda Lambert because she falls outside the boundaries of mainstream, and because she stands as a monument against the Underwood-esque artists who are so derided, by indie snobs, for supposedly lacking talent and artistry.
For those who believe that contemporary Country music exists in a perverted form, that it’s been hijacked from its rightful owners and heirs by a group of rock ‘n roll hooligans who have no business singing in the same genre as Merle Haggard or His Majesty Cash, Lambert is as much a symbol as an artist. She’s the chosen one, who has come to prove that “real” country music still exists.
See, there’s a brotherhood among traditionalists, elitists, and the like–they revel in the relative obscurity of their favorite artists, and they take solace in the idea that their favorite artists are shunned from radio because they “aren’t commercial enough”, aren’t willing to “sell out”, or are just too damn artistically brilliant to be appreciated by the lower levels of the music society–all the sheeple who will flock to whatever cookie-cutter product the evil major label empires are promoting this week.
And I have no problem with that. Everyone deserves the right to define themselves by the artists of their choosing. I do, however, have a problem with the undue amount of praise awarded to Lambert, and, specifically, to her songwriting. I have a problem with it because I think those who praise her so profusely, especially my fellow critics, are looking for reasons to love her. Because without artists like Lambert they would have no example to use when so harshly judging less traditional, or less edgy, artists (who they reject, out-of-hand, as less artistically credible).
So they build Lambert up, and they try their hardest to convince their readership that she’s the second coming.
But she’s not. Oh, don’t get me wrong–she’s good. She’s damn good. She might even be great. But we don’t know that yet, because she’s only released two albums–two albums that show two very different artists–and to call her great before she’s proven herself to be so is just as irresponsible as six million people shelling out fifteen bucks for a copy of Some Hearts
Kerosene was a solid record which featured truly excellent songwriting. “Mama, I’m Alright”, “What About Georgia” and “Me And Charlie Talkin’” all make use of specific, concrete imagery and sharp, poignant storytelling, while songs like “There’s A Wall” and “Love Your Memory”, while not necessarily brilliant or groundbreaking in any sense, are still both tightly constructed melodically and focused lyrically.
And Kerosene shows the complicated emotional conflict of a young woman striking out on her own; there is sensitivity and fear evident her her lyrics and her voice, and even when she shows her temper (on the title track), it plays more as cute than violent, because we see this woman in the full context of the human condition.
But there’s a sharp movement away from almost all of these attributes on her sophomore effort Crazy-Ex Girlfriend, a record that comes off as artistically stale after the energy of Kerosene, and which, I think, raises the question of whether Lambert will be able to consistently meet the standard she set with her debut.
Dispense from Crazy Ex the three songs not written by Lambert (three of the best, in my opinion)–”Dry Town”, “Getting Ready”, and “Easy From Now On”–and we’re left with eight originals. Two of those eight (”Gunpowder and Lead” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) are aggressive, violent, and pander directly to Lambert’s newly-constructed, and ironically commercial, bad-girl image.
Restraint, however, is a much more difficult achievement in songwriting than unfiltered abrasiveness, and both “Gunpowder” and “Crazy” come off as self-indulgent and one dimensional. There is anger, maybe hatred, but there is no complication, and the emotional undertone of these songs lacks sophistication–these songs are about only the action that they detail. But who cares “what little girls are made of” if we don’t care about little girls? Lambert gives us an outpouring of emotion but never any reason to sympathize with her characters, and the situations in these songs are so unrealistic and unflattering, respectively, that we either can’t see ourselves in the narrator’s place, or wouldn’t want to.
Lambert corrects this in “Famous In A Small Town” and “Desperation” which both demonstrate excellent control of tone; but elsewhere the album is riddled with cliché lines like, “You promised the truth and you told lies,” (from “Love Letters”), and “He took my heat and he broke my soul,” (from “Down”).
Those are the kinds of lyrics that litter internet songwriting message boards, composed by soccer moms and high-school juniors who dream of being “discovered”. Those are the kinds of lyrics that anybody can write–anybody–because they don’t rely on a fresh perspective or vivid, resonating imagery. Those are the kinds of lyrics that we might hear from a contestant on a TV talent comp…oh…wait.
And Lambert has yet to master the craft of the hook. Many of the songs on Crazy Ex dissolve into an abstract and anti-climactic statement or phrase–especially troubling since a song’s hook is not only the thing that makes us remember and sing along, but also the culmination of the lyrical narrative (one of the fundamental aspects of most people’s definition of Country music). The hook is what the lyric works towards and supports, and to be effective it must draw on the verses to, ultimately, make the song’s “point”. Without a solid hook, we feel like we’ve read a novel only to discover that the final chapter is missing.
And that’s where Lambert’s writing all too often leaves us. When she sings, “I guess I should’ve been more like her” (”More Like Her”) it’s clear that she’s sad, and we can put the events of the story into some kind of literal context, but we don’t really know what the story is about at a deeper level.
Is there emotion behind all of these songs? Yep, you bet, and Lambert often sings the hell out of them. And does the record tap into better lyrics then the ones I’ve pulled out here as examples? Of course. But not often. Not often enough, at least, to justify the boat-loads of superlative praise the album has earned; not often enough, at least, to disregard the fact that half of Lambert’s catalog is decidedly lackluster.
Many artists release an excellent debut–but great artists release excellent albums consistently. And great albums are always–always–made up of great songs…songs that would be great if forced to stand on their own; songs that would be great if sung by someone else; songs that would be great if sung fifty years before, or fifty years after. And are we really willing to say that about Lambert’s songs? I’m not. And does her music really come anywhere close to that of her oft-cited heroes? No. Not yet, anyway. And to claim otherwise is to put style over substance, to say that because she walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, she must be a duck. To claim otherwise is to say that because she talks about Merle, and sometimes sounds like Merle, that she deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as Merle. And she doesn’t. Not yet.
