Album Review – The Pistol Annies – Hell On Heels
I’ve always had a distant but sincere appreciation for Miranda Lambert, despite her obvious dalliances with the devil that is the big Music Row machine. The grit displayed in her albums Kerosene and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, that unlike a Gretchen Wilson album, still held an element of class, and her unwillingness to hide her east Texas accent, scored some pretty big cool points with me. Then in 2009 came the more tame, but still not bad Revolution, and then the sham, celeb marriage to uber tool Blake Shelton. It seems like a crime that triple-breasted fart knocker has a legal right to handle up on those fun bags, but I digress.
The fact that this album with Angeleena Presley and Ashley Monroe even exists seems like a miracle in this day where superstar franchises like Miranda are micro-managed, and every bit of “product” is controlled to make sure the optimum amount of dollars can be drawn from a name. Side projects, or just generally allowing artists to do what they want, is traditionally not allowed in any shape or form. However Hell on Heels slipped through the cracks for whatever reason, and for mainstream fare, it is not bad at all.
You first have to appreciate this album is slanted toward the delicate frauline of the populous. I may be endowed by my creator with the finest in male plumbing, but I can still get in touch with my feminine side and appreciate the perspective of this album. Also understand this album is meant to be fun. The girls have fake handles for the gig, “Hippie Annie, Holler Annie, & Lone Star Annie”. Just like the current trend on primetime drama of having the hero be a heroine in knee high boots with heaving breasts, that takes down sleeper cells after the kiddos are asleep, the same trend of a troika of crass, slutty, pill-popping girls is popular in music these day (see Those Darlin’s and many others). The Pistol Annies, with their thick accents and bravado-driven songs, fall right into that mold.
A few of the harder-edged songs I just can’t get into, including the first single and title track “Hell on Heels” along with “Bad Example” and “Takin’ Pills”, but I’m willing to give them a slight pass on being the tracks that help establish the persona of the Pistol Annies. Then there’s a couple of songs, “Family Feud” and “Hunter’s Wife”, which just like many mainstream country songs these days, are simply vehicles for throwing out countrisms that targeted demographics can easily identify with as opposed to offering any real substance.
But if you shove those songs to one side of the table, what you’re left with is some very excellent, soulful, well-sung, well-written and produced songs that really touched a nerve with me, even though they’re from the juxtaposed female position. The Angaleena-led “Lemon Drop” about a young girl struggling to get on her feet is a solid track. “Boys From the South” is the catchiest song of the bunch, with the steel guitar right out in front, and a simple approach that employs some countryisms without exploiting them, though I admit, this song has been written many times. Neither of these songs are spectacular, but just like Miranda’s “White Liar” and “House That Built Me”, you don’t feel insulted by hear them coming out of your radio’s speakers.
The real gems are the heartbreaking “Beige”, the exquisite “Housewife’s Prayer”, and “Trailer for Rent”. All three really dig deep down to convey the heart-wrenching struggles of the female condition, with a soul that can only come from a song inspired by real life. The haunting “Housewife’s Prayer” channels Emmylou Wrecking Ball-era arrangement, and combines it with the universal theme of desperation. “Beige” paints a gray picture with broken dreams and an all-too-familiar story of forced wedlock, and for my money, is the marquee song on the album.
One issue I found in “Trailer for Rent” and a few other songs is that the Southern accents at times feel a little put on. Back in the 90’s and early oughts, a thick Southern accent would preclude your single from radio play, but in this era of country checklists and excessively-mined stereotypes, ratcheting up the twang is not only accepted, it is encouraged. When it is authentic, a Southern accent is beautiful on a gorgeous Southern girl, but on a few occasions my radar was sounding for over-accented singing, though again, this might be part of the Pistol Annie gimmick.
This album is not bad. My guess is, what is bad about it is what will be presented to the masses while the best songs are left at home forgotten like the ugly girl on dance night, that is, if Big Brother doesn’t bury it in total from business concerns. But it is good to see Music Row allow Miranda to have a little fun, while helping to promote a few budding and beautiful songwriters in the process, which after all, is another country music tradition corporate country has allowed to whiter on the vine.
