Crisco
Crisco finds Miranda Lambert in a dancing mood. Working with producer Jesse Frasure, she mixes country singing with disco rhythms, smooth bass and generous strings. The idea is easy to understand, and the sound has plenty of charm. The more difficult question is whether these songs offer enough beyond the pleasure of their presentation.
The strongest moments suggest that they can. Right Where We Left It uses its polished setting to support a clear emotional story, rather than simply showing off the arrangement. Two Things Can Be True brings a softer shade of sadness, with pedal steel giving the warmth a useful ache. Lambert's control as a singer remains one of the album's strongest assets. She can keep a performance light without making every feeling seem small.
A Song To Sing, her duet with Chris Stapleton, is a good guide to the musical direction. Its relaxed groove makes room for the two voices and connects the country elements to the dance-floor setting. Elsewhere, Cuttin' Onions gives Lambert a chance to bring more bite to the performance. These changes of attitude matter on an album where the overall finish is so consistent.
Consistency can also become a limitation. Some of the writing seems satisfied with introducing the country-and-disco concept, and the title track spends more time enjoying that idea than developing it. A few songs leave a pleasant impression without providing much reason to return. The production is often more memorable than the stories inside it.
That makes Crisco an enjoyable detour with a fairly clear ceiling. Lambert sounds comfortable in this musical setting, and there is no reason a lighthearted record should have to apologise for itself. A little more of her sharpest writing would simply have made the fun last longer. Come for the grooves and the singing, and expect a handful of stronger songs rather than a new career peak.