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Trackback URI for this postNovember 15, 2007
[...] The 9513 for the gift. Even if I don’t always agree with the editorials or album reviews (see The Malec Minute: Why Miranda Lambert is Overrated) I do like the honesty in their opinions even when they know what they want to say won’t win [...]
December 31, 2007
[...] 18. Miranda Lambert Becomes the New Critics’ Darling. Miranda Lambert is among my favorite current artists and I noticed surprisingly strong cross-genre critical support congealing around Kerosene. What I did not foresee was the widespread praise for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: many cross-genre publications included Miranda’s sophomore album as the only country album on their year-end “best of” lists and Miranda even landed near the top of some. I don’t deny that Miranda deserves the praise, but I can think of many other country artists who are equally or even more deserving of such acclaim. Our own Jim Malec went further and suggested that Miranda Lambert is overrated. [...]
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November 14, 2007 at 12:58 pm Permalink
Great points, and it will be hard for anyone to oppose your specific argument that it is too soon to crown her a savior or a manufactured product. My only issue is that you seem to give way too much credibility to “them” and “they”. You mention “boat laods” of praise, and you indict groups of “traditionalists” as they are one voice form one person speaking on behalf of society in general. Aren’t we as bloggers, critics and writers responsible for over-rating someone? Instead of citing any sources, aside of the absurd stylus ranking, you simply cop-out with the generalization that Lambert and Underwood are more alike than Lambert’s fans would prefer and that lambert is still early in her development as a songwriter. Again, I am all for making stands and having opinions, especially ones that ruffle the feathers a tad. I just would like to know specifically what you have seen, heard, or read that has lead you to deem Lambert as over-rated?
November 14, 2007 at 1:16 pm Permalink
Kelly–thanks for the comment and good point. what I would say to you, regarding specific examples, is this: can show me any decidedly negative reviews of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend?
I can’t recall the last album, besides Crazy Ex that received almost near unanimous praise from the critical outlets…except, of course, for Carnival Ride.
Lambert’s reviews are just off the charts (ironically, like the album…).
November 14, 2007 at 1:21 pm Permalink
I have been a Miranda fan since she was on Nashville Star. I have no issue with the fact that she was on that show, but that show has not consistently put out huge stars, but it did get her noticed and one of the things about NS is that you have to be a songwriter. She is young, and still learing…all singers and songwriters need to learn.
I happen to like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Gunpowder and Lead, they are both good songs, but I like the album as a whole.
As I have said before, this is the nice part about the electronic age, we are all allowed to have our opinions and express them (as I frequently do).
November 14, 2007 at 1:50 pm Permalink
Jim, I really enjoyed your opinions and must say I’m a bit put off as well by the hoopla around Lambert. Even after what I considered a “poor” performance at the CMA’s, the next day I read articles proclaiming the performance first rate; maybe something was wrong with my t.v. Finally, I’ll say this, I’ve seen numerous musicians come through getting this kind of praise, but it seems like the long termers are the ones who just grind it out with solid albums and unfortunately little praise.
November 14, 2007 at 2:10 pm Permalink
Jim, you are dead on. In fact, I had similar issues with a lopsided amount of positive reviews (many of which seemed to be cut and pasted from one magazine to another) of Steve Earle’s and Ryan Adam’s latest works. It is sad that country fans in general feel forced to pick a side, even though I am sure that this war of what’s authentic and what’s fake has raged since Hank was booted from the Opry.
November 14, 2007 at 2:13 pm Permalink
I think this was more than a minute.
November 14, 2007 at 2:20 pm Permalink
Cool that The 9513 singles out artists now and critiques their style, life, and success.
This is what I loved most:
“Not after watching a string of tacky, out-of-control performances, including her appearance on last week’s CMA Awards.”
Oh yes. She should have pulled a Carrie Underwood by standing in one place, counting ceiling tiles (if she could keep her eyes open), while singing high-energy songs like “Gunpowder and Lead” or “Kerosene.” I’d rather watch paint dry.
Or maybe she could have pulled a George Strait by wearing a guitar through her whole performance and not even touching it the entire song, and once again- standing in one place.
I guess energy is out, and apathy is in. I’ll be sure to write Miranda and tell her.
I’ll also suggest that she contact Carrie Underwood’s songwriting factory, so for her next album Miranda can float from room to room offering an insignificant opinion on the songs being written for her; instead of actually giving a damn about what goes on her record.
November 14, 2007 at 2:27 pm Permalink
I am with Dave - one of the things I like most about Miranda is her energy…she doesnt just stand in one place - give a performance. I did not like her performance at the CMA’s–but then again I did not like that many of them (Kellie Pickler was one I liked) but then again they all sounded off, etc.
At least she makes the effort to write at least a percentage the music that she sings and has been since a young age, she has been writing with her father for a long time.
November 14, 2007 at 2:31 pm Permalink
Rico–Thanks for the comment!
Chris N.–I’d rather it last a little too long then end it a little too early ;-)
Dave–I know how much you love Miranda, and believe me, I did consider the tastes of our readers as I composed this. I’m not saying that Underwood is better–by ANY means, or that Lambert shouldn’t show energy on stage. But there’s a difference between energy and a lack of control. Anyone can go up on stage and jump around if they choose to do so–but what I’m looking for is at least a little bit of poise, because that jumping can start to seem like a distraction.
As far as the songwriting–again, I am NOT defending the material on Carnival Ride.
And I’d just say that this is not the opinion of The 9513–it’s the opinion of me. That’s why it’s in my column ;-)
Lanibug–I see your point, but I’m not sure I agree that writing songs makes a person more artistically credible than another. The fact that a person writes a song is irrelevant if that song isn’t well-executed.
November 14, 2007 at 2:43 pm Permalink
Excellent post. I could not believe that Stylus named Crazy Ex-Girlfriend the #2 album of the year. That’s just pure hyperbole. Like you said, positive expectations somehow turned into positive evaluations.