The Pistol Annies are tits in my book.
1 1/2 of 2 guns up.
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Preview & Purchase Tracks from Hell on Heels
September 14, 2011 @ 9:40 am
I’m happy to see you review this album! I agree with you on Beige, Housewife’s Prayer, and Trailer for Rent being the standout tracks from this album. I think Houswife’s Prayer can almost play as a female perspective social commentary of our country’s current state of affairs. It’s hard to tell if some of the weaker tracks on the album are the girls just having fun or trying to dumb things down a bit to appeal more to the mainstream. However, I am really glad that Miranda was able to do this project to help her friend’s get greater exposure and make some music with less of a rock and roll feel.
September 14, 2011 @ 10:25 am
“The Pistol Annies are tits in my book” Freudian slip? (lol).
September 14, 2011 @ 11:45 am
I am so glad that you reviewed this! I am also glad that you didn’t hate it. I have spent a lot of time defending Miranda Lambert. She is loved by the mainstream but I believe that was not her intention. I recently watched her VH1 Behind the Music and realized that when she signed her first record deal she was willing to walk if they did not agree to let her sing what she wants to sing.
From the day I heard about this new group/album, I have been completely interested. I have listened to it over and over and I have to say I agree with a lot of what you say. “Trailer for Rent” is exactly what you said, more of a twang. I noticed it because she makes the word “shit” have two syllables to rhyme with “rent”. “Boys From the South” is very catchy, I listened to that one a lot before the release. I am honestly afraid of this album being turned into a gimmick as you mentioned. My biggest fear is that Carrie Underwood and her crew will be driving down the road singing it.
A WHOLE lot needs to be said about Ashley Monroe. That chick has a BEAUTIFUL voice. I am glad that she is getting this exposure. She recorded “Old Enough” by the Raconteurs and Ricky Skaggs . The version is better then the original and the mando and Ashley’s voice compliment each other. She also wrote a good song called “Hank’s Cadillac” when she was 17. Love her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qahZ-whM6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv5MLxYefMA
Thanks for this one Triggerman!
September 14, 2011 @ 12:49 pm
Good review. This is a CD that my wife & I almost agree on. Wish more mainstream releases were on this level.
September 15, 2011 @ 7:42 am
Sounds like you and me are in the same situation with respect to our spouses and their taste in music. My wife’s birthday is next week. Maybe I’ll pick this one up for her.
September 14, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
I have really enjoyed the album and listen to it often…even if it annoys me a tad that someone is $1200 Jimmy Choo shoes is singing to me about how the bills keep getting higher and how they need to rent out their trailer.
But I get it.
Ashley’s voice is amazing and I believe Angaleena’s song writing and I don’t doubt for a second she would have burned her house down.
September 14, 2011 @ 3:50 pm
Wow.I thought this was the last place left where I didn’t have to read about Miranda and her Spice Girls gig..Guess not.
September 14, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
To save country music, we must understand there is contrast even in the mainstream world, and giving credit where credit is due is imperative to showing our taste in music is honest, and not simply based on the ascetic that something is from the independent and underground world.
This is nowhere near The Spice Girls. Just like Hank3’s country is nowhere near death metal.
September 14, 2011 @ 7:34 pm
Gotta say I appreciate that honesty, Triggerman, and that willingness to give mainstream country singers the credit they deserve. I have by and large given up on mainstream Nashville music, but there are some artists I will still buy. Just for an example, the last Nashville country disc I bought was George Strait’s Here For A Good Time. last week when it came out. (It has some good stuff on it, too. Faith Hill’s “contribution” notwithstanding, he nails “A Showman’s Life,” and his take on Delbert McClinton’s “Lone Star Blues” is a lot of fun.) Before that I don’t even know what the last mainstream Nashville was I bought for myself.
