Forget Swiftie's new cd. Miranda Lambert's new one has been released!

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Miranda Lambert's latest cd "Crisco" has dropped and I got my copy. She's my favorite contemporary singer. And country to boot! Go figure. "Crisco" is better than her last two efforts "Postcards from Texas" and "Palomino" because of a stronger return to old school country reflected in titles like "Whiskey Business." "Crisco" opens with "Snakeskin Boots" which is a duet with Ella Langley that's disappointing and not a lively lead off. The song has an LA backdrop mentioning Mulholland Drive and Beverly Hills. The title track is good but sounds better when she performs live. The cd's best song is "Cowgirl Curtsy" with strong steel guitar that beautifully captures a 1960s country girl singer sound. Could "Cuttin' Onions" be anything but a country song? Miranda's Texas twang is so thick you can cut it as she sings about drinking whiskey and not crying over her man's absence on a Friday night. There are 12 tracks and the cd loses its way in the back half. "A Song to Sing" is a duet with Chris Stapleton that is less country than mawkish 80s pop duet. The old school country vibe gets lost. Final track "Sunset Marquis" bookends with another LA backdrop. Based on lyrcies, I don't know if she specifically means the Sunset Strip or the Sunset Marquis, a discreet exclusive celebrity hotel located just off the strip. Miranda's voice is top notch as expected. She likes to experiment which is why recent fare (including the vinyl only "The Marfa Tapes") saw her sales drop and sounded bland to fans. She was on the right track going old school and failed to maintain the flavor. "Crisco" also lacks a stand out tune like "Kerosene" and "Little Red Wagon." No song to play because I can't get You Tube video uploaded onto myLot. Doesn't work for me.