You’re right that people (I’d name No Depression magazine, for one) want to like Lambert as a sort of mainstream token. I think even I’m guilty of this at times. One thing I value about country music is that the industry and fans usually give a performer time to mature, always expecting better and better from them (at least compared to other genres). The media should back off Lambert so she can actually grow into the musician they think she already is.
PS I, too, really like Lambert and “What About Georgia” is my favorite song of her’s.
November 14, 2007 at 2:51 pm Permalink
Talk about capturing my attention. While reading I went from “he’s out of his mind” to “well, he has a point” to “are you kidding me?” to “oh, ok I can see where he’s coming from” to “this guy is trying to get at a bigger issue”.
I don’t recall reading any of your other articles so I don’t know exactly how to react to this one.
What I do know is that yes, it is overtly obvious that she is nowhere yet near the same category as Hag, Cash, Loretta Lynn, etc but she has the potential to become one of the greats. She has all of the right elements for a long career. She can sing, she can play, she can perform, she can write, she has the certain intangibles artists need to survive and she has the East Texas sass to keep her driven to stick around and continue to make great records.
November 14, 2007 at 3:20 pm Permalink
I don’t really share your opinion on this one by any stretch of the imagination, but music is subjective and people experience it differently. My best-of list for the year is still taking shape in my mind, but I fully expect Lambert to be somewhat close to the top. I’m not going to rewrite my review again here, but it’s on my site, if anybody wants to read it.
My issue with this post is the attempt to divine the intent of the reviewers who praised the album. Since I’m one of them, I feel compelled to respond to this:
“I think those who praise her so profusely, especially my fellow critics, are looking for reasons to love her. Because without artists like Lambert they would have no example to use when so harshly judging less traditional, or less edgy, artists (who they reject, out-of-hand, as less artistically credible). So they build Lambert up, and they try their hardest to convince their readership that she’s the second coming. But she’s not.”
You can disagree that she’s worthy of the praise, but isn’t it arrogant to assume that because you don’t happen to think the album was worthy of it, that the reviewers have deluded themselves that it is because of some agenda on their part?
I’ve been writing for Country Universe for more than three years, which includes the release period for both Miranda’s albums. I didn’t care much for the first, loved the second. I made the case for why I liked the album very clearly in my review, and it bears no resemblance to the assumptions that you’ve made.
Personally, I could care less if an artist has edge, mainstream appeal, radio success, pop flavor or anything else. I just listen to their music and write whether or not I like it and why.
I can’t speak for any other reviewers, since I’m not inside their heads, but I can speak for myself when I say that my praise of Miranda Lambert comes from the fact that she made an album that I considered well-sung, written and performed. I’m not “looking for reasons to love her” or trying to build her up with my audience. I’m just honestly responding to the music that I listen to. Isn’t that the whole point of reviewing music in the first place?
November 14, 2007 at 3:42 pm Permalink
Jim, I agree with Kelly and Kevin. I disagree with some of your specific criticisms of Miranda but my major problem with the article is that I think that you’re attacking a straw man, if for no other reason than that you seem to be basing your contention that Miranda is overrated on the comments of her rabid fans and cross-genre publications. Every artist has rabid fans and they all think that their favorite artist is the greatest ever, and most cross-genre publications like Stylus magazine are completely oblivious to most country music. I also think that you improperly conflate comparisions with artists like Merle Haggard - valid in my opinion - with statements that Miranda is as great as Merle Haggard, which is not an opinion that I’ve heard. I certainly don’t think that Miranda has reached any threshhold of greatness, but I don’t think that many credible outlets are making that argument. However, I’d have a difficult time naming a more talented artist of the current generation.
November 14, 2007 at 4:00 pm Permalink
First off, this was a very interesting and well done article. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I also agree with you that Miranda is overated.
I have two points to take up with you though,namely who is overrating Miranda and why.
You have constructed your analysis as follows:
Traditionalists (who are analagous to elitists) define themselves by supporting artists who are obscure. They pride themselves on having better taste than the Sheeple. These Traditionalitists are the people proping Miranda Lambert up. They are overrating her because she is a mainstream example of an artist who is “traditional” and “edgy” and the more highly she is esteemed, the more effectively they can dismiss commercially succesful artists who are less “traditional and edgy” out of hand.
I see several problems here. First, the grouping together of traditionalists with elitists is unfair. After all, the brotherhood that traditionalists share is that they all enjoy traditional country music, old and new. Furthermore, the traditionalists’ heroes weren’t obscure in their time, and a highly developed sense of musical appreciation was not a pre-requisite to enjoying them. You can’t say that Johnny Cash is to country what The Pixies are to rock. Traditionalists (myself included) like artists who are traditional, the popularity, or lack thereof, of the artists don’t really come into play. Elitists (of any stripe) define themselves in contrast to the masses and therefore support artists who aren’t widely popular, thus allowing them to be part of an exclusive in-crowd of people who can appreciate said artists.
It wouldn’t make any sense for the “country elitists” (who I’m not convinced actually exist) to prop Lambert up right? 1. She’s mainstream to begin with (on CMT, was in Nashville Star, appears on CMA’s) so they can’t claim any special status for having knowledge of her career and 2. If she were to become even more popular, they would become even less elite by being fans.
So we’re left with the Traditionalists inflating her value. So, roughly speaking, the same peolpe whose favorite current artists are Dale Watson, Wayne Hancock, BR549, Moot Davis, Hank III, Eleven Hundred Springs, etc etc are the people out there “looking” for reasons to love Miranda Lambert.
you say that “Because without artists like Lambert they would have no example to use when so harshly judging less traditional, or less edgy, artists (who they reject, out-of-hand, as less artistically credible)” If they are rejecting the less “traditional”, less “edgy” artists “out of hand” why do they need artists like Miranda to do so? if they are wrting them off “out of hand” why do they need a concrete example of a commercially succesful traditional country artist to do so?