Did you get the Pistol Annies album via digital download or did you get an actual cd? I was puzzled last week by Lone Star Music posting on Facebook that they had copies of it in their store in New Braunfels, but later reading revealed that the cd was pretty hard to find. The reason for that was never elaborated on, but I suppose it had to do with them not pressing enough copies.
I’d be willing to go to New Braunfels to get it, though. It’s only 35 miles up the road from me. 😉
September 14, 2011 @ 8:13 pm
I completely agree with you there Triggerman. I think it adds a lot of credibility to this site, and this underground scene in general, when you give all music your fair and honest opinion. Judge it for what it is without labels. That’s the area your writing has matured most over the past few years. Even a year ago I think you would’ve just called it all bullshit and left it at that. I mean, you’ve come a long way from this:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/free-hank-iii-takes-the-pop-country-challenge 😉
Great Work Triggerman
September 14, 2011 @ 8:40 pm
It is very fair when you give an honest opinion. Don’t make it right, don’t make it wrong, don’t let me stop you / / / / I’ll just put down in a song . . . uh huh . . . Cuz momma didn’t raise no fool//// Uh huh . . . i’m bringin’ it back old skool / / / / uh huh//// I got the country music blues . . . uh huh. Uh huh . . .
It’s a little too contrived for my liking. Granted I only heard a snippet of each but that’s what I base my opinion on.
September 14, 2011 @ 10:22 pm
Just for the record, I did not write this review just to curry favor with the mainstream crowd. I was recommended this album by many people, and asked to write a review for it by many people. I listened to it, and these are my honest opinions.
Even pop country fans would tell you, Miranda is what passes for hard country these days. And let’s appreciate, that 2/3’rds of this album are 2 virtually unknown singer/songwriters that write their own material. And after listening to the album, I would disagree with anyone that would say it is polished, or even mostly polished. There is a lot of twang here, maybe too much twang, and a lot of honest songwriting. There’s also some chaff, but that to be expected. Nick 13’s album was way more polished, and was a completely independent project.
BTW Pistolero, I do not have a hard copy. I found the album in its entirety on MySpace, and listened to it there.
September 14, 2011 @ 6:06 pm
Sorry I don’t like it. Granted, it’s slicker than most, but being a woman I’m not into the anthem of Hell in Heels. It might appeal to twenty sumthins but to me it’s just doens’t thrill me. In fact, to me, it’s just as fabricated as the pop country boys discs because it is taking Miranda, developing her and her costars into a persona they aren’t and spinning out a female Faux-law image. Do these gals take pills? Live in trailers? Wear beige to whitewash melancholy heartstrings? Boys from the South?! That track has the same melody of a dozen other pop country songs as does the rest of ’em. You just like looking at the pretty girls Triggerman, that’s all! Ha Ha! But it’s a decent attempt to become real. Try, try again! This is a concept album through and through.
September 14, 2011 @ 7:51 pm
I agree,especially with her music being the same as the rest of the crap you hear,including the PA’s.I seem to be alone in that opinion as everyone keeps telling me how country she is.Anytime I hear some 16 yr old drive by blaring her,I always miss the “country” part,especially if it’s the John Prine song she mutilated and turned into a rock song.Disgusting.That and just the fact that her and her “tool” are everywhere you look.
September 14, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
I agree. It’s one tenth edgier than what’s currently offered so it seems more geniune. But looks are almost always deceiving. Three “hot” girls keepin’ it real?! Really? If they could sink their musical chops into something less cheesy than Pistol Packin’ Mama’s and their geetars I might buy it.
September 14, 2011 @ 10:32 pm
I can’t sit here and defend Miranda’s public image, and in fact I commented on it negatively in my review. I also did not review any of her music that they play on the radio, I reviewed The Pistol Annies, which so far, they haven’t played on the radio, probably because it’s too country for the mainstream. I can’t make the argument that a song is bad because Blake Shelton is a tool, when that song was written and predominately performed by a relatively unknown songwriter named Ashley Monroe, simply because Miranda’s mug happens to be on the cover. That makes me look like a tool.
