Miranda Lambert is a powerful woman. She is an award winning country singer, married to Blake Shelton and has seven No. 1 singles. She can basically do anything she wants and still have her fans love what she does. On this album, Lambert did that. She goes back and forth between serious and light subjects, and incorporates traditional country instruments in with the radio friendly country sound or today, and makes fun of everything she can. She shares her wisdom of life, while simultaneously making fun of her hair. Crazy as it sounds, it worked to create an extremely high-quality record.
This album could have been called Platinum for many reasons. First, the obvious, Lambert probably wants the album to go platinum. Two, it could be named after her hair. But, it was named after the track platinum, one if the most sarcastic songs in country music since "Follow Your Arrow" by Kacey Musgraves. Lambert sings about her hair color and how her personality reflects that. The hook goes, "what doesn't kill you only makes you blonder." This song, production-wise is nothing spectacular, but everything about the song screams 'Miranda Lambert'. It was a perfect song to name the album after.
This album is so strong because it goes in so many directions but still manages to work together so well. Lambert does duets with Carrie Underwood, the Time Jumpers and Little Big Town, and has some songs which she cowrote (she cowrote half of the albums 16 tracks) where she really bares her soul to her listeners. "Bathroom Sink" is one of those tracks. Lambert wrote this song alone and the production throws back to songs from her earlier records. The songwriting on this track is also a throwback, talking about all of the rejection Lambert has faced throughout the year, and how she sees it in her face every time she looks in the mirror. This song is similar to "Dear Diamond" on Four the Record in which it does feel like one of her diary entries.
Overall, this record has a lot of throwback songs. "Priscilla" is a rockabilly track with a catchy beat that throws back to Elvis and Priscilla. "Automatic" remembers the times where everything wasn't done instantly. "Old Sh!t" and "All That's Left" are very traditional country production wise with the use of fiddles and harmonicas. On this record, Lambert pays due to traditional country music, but still manages to incorporate modern country music for a more radio friendly sound.
This album is so strong because it goes in so many directions but still manages to work together so well. Lambert does duets with Carrie Underwood, the Time Jumpers and Little Big Town, and has some songs which she cowrote (she cowrote half of the albums 16 tracks) where she really bares her soul to her listeners. "Bathroom Sink" is one of those tracks. Lambert wrote this song alone and the production throws back to songs from her earlier records. The songwriting on this track is also a throwback, talking about all of the rejection Lambert has faced throughout the year, and how she sees it in her face every time she looks in the mirror. This song is similar to "Dear Diamond" on Four the Record in which it does feel like one of her diary entries.
Overall, this record has a lot of throwback songs. "Priscilla" is a rockabilly track with a catchy beat that throws back to Elvis and Priscilla. "Automatic" remembers the times where everything wasn't done instantly. "Old Sh!t" and "All That's Left" are very traditional country production wise with the use of fiddles and harmonicas. On this record, Lambert pays due to traditional country music, but still manages to incorporate modern country music for a more radio friendly sound.
Three key tracks are "Smokin and Drinkin" featuring Little Big Town, "Gravity is a B*tch", and "Holding on to You." Drinking has beautiful harmonies that gives the song an airy feel that works with the theme of smoking.The song is long, clocking out at more than 5 minutes, but is a somewhat mournful song in which Lambert and Little Big Town recount the times they smoked and drank to forget but ended up remembering. "Gravity" is maybe the only song on the record that is really about Lambert's position in life right now. The song speaks about getting older and all the joys and hardships that come with it. Lambert puts a light spin on the topic, blaming it all on gravity. "Holding" is my personal favorite on the album. Lambert forgets all of her sass and just sings from her heart. My guess is that this is about Blake, and although this song is a bit cliché, Lambert puts her own spin on it and makes it seem like an entirely new idea.
Platinum is an outstanding country record. It touches all bases a country record should hit: sass, quirkiness, throwbacks, and sentimentality. The record is a long one, and a couple of the songs could have been better off left in a bootleg record of Lambert's unreleased songs, but does have many songs that did truly deserve to be on the record. Lambert remains true to herself, but reaches new heights she never reached before with her old music.
Best Tracks: Bathroom Sink, Smokin and Drinkin, Gravity is a B*tch, Holding on to You, Priscilla
Throwaway Tracks: Hard Staying Sober
Overall Rating: 4 and a half crowns
Platinum is an outstanding country record. It touches all bases a country record should hit: sass, quirkiness, throwbacks, and sentimentality. The record is a long one, and a couple of the songs could have been better off left in a bootleg record of Lambert's unreleased songs, but does have many songs that did truly deserve to be on the record. Lambert remains true to herself, but reaches new heights she never reached before with her old music.
Best Tracks: Bathroom Sink, Smokin and Drinkin, Gravity is a B*tch, Holding on to You, Priscilla
Throwaway Tracks: Hard Staying Sober
Overall Rating: 4 and a half crowns
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