$500,000 in the hole with a #1 album

Yep. It's true. New country music songstress Miranda Lambert is a half-million dollars in the whole as her CD went to wide release last week. While she hasn't had a huge single, Miranda did secure the #1 album of the week (albeit from a weak sales week of 40K copies). Despite the "weak" sales, Miranda is still only the fifth artist in the history of Soundscan to have ever debuted at No.1 with their first release. The others? Wynonna Judd(1992), Billy Ray Cyrus (1992), LeAnn Rimes (1996), Buddy Jewell (2003) and Gretchen Wilson (2004). That's quite an impressive feat for an artist without the luxury of a huge single or much press. Sure, Miranda was a contestant on the first season of Nashville Star (the country music version of American Idol which required songwriting in addition to singing abilities) but she didn't win the contest. Buddy Jewell did (along with a guaranteed contract with Sony Nashville). Still, Sony used their right of first refusal for the other contestants of the show to sign Miranda to a deal. Along with signing the contract Miranda also signed on with powerhouse management team, Simon Renshaw's The Firm.

Wrapped up in melodies that run the gamut from traditional to contemporary to even "Alt-country," "Kerosene" is quite a debut album. Perhaps not winning the show was actually a blessing in disguise for Miranda for she was allowed to pick her producers (Lee Ann Womack's producer/husband Frank Liddell and Mike Wruckle). The producers created the perfect atmosphere for Miranda's texas tinged voice and her often anthemic song lyrics (six songs were self-written five more were co-written with her father Rick Lambert and Travis Howard, himself a Nashville Star 2003 veteran). Travis Howard also wrote the lone track not credited to Miranda.

The title track opens up Ms. Lambert's CD and it immediately showcases the poetic lyric style that Miranda possesses. The song finds Miranda lamenting the fact that she allowed herself to get into a relationship that's been depicted in "a country song" so she decides to burn down her past. After the hit worthy "What About Georgia" Miranda discusses the pitfalls of being in a relationship on the melancholic "Greyhound Bound For Nowhere."

"New Strings" is a wonderfully written song about leaving the nest and going where one's heart leads them, presumably into a new life somewhere else. It's a theme that's been written many times in the past but hasn't sounded as good as this since the Dixie Chicks' "Wide Open Spaces." In fact, The Dixie Chicks are a good reference for Miranda for she possesses the same kind of Texas twang in her voice that made the Chicks such a sensation. There's also a hint of Lee Ann Womack in that voice as well. If there were any song on this record to get Miranda her first big single I have a feeling the bluesy "Bring Me Down" will do the trick. Slated to be the new single, the song is about that one guy who always finds his way back to her and despite the fact that she knows better, Miranda keeps letting him back in only to end up with a broken heart again. Despite the sharp subject matter, the song is catchy and memorable.

First single "Me And Charlie Talking" got Miranda on the radio but it wasn't as memorable as she or her label had hoped. After a slow but steady climb since the holidays, the song peaked around 25 on the charts. Still, the song is a well-written, sweet look at young love. "I Wanna Die" is the epitome of an alt-country song. It has lyrics that say it like it is: "If you're gonna be the death of me then I wanna die." Not a hit single but still a quality album track. The rest of the album (4 tracks) is quite good but not as notable as the previously mentioned tracks. Still, these songs are far better than the treacle that often comes from major label Nashville releases.

Miranda Lambert may have a girlish tone to her voice but she never tries to sing above her instrument (something most girls her age do). Again the production from Liddell and Wruckle is far better than the average Nashville release and that bodes well for Miranda Lambert's future. Hopefully country radio will see the #1 release and decide to see what they're missin' is as good if not markedly better than label mate Gretchen Wilson's "Here For The Party" CD. The CD goes down well and I would recommend it to country fans and fans of roots rock (more well known as "Alt Country"). I also see the correlation to Sheryl Crow and Lucinda Williams that others have drawn. Check it out. "Kerosene" is one of the best releases of 2005 so far.

Because You Want To Know:
Songs
Kerosene
What About Georgia
Greyhound Bound For Nowhere
New Strings
I Can't Be Bothered
Bring Me Down
Me And Charlie Talking
I Wanna Die
Love Is Looking For You
Mama, I'm Alright
There's A Wall
Love Your Memory

Released 3/15/2005 by Epic Records Nashville/Sony BMG.
Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wruckle.