I’ve always said 90% of what is on the radio is garbage. It stands to reason then that 10% of it is not. Maybe the Pistol Annies falls into that 10%. And I didn’t say it was great, I simply said it was not bad. And I stand behind that.
September 14, 2011 @ 10:02 pm
I agree with Kyle that context is very important here. Has anybody else watched CMT lately? I did for nearly two hours a few weeks ago and I’m here to tell you that until the Pistol Annies came on, Taylor Swift was the best thing I heard BY FAR. There’s a song out there called “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” that sounds like NSync’s “Space Cowboy,” but with even more Auto-Tune. There’s a cheesy ballad where Rascal Flatts sings with some chick and it was painful to get through. Lady Antebellum was even worse and don’t get me started on Blake Shelton (Miranda can do way better, by the way) or Brantley Gilbert. Oh, and Craig Campbell has a song called “Fish.” Look it up for yourself because I can’t even stand to think about it. It’s that bad.
The point is, the Pistol Annies aren’t the problem here and neither are the Jamey Johnsons, George Straits, and Alan Jacksons of the world for that matter. They are all talented performers who write a lot of their own material and have done some great stuff from time to time while holding onto as much country tradition as Music Row will allow. We all know that there is better music out there, but to those stuck in the rut of what Nashville feeds them, this is very likely the album of the year. Don’t believe it? Go buy Justin Moore’s album and then get back to me.
September 15, 2011 @ 8:17 am
I just agree slightly Adam for the fact that Music Row has it’s fingers in the cookie jar. Those three piece suits know what they are doing. Throw in “unknowns” with a “headliner” and more money, more money more money and pop country is still controlled by the Nashville music mill. It’s not as simple as “oh look! These gals are changing the music scene” it’s as complex as mind control, artistic control and radio control to bow to their almighty dollar. Image is everything Triggerman, right? Why do you think they don’t like Shelton? You think they’ll ever accept Jayke Orvis? Joe Buck? They won’t accept Rachel Brooke, who is a million times the singer and artist that Miranda is because why? They tried it years ago with someone else and now Miranda Lambert is the tool, so to speak, to twist things up in Nashville and make y’all think Nashville is changing. You wrote about this very thing happening months ago Triggerman. I’m not jumping up and down over this Nashville circus trick. No thank you.
September 15, 2011 @ 10:18 am
I remember triggerman saying not too long ago that he wanted good music to get popular and popular music to get good. Great and honest review, triggerman. While I’ll admit that most pop country today is complete garbage, it doesn’t matter how mainstream or underground an artist is. Good music is good music. I understand the civil wars were getting some air time on CMT and I really like everything I’ve heard from them so far. Hell, if Blake Shelton or Keith Urban put out a truly kick ass album I would listen to it. Not holding my breath for that one though.
September 15, 2011 @ 7:05 pm
I actually liked Craig until I heard that song. He’s a hypocrite just listen to “You Probably Aint” Its a good song and has a good message but then on the same cd you have fish. I mean if you dont wanna say fuck then dont write a song like that. The only song that was good and replaced words was “Love You” by Jack Ingram. As for Pistol Annies I think “Hell On Heels” is the only song I like.
September 16, 2011 @ 12:13 pm
Really ?
September 15, 2011 @ 11:06 am
Miranda Lambert showed her true colors when she knowingly sampled ” I Feel Alright” by Steve Earle. As an Earle fan, I found it appalling that the big machine in nashville would stoop to thievery. And an after the fact songwriting credit doesn’t cut it. She’s trash. Her and her little pill-poppin sluts of bandmates are EXACTLY what is wrong with country music.
Oh, and the album sucks too.
September 15, 2011 @ 1:07 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhj5Y4gG1Ss&feature=player_detailpage
September 15, 2011 @ 2:00 pm
I wonder if Steve Earle is as mad as you are about “I Feel Alright.”
