Palomino
Palomino follows people who are leaving, travelling or wondering what might be waiting somewhere else. Miranda Lambert gives those stories a varied musical setting, moving between country, rougher guitar songs and playful pop touches. The record feels open to different possibilities, with enough quieter writing to give its restless mood some emotional weight.
Actin' Up starts with plenty of space around the voice. The dry delivery, echoes and spare rhythm create an unusual opening rather than an immediate wall of guitars. Scenes expands the sound with more swagger, keeping the feeling of movement without simply repeating the opener's approach.
In His Arms brings a gentler kind of longing. The fuller arrangement gives the song warmth while leaving its tender centre intact. Geraldene is much more forceful, using electric guitar and a sharp vocal to deliver its warning. Waxahachie finds another balance, moving forward with a quiet urgency that suits the writing.
Music City Queen is the most obvious detour. The B-52's add their distinctive voices to a funky account of life on a riverboat, turning it into a lively group performance. The result is entertaining, even if the novelty can attract more attention than the song itself. The album is strongest when its unusual choices also sharpen the feeling underneath.
Tourist and Pursuit of Happiness offer a more rooted contrast, with acoustic and steel-guitar colours giving their restless stories a familiar country setting. That's What Makes the Jukebox Play is another effective quieter moment. The song allows Lambert's expression and the writing to carry more of the appeal than a large production gesture.
Wandering Spirit raises the energy through a brisk rock-and-roll performance, while Carousel closes on a more reflective note. Its story of performers and a past relationship gives the record's ideas about freedom a more complicated ending. Moving on can bring possibility, but it can also leave something valuable behind.
Not every choice is as distinctive. A few keyboard and production touches feel generic, and the lighter character sketches have less depth than the best songs. Yet Palomino brings its different moods together with confidence. Lambert's singing, the strong central writing and the useful changes of pace make this an absorbing country-rock album with room for both fun and reflection.
