Miranda Lambert 'Palomino' Album Review

Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Miranda Lambert has released her latest album Palomino. This record follows her collaborative effort The Marfa Tapes which featured Jon Randall and Jack Ingram. Fan favorites from that record, like “Geraldine” and “In His Arms,” can also be found on Palomino.

Lambert has had one of the most successful careers in modern country music, but the last few years have been particularly hot. She released her Grammy award-winning album Wildcard in 2019 which spawned the No. 1 song “Bluebird” and a top 10 with “Settling Down.” The Marfa Tapes project also won her critical acclaim and even had a documentary paired with it. More recently, she earned another No. 1 song on country radio with Elle King on the crossover hit “Drunk And I Don’t Wanna Go home.” The lead single from Palomino “If I Was A Cowboy” is currently in the top 10.

While there have been moments Lambert has incorporated rock or pop styles into her music, she has always stayed true to her country roots. With Palomino, she brings in elements of Texas country and old school country to produce her own unique sound. “Scenes” is a track that is perfect for a drive, especially with its southwest vibe. “Wandering Spirit” also feels like a trip down memory lane sonically. It’s a song that could have been heard during the time of Cash or Williams.

“I’ll Be Lovin’ you” is one of the stand-outs from the project. It’s up-tempo with a melody that suits Lambert’s effortless vocals. She sings, “I’ll be lovin’ you, no matter where I roam, I’ll be lovin’ you, you’re at the end of every road.” Lambert’s fiery persona can be felt in “Country Money.” It’s reminiscent of the type of storytelling Dolly Parton is famous for. “Connie Johnson got a farm in Wisconsin and a diesel in the drive and her air horns honking, got a pocket full of empties and her lulu case is in the, best beef in the cheese state baby.”

“That’s What Makes The Jukebox Play” takes a more subdued approach. It’s about the power in music when all you can feel is loneliness. The line, “When you live like neon, there’s a song you can lean on” captures the idea perfectly. By the time the last song plays, “Carousel,” it feels like the ending of a crafted journey through Lambert’s heart. While she has put out plenty of sonically cohesive records, Palomino seems to be the truest to her soul.

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