September 15, 2011 @ 4:00 pm
And Steve Earle was a drug addict deadbeat dad that left his girl and kid in an east Nashville slum, giving them absolutely no financial support, and then turns around in his songs and preaches about how we should all live our lives. But am I going to let Steve Earle’s personal issues or hypocrisy get in the way of enjoying some of his songs, or gleaning wisdom from them? No. We all have skeleton’s in the closet. I’m not going to sit here and defend Miranda or her label for ripping off some song, if that in fact was the case. I said myself on a number of occasions I’m not enamored with her on a personal level. I’m not playing St. Peter here deciding the fate of Miranda’s soul, I’m simply giving my opinions on music that she’s 1/3 responsible for. And my opinion is not that it’s great or even good, but that it’s not bad for what the mainstream normally peddles.
If we precluded listening to artists because of dumb shit they’d done in the past, there would be nothing to listen to.
September 15, 2011 @ 6:13 pm
To be fair to Lambert, she did give him co-credit when it was pointed out… she has also said that it was unintentional, for what that is worth. Steve pretty much brushed it off in interviews at the time.
And to be fair to Steve, most of his preachiness developed after he got clean, and Justin was living with him or trying to be on his own by then.
September 16, 2011 @ 6:07 am
lol,Unintentional my arse.She even had the “HAH” in there for cripes sake! Cmon people!
September 16, 2011 @ 6:30 am
Well, emfrank did add “for what it’s worth.”
Having the “HAH” in there is a bit problematic for me. One part of me says if she’s such a big Steve Earle fan, how could she not know? Another part of me say that if she did know she was ripping him off, how could she possibly think that she would get away with it. Steve Earle may not be mainstream, but he’s far from obscure and the song was the first song and the title track of his album.
FWIW, she also claimed in a No Depression piece in 2007 that she contact the Steve Earle camp about the song before her album’s official release.
September 15, 2011 @ 2:16 pm
I don’t understand the cynicism here. Criticize the image all you want (I would do the same thing, even if I would dismiss it entirely), but I have to take issue with statements like this:
“Miranda Lambert is the tool, so to speak, to twist things up in Nashville and make y”™all think Nashville is changing.”
Really? I don’t see it like that. Folks like Triggerman who are constantly and justifiably bemoaning what’s being peddled as “country” by Nashville these days are smarter than to think things are going to change in Nashville any time soon. (Nashville sees it entirely as a business. The purpose of a business is to make MONEY. Nashville’s raking it in with that crap. Do you really think any of us are so naive as to think they’d change things?) And I’m sure the Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts fanboys and fangirls aren’t quaking in their boots either, assuming they even give a damn. And I’m sure they don’t.
Or am I one of them because I went & bought the latest George Strait cd and *gasp* actually like it?
September 15, 2011 @ 7:17 pm
Since it’s my statement you take issue with, I’ll respond. Really?! Yeah really. This is exactly the way the machine wants you to respond. You don’t care about the music or musicians, as long as it’s not affecting you, but I do so I will speak up and will do so willingly. The purpose of a business may be to make money, but the purpose of music is to bring people together and in making your money you don’t have to steal, cheat or hurt others. Pop country and it’s proprietors are in it for themselves. That can easily be determined by the ‘devil may care’ attitude you are provoking. Guess what pistolero, I care. I care about a lot of things. I care that Miranda Lambert ‘took’ from someone else’s music and profited from it. I care that you don’t care. I care that Steve Earle had issues. I care that Music Row plays on all these factors and uses people like they do. I care that Gretchen Wilson was caught by the Black Crowes(imagine that) and that Miranda Lambert gave some flimsy excuse about taking someone else’s song and I care that as supposed music lovers, people don’t see the importance of all of this. Leave St. Peter out of it Triggerman unless you really do care about souls, and not just funbags and beautiful new songwriters. The songs are not that great, I’ve heard so much better, so the point of peddling this crap ain’t that bad don’t sit well with me.
September 15, 2011 @ 7:23 pm
I was really looking forward to reading this article, but couldn’t get past the first paragraph. It’s pretty disrespectful to attack someone’s marriage.
Legal right to handle her funbags? Last time I checked, marriage doesn’t entitle a man to sex.