To point, this theory that the indie snob traditionalist elitist is heaping undue praise on Miranda because if she is succesful they are validated in their snobbish dismissal of Carrie Underwood does not seem to be very likely due to the fact that the elitist yearns to keep the object of his affection underground, while the traditionalist needs no justification to dislike Carrie Underwoods music aside from it is not “traditional” or “real” country music and thus falls outside of their realm of appreciation.
So who then is heaping this undue praise and why?
As to the “who” I think you need to look no further than the types of publications that are giving her good reviews, most of which I assume are broadly mainstream, much like her fanbase. I guarantee that at an Miranda Lambert concert you will find more people with the latest Tim McGraw album than the latest Dale Watson.
So why are mainstream critics overpraising her? I haven’t analyzed the reviews in a comprehensive way, but from what I’ve seen its because she is making at least an attempt at being a substantive artist. She’s getting an “A” for effort more or less. Critics want country music to have depth and to be thoughtful and mature. Miranda is making a refreshingly bold attempt at this (for a mainstream artist, “famous in a small town” hasn’t really bowled over any fan for whom mainstream success isn’t a pre-requisite for appreciation).
In closing, I agree that she is being praised as a symbol, but not as a symbol of traditionalism in opposition to advancement, but rather as a symbol of depth in opposition to superficiality.
November 14, 2007 at 4:18 pm Permalink
CG,CG–Thanks for the comment, and “What About Georgia” is also my favorite Lambert song.
Ben J.–Glad I got you thinking a bit.
Kevin–Arrogant? Why absolutely. I make no claim otherwise. And I have no problem whatsoever being wrong about the music that I review. And I also have no problem with admitting that artists I don’t like deserve the praise that they receive. Because I don’t base my opinions about an artist on whether or not I personally like them or their music.
I personally think Toby Keith is a complete jackass, and I can’t stand his music–but I willingly offer that he is a hell of a songwriter.
Because music is only subjective to a point–and the failure to realize this fact is the reason why there are a thousand starving songwriters in Nashville tonight.
Songwriting is a craft, and there are concrete reasons why songs work or don’t work. There are standards and rules and the more a person learns about these standards and rules, the more easily they’re able to dissect inferior material.
And I talk about all of that in this article–I give specific reasons why the songwriting on Crazy Ex is not excellent.
That’s not to say that the rules always hold true–but they are rules for a reason, and when they are broken they should be broken for a purpose by someone who knows them and respects them.
Now, as to whether or not I should be trying to get into the heads of my fellow critics…I would buy that argument is there wasn’t such an overwhelming disparity between the praise given to Lambert an the quality (again, a term which is only partially subjective) of her material.
Because when everyone–everyone!–is giving a record four and five stars, one of two things is true; either the record is so incredible that there is zero dissenting opinion, or something else is influencing why people think the way they think.
That’s why the first thing I did, when prepping for this column, was go back to the music. I looked at it, I listened to it, and I asked myself whether or not I was the one showing poor judgment. Did I miss the ball on this? Did I let me own bias or personal taste influence my writing?
But there’s no musical evidence of any of that. There’s no musical evidence that this album deserves to be one of most widely praised since–how long? I mean, we, as a community, are putting this record in an elite class. Does it really deserve that?
I wasn’t going to mention any specific reviews, but since you brought yours up, I think you did make a very clear case why you liked the record, but I don’t think you made a clear case that the record is great.
I love bagel bites, for example, but I would never try to claim that they were gourmet cuisine.
Now, I admit–I could very well be wrong about why critics give Lambert so much praise–but until they show me why she deserves her place among the royalty–in more detail than a few generalized soundbytes–I can only go by what the evidence suggests. And your review is one of the few that doesn’t mention her sass, her attitude, etc…so i have to think that those attributes play heavily into the overall equation.
Kevin, I do honestly appreciate your comments and the debate. That’s what makes this forum so much more fun than print.
More replies later…
November 14, 2007 at 4:36 pm Permalink
I like Miranda Lambert but think Carrie Underwood is a better singer. Since I am a staunch traditionalist, I don’t think either of them can hold a candle to Connie Smith or Loretta Lynn - yet. Both have the time to grow and become quite excellent artists and I hope both will do so. I don’t need to artificially prop up Ms Lambert -she’s miles better than the screaching divas such as Faith Hill and Martina McBride, although there are numberous indy artists (Erin Hay, Amber Digby, Frenchi Thibodeaux) that leave Ms Lambert in their dust.
Lambert showed a lot of courage in her songs, but in terms of structuring an album, more work is needed. COurageous and good are not synonyms
November 14, 2007 at 5:25 pm Permalink
I’ve not heard Miranda’s album so I can’t comment on whether I agree if she’s overrated or not. I do however take issue with the overgeneralisation of both Underwood and Lambert fans as liking them for what they represent, rather than than the artists they actually are. The reasons for liking them as artists are varied for each fan i’m sure. As an Underwood fan, I was drawn to her since the very beginning of AI due to her voice, before I even knew what kind of country she was.
I did overall enjoy reading this for your analysis of what you think a great song is all about. Would be great if you can write on songs (current and old) that are, think that would make for interesting reading.
November 14, 2007 at 6:21 pm Permalink
Well, Jim, I somewhat understand where you are coming from. However, if she was so overrated, don’t you think she would have a Top 10 hit by now? Multiplatinum status? A co-headlining tour like Miss Underwood, who has been in country for a shorter time period? Look at how many nominations she has scored- and then look at the number of wins. The stats don’t scream overrated to me. Praise and good reviews don’t equate to equal promotion, radio success, album sales, and certainly not money in Lambert’s bank account.
