Miranda Lambert

Although she came in third place on CMT's Nashville Star music competition, Miranda Lambert proved she had the guts and the grit to come out on top. With Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the gun-toting hell-raiser erases all vestiges of that pop-culture reality TV show and positions herself as a true force to be reckoned with -- especially with the album's opener, "Gunpowder and Lead." A near-perfect effort, this album overflows with hormones, hostility and hard living, and serves as the perfect antithesis to girlie country pop. Although many of the songs on this album play up the bad-girl image, others, such as the weepy "Love Letters" and the sweetly twanging "Desperation," show Lambert's vulnerable side, which is equally appealing.

Garth Brooks fan turned Nashville Star discovery Lambert stormed the country charts with
the incendiary "Kerosene" in 2005. Now she tops herself on what will likely remain the
country album of the year. Just twenty-three, Lambert plays the rebel girl, revving up the
mood of the Dixie Chicks' "Goodbye Earl" and Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman." On the
lead track, she waits on an abusive boyfriend with her shotgun; on the title trac... More >

Garth Brooks fan turned Nashville Star discovery Miranda Lambert stormed the country charts with the incendiary promises of "Gasoline" in 2005. Now she tops herself on what will likely remain the country album of the year. Just twenty-three, Lambert plays the rebel girl, revving up the mood of the Dixie Chicks' "Goodbye Earl" and Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman." On the lead track, she waits on an abusive boyfriend with her shotgun; on the title track, she leaves her pistol in the car and wades into the bar bare-handed. Lambert does have a thoughtful side. But the violent moments define a little lady who also cites the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb" and rocks a Patty Griffin cover. Smoking. (Grade - ****)