September 15, 2011 @ 9:56 pm
I apologize if you were offended, but clearly this comment was made in sarcasm, and not some political statement about the ownership of a woman by a man through the institution of marriage. If you fight through that fluff and get to the heart of the review, or if you spend any time around Saving Country Music, you will find that I give an unfair advantage to women around here, which is one of the reasons I decided to review this album in the first place. I also commented on how well the album speaks to the difficulties of the female condition.
I could have also decided to be offended with the song “Hell on Hells”, as it goes into great detail how these women take advantage of men for financial gain. But I understood, it was a joke.
September 15, 2011 @ 11:51 pm
Pixie Dixie: great name by the way! As a long-time reader of this site, a woman and post-feminist, I feel the need to step up here. Triggerman is no misogynist nor even a boring ole garden-worm-variety chauvinist. He’s actually one of the good ‘uns 🙂
He absolutely champions so many wonderful independent female singer/songwriters on this site that I would never have heard of otherwise. He really does. If you haven’t heard of of Rachel Brooke (an amazing, incandescent talent he introduced me to) please search SCM for more info about her. She’s truly incredible.
The Triggerman’s writing style is prone to outbreaks of humour (which I personally really enjoy) and this often plays out via sarcasm or irony. I guess I’m so used to it I didn’t even ‘clock’ that particular ‘funbag’ comment as I understand the nature in which he’s posting it. In saying that, as a new reader to SCM, I understand how this might come across as inappropriate and I’m really genuinely sorry it offended you.
It’s so great to see another gal around here and I really hope you continue to read and comment on Trig’s posts! If I may, I would encourage you to re-read the ‘funbag’ comment and visualise Triggerman typing it up, whist rolling his eyes, screwing his nose up and possibly emitting a grunt of annoyance about Blake Shelton and his place in country music. Well, that’s just how I read it anyway 😉
September 16, 2011 @ 6:18 am
If it makes you feel any better,Miranda wouldn’t mind at all about the “fun bags” comment.She is married to a man who belittles and disrespects women all the time on his twitter page and thinks it’s quite a hoot to make fun of the fat ones even though his wife is probably fatter than most of the ones he makes fun of.
April 5, 2012 @ 2:06 pm
Get over yourself. Also, I feel sorry for your husband.
October 25, 2021 @ 3:44 pm
Actually, it does.
That is part of the reasoning behind getting married. Exclusive sex with one partner for both the man and the woman. Without sex, it is just a roommate situation except for the man when the roommate decides to leave she takes 50% of his assets.
September 15, 2011 @ 8:13 pm
Hey trigg I think I’ve asked this before but if you’ll review this whats the chances you’d review Bradley Gaskin. I think if you’d listen to him he’d blow ya away.
September 15, 2011 @ 8:26 pm
I think it does – atleast once… I could be wrong.
September 16, 2011 @ 12:09 am
Oh Trig. Sorry I’m not feeling this one bit, via those teeny-tiny samples it just sounds like nasty commercial pop-cuntry. And this coming from someone who’s never heard a Miranda Lambert song in her life. I’ve been watching ‘The Voice’ here in NZ and have, for the first time, found out who Blake Shelton is. He sung on the show last week and was truly awful. Like really really REALLY bad. However I have to say he seems really sweet and is reeeeeeally tall and cute. Eeeeeek. Am I banned from SCM.com forever now?!?? Please let me down easy 🙁
September 16, 2011 @ 8:14 am
I don’t think anyone should be banned because I believe in America’s Constitution and it’s first Amendment. But I do think that Triggerman dropped the ball on this one . . . if this hadn’t been 3 beautiful ladies and all, he would have ripped it to shreds. I really feel that down in my heart and so there you go. I know Triggerman gives his most fair and honest opinions but so do 90% of the commenters here. So there you go again. Blake Shelton is a nice looking man. Yeah. So what? His wife is a pretty lil blonde gal with funbags. Yeah. So what? It’s the music that has to stand tall and this album is Music Row’s attempt to shake things up. It’s pop country with a feminist edge, done by a known performer and 2 unknowns. It’s not that hard to figure out on the marketing end. And the songs are hookey, trite and boring. The WOW factor is there for the mainstream groupies but the WOW factor makes me yawn. Oh well. Movin’ on . . .
