Like Michael Jackson and TLC before her, Miranda Lambert was faced with quite a difficult task when following up the record that made her a superstar, 2009's "Revolution". However, unlike Michael and TLC, her worldwide success was not in the masses, it was still pretty much contained in the strict country market. So, now with several accolades and a couple number one singles under her belt, Lambert is feeling pretty comfortable in 2011, and instead of working overtime to stay abreast her own popularity, she lets herself breathe a little. This could possibly be due to the fact that she married fellow country star Blake Shelton in mid-2011, but rest assured, this is not her marriage album, built on syrupy sweetness and twangy goodness. Lambert pretty much gives that away in the ingenious album title "Four the Record" (a reference to the fact that this is her fourth album, as well as a clever indication of what to expect). While it's true that Miranda has mellowed a little, enough to pull off the excellent and vulnerable closing ballad "Oklahoma Sky", she's not about to settle down. She's still ready to hell-raise on the rocker "Fastest Girl in Town", ready to start a commotion with "Mama's Broken Heart", and is more than ready to kiss-off her ex-lover by referring him to the "Baggage Claim". This is a Miranda Lambert album, complete with one-two shuffles ("Easy Living"), light mid-tempo cuts ("Safe"), and a couple cynical ballads to boot ("Dear Diamond" and "Over You"). But what separated "Four the Record" from the rest of Lambert's albums is that it not only relies heavily on other songwriters, but the music is among her best and most accessible. Lambert has no intention of leaving country behind and heading towards pop, but she's also canny enough to realize just how stuffy the genre can be. Letting in other songwriters opens these songs up, and with her primary focus not on the words, Lambert shifts her focus to the music, which is relaxed and varied, spanning from neo-Traditionalist styles in the ode to diversity "All Kinds of Kinds", to, oddly enough, electronic elements. Notice the second track "Fine Tune", where Miranda's vocals are all phased through a vocoder. Notice the aforementioned "Mama's Broken Heart", where a synth is heard embellishing the transition from the chorus to the verses. Or take note of "Easy Living", which begins and ends with TV static, bordering on electroclash. These moments are subtle, but they give "Four the Record" a considerable depth. It's Miranda's poppiest album, without ever sounding like country-pop. She builds her songs in contemporary country, and flirts with modern trends at will. All her efforts pay off, and she's wound up with not only her best album, but also the best country record of 2011. The melodies are engaging, the songwriting is strong, Miranda's vocals are reliably confident, and it ultimately maintains her wicked sense of humor as well her cross cultural appeal. All of this proves that she remains as endearing as she ever has, perhaps even more so.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. All Kinds of Kinds 2.
Fine Tune 3. Fastest Girl in Town
4. Safe 5.
Mama’s Broken Heart
6. Dear Diamond 7. Same Old You 8. Baggage Claim
9. Easy Living 10. Over You 11. Look at Miss Ohio
12. Better in the Long Run 13. Nobody’s Fool 14. Oklahoma
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