Miranda Lambert – Crisco
Miranda Lambert has been one of the most acclaimed artists in country music for two decades, with an impressive list of awards and ten consecutive top ten entries on the Top Country Albums chart. With “Crisco”, she makes the move to record label MCA, and at the same time takes a musical turn that stands out within her body of work. While its 2024 predecessor “Postcards from Texas” was still firmly rooted in traditional country, Lambert now consciously heads for the dancefloor, with influences from seventies disco.
The title track “Crisco” immediately establishes that direction, with lush strings, a jangly piano and a chorus that nods to classics such as “Southern Nights” and “Islands in the Stream”. The song was written with, among others, Aaron Raitiere and Jesse Frasure, and according to Lambert herself, it conveys a lightness that she had never dared to put on record before. That can be heard, but the question is whether that lightness is equally convincing. At times, the flirtation with disco feels more like a costume than an organic step.
“‘Till the Going’s Gone'” showcases a classic country sound with an uplifting, feelgood energy, making it one of the stronger moments on the record. The previously released duet “A Song to Sing” with Chris Stapleton, nominated for a Grammy, remains one of the most compelling songs, with a dreamy disco groove that gives the nostalgic declaration of love extra weight. The cover of Jim Croce’s “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song” also receives a warm, soulful treatment that suits Lambert’s voice well.
Yet something feels off in the rest of the tracklist. Songs such as “Cowgirl Curtsy” and “Whiskey Business” feel like filler, with the chosen combination of country and disco coming across as superficial rather than lived-in. Lambert has proved in the past that she can write sharp, deeply felt songs, and it is precisely that sharpness that is missing in several places here. It is not a bad album, but it lacks the urgency and recognisability that characterise her best work.
Produced by Lambert herself together with Jesse Frasure, “Crisco” sounds technically well crafted, with a warm mix in which the strings and guitars are well balanced. The only thing missing is a song that actually brings the concept together convincingly. The ambition to merge country and disco is likeable, but the execution remains stuck at half of what it could have been.
“Crisco” is ultimately a record that above all shows that Miranda Lambert is still willing to take risks, even though this time they do not work equally well everywhere. (6/10) (MCA Nashville)