September 16, 2011 @ 8:12 pm
No problem at all with this honest review Triggerman, however would like to put in my two cents…. When you review albums, you either pick new mainstream material (Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Justin Moore) or completely underground music. Why can we not find a median to support “real country” artists such as Sammy Kershaw, Daryle Singletary, Mark Chesnutt as well?
September 16, 2011 @ 9:49 pm
I just need to do more reviews, period. I have done some middle of the road stuff, like Hayes Carll and Cody Canada recently. I wish I could review at least twice as much material as I do, but I’m only one person. Until I can hire more writers or make some money off this site so I can devote more time, unfortunately the reviews are going to be sporadic, depending on what I have time to get to, and what I’m passionate about writing about at that moment.
September 17, 2011 @ 6:40 pm
With all the so-called “outlaws” like Justin Moore and Eric Chruch becoming more popular nowadays, I was wondering what you think of Miranda’s image so far, Triggerman? A recent article at Country Universe about Miranda’s new album cover made me think of asking you lol. Here is the article link:
http://www.countryuniverse.net/2011/09/06/ridiculous-things-mirandas-new-album-cover/
So do you think the image is too contrived?
September 17, 2011 @ 10:05 pm
I think Miranda is very similar to Jamey Johnson when it comes to the Outlaw image. It is not something they seek, but others seem to assign it to them. I’m not sure what the hubub is about her album cover. What do they saying about judging things by their covers? Seems a little like tilting at windmills to me. I really don’t intend to follow and comment on every little move Miranda makes. She is an interesting and important character, but a few things, principally her Blake Shelton marriage, will always keep me once removed from her fandom.
September 17, 2011 @ 11:18 pm
Again Ive been critical of this site, but I keep coming back. Ive noticed you are pretty objective with your views not to mention I can find some lesser known music on this site…. some good some bad….. but anyway I also agree with your post. It for sure worth listening to. I thought for sure since it was mainstream you would pan it, you have turned out to be very creditable.
September 19, 2011 @ 6:38 pm
Thrilled you didn’t hate every track on this album. I am a die hard Miranda fan. I think that although she is sucked into Music Row, she is still a genuine example of country music- new and old. She started from scratch playing in Texas and getting her start on Texas country stations. I think Pistol Annies is a great way to stay true to her roots. I haven’t stopped playing the album since I got it.
September 20, 2011 @ 9:42 am
I think this is a great review. My only comment is a response to your thinking the twang may be forced. Angaleena is a friend of mine, and played in our music series (solo) and was our houseguest for a few days. Her twang is very real (born in Beauty, Kentucky – hard to find on a map). The other two I don’t know personally.
I keep forgetting to buy this album, but I’m thrilled as hell that Angaleena’s getting some recognition, and I hope some $$$. She’s one of the best songwriters I know. You should check out her solo album (although it might never have really been commercially released).
Rock on Kyle – you’re website is awesome.
September 20, 2011 @ 5:04 pm
Thanks for reading Smitty. I really don’t think it was Angeleena’s accent that drew me offsides, I think Miranda’s was the one that sounded a little over-emphasized at times. If an accent is honest, I don’t have any problem with it, but it seems like it was emphasized more in some songs than others, and that is what threw up the red flag for me.
March 8, 2012 @ 4:21 pm
Which one is “Fatass Annie” again? I have an idea who it is.
March 9, 2012 @ 8:48 pm
I personally really liked the album, I’m happy that you are giving credit to some mainstream artists that try to go outside the norms of everyday pop country. Solid review Triggerman, I’d love to see what you would think of Easton Corbin’s debut album if you ever get the time to review it.
October 25, 2021 @ 3:48 pm
“Hell on Heels” received radio airplay in my area. I thought it was a parody song at first. It was pretty comedic. Nothing says girl power like being a gold digger.