November 14, 2007 at 8:16 pm Permalink
I know I’m changing the subject but if you like music check these out!!!
http://www.myspace.com/trevorthorntonmusic
November 14, 2007 at 8:52 pm Permalink
What I don’t understand is why the world needs critics like you… To tell me what or what not to like, what’s overrated? I honestly don’t care what you or anyone else thinks about Miranda Lambert, or any artist for that matter. All I care about is if the music makes me want to rock out in my car singing at the top of my lungs. Thats good music.
November 14, 2007 at 9:21 pm Permalink
OK, Lambert is over the top. I thought it funny that 9513 linked to an interview and there she said she “loves to hunt but gives her kill to ‘Hunters for the Hungry.’” How contrived is that? I live in a red red redneck state, and still, not a lot of women hunt just so they can shoot something dead.
So it’s all a show. Like that’t new. Someone else mentioned George Strait hanging a guitar around his neck for kicks. Nothing new.
So if you want to criticize performances? What about that little Kelly Pickler bustin’ in to tears? C’mon. All these immature artists are taking things to new levels.
Or are they? How much of Dolly Parton is real?
November 14, 2007 at 9:29 pm Permalink
Dave S says “I’ll also suggest that she contact Carrie Underwood’s songwriting factory, so for her next album Miranda can float from room to room offering an insignificant opinion on the songs being written for her; instead of actually giving a damn about what goes on her record.”
You have no clue what you’re talking about do you? Ms.Underwood my have had a writers retreat but only ONE song on her new album came out of that. I’m pretty sure she “gives a damn” what’s on her album. Maybe you should research your facts before you put someone down.
November 14, 2007 at 10:38 pm Permalink
It strikes me as shameful that some of the most highly regarded female singers in mainstream country these include Miranda, Carrie, and Taylor Swift (whom I really “don’t get”). The music is not very good but may seem so just because so much else of what is out there in Top 40 land is total crap in comparison. When truly talented artists like Ashley Monroe, Sunny Sweeney, Elizabeth Cook, Amy Dalley, and Megan Mullins are off on the sidelines while Miranda’s edgy, grating sound is praised as something great annoys me to no end. Miranda is truly over-rated as you state, but I would add that most of the other top female country artists these days are as well for different reasons. I know I will never look to Stylus magazine for any sort of musical advice….
November 14, 2007 at 11:30 pm Permalink
You know what, I just realized what this story was designed to do. It was designed to give people a place to bash someone who might be a little different. It really isn’t capable of generating anything positive- just disagreement. Sure, I love to harp on how bad I think Underwood is, but she and her fans can look down from the top spot and laugh.
Miranda Lambert is still struggling, in my opinion, to connect with a country audience that refuses to accept her, even after 3 years. It’s stories and comments like the ones displayed here that make me believe that Miranda’s days of making music that her fans love might be numbered. And like I said- Everyone can ask me how it feels now that I’m in the position of all of Carrie Underwood’s fans while I watch my favorite being put down, but the truth is that she won’t ever be in Miranda’s position.
Here we have a beautiful artist who can write, entertain, play, and tours more than any other female in country music- and she gets this novel written about how she’s overrated. If anything, she is underrated.
This whole topic is abosoutely ridiculous to be honest, considering Miranda has had the least amount of commercial success out of all the top females she was nominated with this past CMA Awards show. If she is so overrated, why isn’t she being forced down our throats by radio and awards shows, and showcased on our living room TVs every other day like an American Idol contestant?
It’s been a year since Martina McBride has even had a Top 10 hit and about 5 years since she’s sang about anything other than sunshine and butterflies, and millions of people were shouting “Entertainer of the Year nomination.” She headlines a tour after being in the business for over 15 years- good for her! It’s about damn time! It’s not the first time in history that a female has actually headlined a tour. Talk about overrated.
All of you have no idea was overrated is. But just because Miranda puts out an album that receives countless 4-5 star reviews by numerous critics and publications, she is branded as being overrated. You all live in a fantasy world.
November 14, 2007 at 11:38 pm Permalink
Also, just by Rick’s harsh generalization of all of today’s rising female artists, I can tell he’s never listened to Miranda’s album… but he’s putting it down anyway by saying he will never look to Stylus again. Way to be open-minded!
And once Amy Dalley, Megan Mullins, and the others he mentioned get a Top 40 hit, he will no long be able to like them. Why? Well, they’d be “Top 40.” It’s the anti-Christ.
November 15, 2007 at 5:41 am Permalink
As one of the proud traditionalists, elitists, or whatever I don;t think pop-country has no right to occupy the genre, it just doesn’t have the right to monopolize it in the public mind.
Lambert, like the Dixie Chicks before her, looks for the hit only in the context of excellent work. Alas, she is only 24 and has a tendency to believe her own hype, but I’ll put my money on Miranda for keeping the grittier element of country alive.
I’d hate to think that honor was only riding on the shoulders of Gretchen Wilson.
November 15, 2007 at 6:21 am Permalink
Is this piece mostly inspired by that Stylus list? Yes, it’s certainly terrible when a country album gets praise from a non-country website, even one that’s just gone out of business.
Also, about these uncited straw men people comparing Lambert to country legends– How many of the artists we now think of as legends came out of the box with two flawless albums? At most a handful. Lots of albums in the 50s and 60s were
75-80% filler, and we know only the singles from them now. I’m not saying Lambert’s albums are flawless, but you seem to keep moving the goalposts to prove that she’s unworthy of the small amount of attention she’s getting (mostly on the internet, where everything is overrated.)
Most of the reviewers I know who love Miranda are the same ones who loved “Some Hearts” and Taylor Swift–i.e. without the diabolical trad-elitist agenda of hyping an artist onto the charts so they can then hate her.
November 15, 2007 at 7:47 am Permalink
who is this fool you all know my saying CULL HIM
November 15, 2007 at 10:28 am Permalink
With Dave S comparing Lambert to McBride - the original author’s point is made in big bold letters. That sure kills discussion.
November 15, 2007 at 10:58 am Permalink
Funk- I was making a point that there are artists a lot more worthy of being labeled overrated and having a novel written about them than Lambert. McBride and Lambert have as much in common as Underwood and Lambert.
