Miranda Lambert

I have to admit that I lost interest in Country Music when it got all electrified in the mid 70s. It became like a bastard cousin of rock; an intentional crossover just to win the hearts of country folks who though that rock was the voice of Satan. It was like how the white kids in Detroit weren’t supposed like Motown music so they took hold of the MC5 and their raucous and preachy, high energy Kick Out the Jams concerts and recordings.

Though I did for the most part abandon Country music, I still held a deep appreciation for Jerry Jeff Walker, Hank Williams Sr. (not Junior), Bob Wills and a few others. Even today I expanded the list to include Alison Krauss and Iris Dement because they have been able to uphold some of the traditions in music that I appreciate.

OK here is a confession, I heard a review of a new album on NPR a couple weeks ago and I have now reservedly accepted Electrified Country. It may just be this one instance, but the review was so good I had to pay $9.99 to iTunes just to get my very own copy.

The recording is Miranda Lambert’s “Crazy Ex-girlfriend.” This collection starts with the likes of the song Gunpowder and Lead, where she’s going to show an abusive partner just what little girls can be made of. The collection moves onto another high energy tune where Miranda sings the woes of finding herself with a broken down car in a dry town which uses more traditional Honkey Tonk pedal steel sound. The song Crazy Ex-Girlfriend alone is worth the price of the recording. Probably because I’ve had a few crazy ex-girlfriends in my past, so I can relate.

There are other high energy tracks such “Guilty in Here” and “I’m Getting Ready to Let You Go”, but there are other tracks that are very reminiscent of the lithely vulnerable qualities that are shared by Krauss and Dement.

I don’t know if Miranda is actually famous in the world of Country music, and I don’t care; I like this recording. If you have no love for Country music this collection will not change your mind. However, if you have some Country leanings or some Country in your history you may enjoy it. So there you go; a country music review from me, of all people.