November 15, 2007 at 10:36 pm Permalink
What excellent comments. I go away for a day and come back to an amazing discussion. I’d love to reply to every post, but that comment would just be too long. But I wanted to thank everyone for a great discussion, and I will be back, tomorrow, after finishing up a couple of reviews, to touch on some specific points that have been raised. Keep it alive!
November 16, 2007 at 9:37 pm Permalink
ummmm. my first question is why you wrote this about Miranda (who i happen to be a huge fan of) when Carrie Underwood is on everthing all the time everyday and waaayyyyyy more overrated than Ran. ok anyway
you said “Not after watching a string of tacky, out-of-control performances, including her appearance on last week’s CMA Awards” well it got people talking even if it was an “out of control performance” as others said at least she didnt stand there and do nothing like Carrie and others.
You need to go to a Carrie (dont mean to pick on her) concert then go to a Miranda concert, sure Carrie has a nice voice and “properly written” songs but Miranda had real energy and raw emotion in her songs and peformances, which are real performances not someone stading there and singing into a mic belive me there is a huge diffenrence!
“Miranda Lambert is overrated, and her rabid popularity is as musically unfounded…” I have a question, if Miranda is rabidly popular as you say how can she be overrated at the same time.Dont the fans make up who is popular and rate them..
“I do, however, have a problem with the undue amount of praise awarded to Lambert, and, specifically, to her songwriting.” again i dont see how there is undue praise for her songwriting, could me or you write or co-write a whole cd full of songs and then make the cd go #1?? i just disagree with the whole article pretty much, and while i do agree with the fact she isnt quite Merle or Martina as she hasnt had the years. and get over the whole she was on a reality tv show thing. Ran had already put out a cd and was touring before that. from what i have seen so far she is one of if not the best new artists in the last decade. Miranda is the best thing to happen to country music and i thank god there are some people like Ran keeping country country and not pop! Miranda will be around forever and go down in history.
November 17, 2007 at 12:32 pm Permalink
I just have to add that I LOVE “Desperation” and wish she’d put it on radio. Heck, I spin it on request nights just for fun. And “Dry Town” is just too much fun for words. That song’ll put me in the happiest of moods on a day that I wouldn’t think possible. I’ve been a fan of Miranda since she left Nashville Star. Of her confidence, of her songwriting ability and of her country roots. I, too, though have been disappointed in some of her Award-Show Performance choices. I just want her to sit down and SING. One of HER songs. With her guitar. And just show the non-believers that she does have “it” like I know she does. There’s time for fun songs like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” & “Gunpowder & Lead”, and that time is during a LIVE show at Billy Bob’s.
November 18, 2007 at 12:10 am Permalink
Is that writers strike over yet? cause you fly by night critics are pathetic! Nice title, it got alot of attention. Shame about you losing your job.
November 22, 2007 at 9:08 pm Permalink
I really enjoy Miranda Lambert. That’s not to say I think she’s a second coming, a savior, or transcendent. But how many artists meet those requirements. The press always has a darling of the moment. Who cares? You think all music critics and writers are so incisive? You really get offended when they laud an artist with praise and adulation you don’t feel they deserve? I mean, no offense, but that must mean you get pissed off a lot.
From where I sit, the industry as a whole is seeing so much turmoil and strife I’d be glad if any single artist could be seen as a savior of the music biz… as long as it isn’t P. Diddy. ;)
November 25, 2007 at 5:12 pm Permalink
That you can’t even bring yourself to say her album is better than Underwood’s in spite of your insistance on artistry is not a sign of good taste. You got your attention, you didn’t provide answers only nitpicking. Thanks a not!
December 3, 2007 at 2:15 pm Permalink
I agree Double-L. Her playing those songs live at Billy Bob’s is the perfect place for that. I saw here there last February. Awesome show.
December 9, 2007 at 6:32 pm Permalink
I love Miranda Lambert. She had my attention nearly from the moment I heard of her. Critics love her, but that annoys me. (I am also a fan of the ICP.) I will agree that Kerosene is better overall, but I loved Crazy Ex the first time I listened to it. Give Miranda some credit, she repeatedly admits that she is “still new.” If she keeps impressing me the way she has with her first two albums, I will definitely keep buying. I just can’t help but be on her side. Her music captures emotion, and her stage performances do the same. I love the out-of-control performances, but that’s just me. Under the same breath I will have to say that I love her controlled performances as well, such as that featured on the stripped music website. I just don’t buy that she’s overrated, I suppose because she is not over-played (except for in my cd player).
December 9, 2007 at 7:00 pm Permalink
One more thing that irks me. You admit she has good songs and sings the hell out of many of them. Since when do we judge an artist by their future? That’s like looking at an amazing painting, admitting that it’s striking, and then saying, “I won’t know if they did well until I see that their future works amaze me just as much.” Just admit that when it is good it is good. If they fail in the future, then we can move on to something else, but I seriously doubt she will fail. Both her writing (the fact that she writes, period) and song choices have impressed me so far.
December 10, 2007 at 2:59 pm Permalink
Katie you made some VERY GOOD points-Jim you contradict yourself by pretty much saying-
She is good- but she is overrated-
that makes no sense if you like her how can she be overrated- pretty sad article!
December 13, 2007 at 2:34 am Permalink
I agree with Jim Malec. Miranda seems to be a critics darling right now, but she doesn’t deserve all that praise. Miranda’s music is very, very good, but not worthy of some of the praise heaped upon her.
But I disagree with the brief line praising “Famous in a Small Town.” Miranda sings this well, but the song itself is cliched tripe. This is yet another song that supposed to praise small town life but inadvertantly makes small town life look trivial and those who populate it look stupid.
December 14, 2007 at 11:00 am Permalink
Hairandtoenails:
It doesn’t make small town people look stupid. I live in a small town, and I don’t feel like I’m being called stupid. I appreciate the lyrics and find them quite humorous, because such events do happen; and the traits assigned to small town life in the song by the writers (Lambert/Howard) are pretty true.
MSN also included “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” in their top 10 best albums list for 2007 (all genres). So has Chet Flippo, who writes Nashville Skyline for CMT. I guess they have no credibility, either. Before we know it, the only person with any credibility as a critic will be Jim Malec.
December 14, 2007 at 11:29 am Permalink
I think we need to re-evaluate what’s considered an outlaw.
Driving your motorcycle through a window to pitch a song, spending 10 years in prison, walking into a record label - swearing at the president - and telling him he better sign you, telling the industry to get lost and you’ll go down to Texas and make your own popularity, the label tells you to change so you end your contract… those things are being an outlaw. Being on a TV show and singing songs that involve fire and making fun of your ex isn’t.
Let’s be honest though… Carrie Underwood is pound for pound one of the best new singers out there.
December 14, 2007 at 11:39 am Permalink
Carrie Underwood is a good screamer at best.
December 14, 2007 at 2:24 pm Permalink
Her fans don’t think of her as an outlaw. Get over the fact that people like her and go listen to music you appreciate rather than bashing her for being good, but not good enough for praise. Carrie has a good voice, but she has yet to impress me. If she is pound for pound one of the best new singers out there, you must be going by her weight…which can’t be much.
It’s a simple formula. Miranda writes and/or picks songs that she can relate to. She sings them and they are believable. When it is believeable it is good, and when it is good people like it. She simply does it the way it should be done.
We shouldn’t concern ourselves with whether critics like or don’t like the music we listen to. What does it matter if some artist that didn’t make it makes a living on deciding who is good? If there were more Jim Malec’s in the world that would not make a lick of difference to me. Bottom line is that time will tell if the artist will last and we should enjoy it while they do. If some believe she is going to save country, more power to them. If others think she is dragging country into the depths of its grave, then they can believe that. Who cares if a good artist gets praise? To say that it’s not fair for this talented artist to be acknowledged and for that artist to not be acknowledged is a waste of time. Write an article on somebody you like and acknowledge them for God’s sake!
Famous in a Small Town does take jabs at small town life, but that’s what makes the song good. She loves it there anyway “we’ll let em point and stare in disbelief.” She loves being from a small town, but isn’t ignorant to its flaws. It’s a love-hate kind of thing. I think anybody can relate to that.
December 14, 2007 at 2:41 pm Permalink
Just so Katie knows, I wasn’t insulting Miranda… I was just saying she’s not an outlaw.
I like the idea behind famous in a small town myself, it’s not making fun of it. It’s taking a funny twist at it. And to be honest, it’s pretty much the truth!
December 14, 2007 at 4:16 pm Permalink
I guess its open to debate whether Miranda is making fun of small town life. Having read the comments, I can see that there are a few possible, and credible, interpretations.
But I really want to address the post by Katie that says “we shouldn’t concern ourselves with whether critics like or don’t like the music we listen to.”
I can’t agree with that. We should be interested in not just the music we like, but we should be asking ourselves “what kind of music should I like?” Or, “Is the kind of music I like the kind of music that I should like.” These are tough questions that critics can help us get a handle on.
Not all critics of course — many reviews (USAToday, Country Weekly) are pure fluff and should be ignored. But there are critics who write intelligently and insightfully about the music, and we should care about their opinions. Part of the task becomes learning which critics are merely blowing smoke and which ones have intelligent things to say.
We don’t have to agree with the critics, but we should be willing to consider the ideas of intelligent critics. If we agree, we should have reasons, and if we disagree, we should have reasons too.
Being a country music fan is so much more rewarding when we are willing to reflect upon the music even just a little bit and thus further refine our tastes.
December 14, 2007 at 4:45 pm Permalink
“Not all critics of course — many reviews (USAToday, Country Weekly) are pure fluff and should be ignored. ”
Hi! I write all the reviews for Country Weekly. Nice to know I’m just “blowing smoke,” and that I do not have “intelligent things to say.”
December 14, 2007 at 5:27 pm Permalink
Excellent points on all sides the way around. I would just touch on the function of the critic by saying that without critical review and commentary there was be no filtering mechanism between the producer and the consumer of the product. The critic serves as a system of checks and balances.
December 14, 2007 at 5:31 pm Permalink
Chris has some good things to say! It’s very difficult to write review in 100 words, and the reviewer also has to take audience into consideration. My reviews for The 9513 are very different than my reviews for Westword, even though my core message about the music is the same.
December 14, 2007 at 5:53 pm Permalink
Chris — I am sure you have “intelligent things to say” but its very, very hard for a reviewer’s intelligence to come through when confined to the 1 paragraph of a typical Country Weekly review.
December 14, 2007 at 10:02 pm Permalink
I have a pretty defined opinion of critics;
it’s interesting to hear what they think about an album, but by no means will it ever affect my taste in music, nor will anybody else’s. Critics come in handy when looking for new music, not reviewing music you’ve already heard. It’s nice when you find a critic with the same taste as you, then their company buys them 50 albums and you buy the four they said were good!
A critic will just never change my opinions… if I think the new Toby album is awesome and a critic doesn’t, what does it really matter to me?
December 15, 2007 at 10:30 am Permalink
Didn’t some fairly intelligent fellow once say that brevity is the soul of wit?
I wrote a very brief review of the new Keith Urban greatest-hits album for CW, and a very long one for the Nashville Scene. The latter is more nuanced, but that doesn’t mean the former is unintelligent. More importantly, both say essentially the same thing: that this product is worth your money.
December 15, 2007 at 2:50 pm Permalink
I like Chris’ reviews in country weekly. Of course there’s times when I think “NO WAY! That deserves much lower/higher!” but then I remember it’s personal opinion.
December 16, 2007 at 1:07 pm Permalink
I put Miranda in my top five albums of the year (in today’s Chicago Tribune). And had I had to rank them, she would’ve been first. They just don’t make girls like that anymore: who can sing like crazy and write without cliches. If I’d had to pick an unreleased single of the year, it might’ve been her “Guilty in Here.”
December 26, 2007 at 9:29 am Permalink
ok going back to the famous in a small town comments- it doesnt make us look stupid, im from a town of 2,500. all it does is portray the ins and outs of small towns, quite accurately i might add.
to hairandtoenails- i dont need to be told what I MYSELF like by anyone- i can acutally think for myself!!! It is interesting to see what oother people think is good and right now that seems to be Miranda.
Nice to know people like Chris, Alison and others still have there heads screwed on strait!
January 5, 2008 at 2:15 am Permalink
Once again, I don’t really understand why the writers of these articles on this site can’t get through one post about anything without saying something negative about Carrie Underwood. It seems like every article that has been published here is some how negatively linked to Carrie Underwood.
And yes Miranda Lambert is over-rated (I didn’t think so until the obsessive praise Crazy Ex-Girlfriend got), as is Taylor Swift. They both have their fans that will stick by them no matter what, so I don’t see the purpose in trying to stir the pot.
January 18, 2008 at 6:56 pm Permalink
umm Carl- first of all you have to admit Carrie is overrated and WAY overplayed! i dont want to hear/ see any artist that much- How is Miranda’s CXGF cd overrated when 1) it was amazingly good 2) it debuted #1 on the Billboard country charts!! i dont know how ya’ll can keep saying these things??
January 21, 2008 at 12:32 am Permalink
I couldn’t disagree more with the statement that Miranda is overrated. In my opinion you have to have been overexposed to be overrated which Miranda hasn’t been.She has just managed to make TWO number one cds and a number of chart singles without the critical acclaim and marketing campaigns of some TRULY OVERATED ARTISTS!!As for your complaint that she is over the top I’ll take a little over the top over Cardboard Carrie any day
January 22, 2008 at 10:34 am Permalink
Jim I will agree that the Kerosene cd was better as a whole than Crazy Ex.However the songs you cited as the ones you love from Kerosene were never going to be single material,and like it or not artists (especially new ones) need to have successfull radio singles or the cd’s won’t be a sucess and they won’t have a record deal. The new cd has many songs that would be perfect singles and should enjoy chart sucess. While these may not be as those great songs from Kerosene there still damn good and shouldn’t be dissmissed.Once Miranda has has chart sucess and job security from her record label I suspect she will be able to make those great ballads and have them go to the top of the charts.After all many of the greats had to produce marketable singles before they could enjoy success with “Their kind of music”, George Strait comes to mind.
January 22, 2008 at 10:52 am Permalink
OK Todd, I’ll bite–
I agree in point, but my question would be this: if the current record has so many great singles, where are they? ‘Cause we’re three singles in and nothing seems to be catching traction. “Famous” has a slow and disappointing run. “Gunpowder” is off to an OK start, and might do pretty well, but even if it goes to #1, that’s ONE #1 song.
January 22, 2008 at 3:40 pm Permalink
Jim, i have the answer to your question- SONY SUCKS! The first “single” was Crazy ex-girlfriend had more publicity than any other single that year i think, it was up to top 50 from requests, popularity from performance on CMA’s, when the record company pulled it two weeks before it went up for adds nationally as they deemed the lyrics “controversial”. That pretty much got the whole cd off to a bad start, then came along Famous in a small town, which station managers feared adding as they thought it may get “Crazy ex-girlfriend-ed”. Anyway, with little help from the so called “record company” the Miranda fans got it to chart where it sat in 30th for a number of weeks. After this the fans, and i think maybe even that sorry excuse of a label got it going. It ended up at 14th on mediabase (i believe her highest song) having stayed on the charts for many months. Yes ms. Underwood was getting number ones like crazy while we creeped slowly up, but i might mention that stations are pretty much paid a play for Carrie, where as Miranda gets very little promotion. I pick up about 8 country stations where i live, and almost EVERY time i hear Miranda on the radio someone called and requested it!! Plus the kicker -its hard for a radio station to play a song Sony NEVER sent to them!! Not many stations get her singles quickly and they usually do finally get/ add them to playlists after the Ran fans have driven the insane!! I personally think Miranda would get 2x as many plays as Carrie if her Record company spend a few $$. Now Gunpowder and Lead is charting on top 40 the weekish it was released, i dont know how many other women’s songs do that besides about 6-8 very “pop”-ular ones. If you get my drift- ex. Leann Rimes (had a pop cd) Carrie (songs cross over daily) Faith/Shania (also have pop cds/singles) and even Taylor Swift (who has the pop version of Teardrops). Now when i hear Miranda on a pop/ light rock station i’ll stop arguing that point, but until then…
Now Jim, if you still wonder why Miranda hasnt had great radio success, you should ask the radio stations themselves. -Wade (Mirandas2cool)
January 22, 2008 at 5:00 pm Permalink
The hits are still upcoming because in reality she has only released ONE single. As Mirandas2cool said Crazy Ex wasn’t released technically it got airplay from the fallout from the CMA’s.Gunpowder & Lead has only been out for a couple of weeks so it’s tough to tell what it’s gonna do, and hardly counts as a released single. Famous In a Small Town did go top 20 and stayed on the charts for around six months. In the process it became Miranda’s BIGGEST CHART SUCCESS(if that’s a dissapointment I need to learn that words definition). That proves my point that this cd has singles that have a better chance at being hits.To your point about if this song goes it will be only one number one , the first one is the hardest one to get because after that you have all the exposure. It’s a whole lot esier to go number one when people know who you are!
June 25, 2008 at 8:08 pm Permalink
well, i like miranda so i think i’ll go get my gunpowder & lead out, and play her absolutely amazing debut and sophmore cds.
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