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Hmmmm....I'm not quite sure how I feel about ANNIE UP, Pistol Annies' sophomore effort. On the one hand, I do like it....there are some real fun moments here, and there's no denying these girls can sing, let alone sing well together.
At the same time, there's also something...forced, almost calculated...about the album, like the girls are just trying WAY too hard. Where their debut HELL ON HEELS was organic and earthy (songs like "Beige", "Takin' Pills" and "Family Feud" instantly come to mind), much of ANNIE UP has a karaokeish vibe to it, a feeling of being too clever for it's own good.
That's not to say the disc doesn't have it's moments...or it's stars. While HEELS' stand-out was Ashley Monroe ~ frequently reminding me of a young Dolly Parton ~ UP's MVP is Angaleena Presley. With her weathered words and world-weary vocals, Presley often comes across as a modern day June Carter Cash. HEELS had me waiting for Monroe's new solo effort (LIKE A ROSE, out this past March.....DEFINITELY check it out!), UP has me looking forward to Presley's, due out later this year or early 2014.
But this review isn't about solo projects or breakout stars....it's about a group of three insanely talented women who hit the bullseye square on much of the time, but also miss it by a country mile just as frequently (To be honest, this is a 3.5 star album, but I gave HELL 4 stars, so I had to round down).
The disc opens with the slinky "I Feel A Sin Comin' On." With it's finger snaps and crystal clear vocals ~ each lady takes a verse, coming together for the choruses ~ I would have been happier if the track had continued in an a cappella vein....the ensuing rock arrangement does nothing to enhance the cut. A good one that could have been a great one.
"Hush Hush", the album's first single, is everything the ANNIES do best....loaded with equal parts attitude and humor ("We were sittin' 'round the dinner table/And we were eatin' our pumpkin pie/While the sugar-coated dirty little secret/Was eatin' everybody alive"), the track is graced with crisp instrumentation and sterling vocals. Sheer pop perfection!
There's a regal grace and blunt honesty to "Being Pretty Ain't Pretty" that makes it one of UP's best tracks. Blessed with a spot-on lead vocal from Presley, the song's true star is it's lyrics: "Mama was simple and sweet as the day was long/Daddy always said she looked better with no make-up on/She wouldn't be caught dead bleaching her roots/But I'd spend the house payment on new cowboy boots/How the hell did the apple fall so damn far from the tree?" Lovely.
"Unhappily Married" is nice enough, but this is the sort of song that's plaguing much of modern day country music....a cute title, coupled with lyrics that are too clever (read: shallow) for their own good. O.K., but not great (Though I do love the opening line of "Must be mistaking me with the maid we don't have").
Presley once again shines on her "Loved By A Working Man." There's an honest, grounded vibe to the straight-forward arrangement and sublime vocal. Toss lyrics that are both conversational and confessional into the mix and you have ANNIE UP's most REAL cut.
"Blues, You're A Buzzkill" showcases Monroe's shimmering lead vocal, as well as some killer harmonies from Presley and Miranda Lambert, but, in the end, there's just something about the track that's....lacking....something. We'll call this one a draw.
Up next is Lambert's only REAL solo gem on the disc. "Don't Talk About Him, Tina" could have easily fit right in on KEROSENE or CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND, what with it's easy-going shuffle of an arrangement and sassy, spirited vocal. This is Lambert at her best...funny, charming, full of attitude, and tuneful as all get out. Love it!
"Trading One Heartbreak For Another" ultimately buckles under the weight of it's own melodrama. Yes, many women (and men) can identify with the lyrics, and Presley sounds great, but the dour, downbeat arrangement sounds almost cartoonish. A "could've been" cut.
There's a stark vulnerability to "Dear Sobriety" that's both breath-taking and gut-wrenching. Monroe's lead vocal is from the heart (and soul), while the instrumentation, with it's mandolins, chimes and atmospheric guitars, is mind-blowing. This is everything the previous track SHOULD have been!
There's a real toe-tapping groove to "Damn Thing" that is totally infectious. I also love the lyrics ("Been taught to love but I love to hate", "Well, hearts and pick-up trucks break down"). However, there's something about Lambert's lead vocal that seems forced, like she's wearing an ill-fitting suit. Good, but like many of the other cuts on the disc, I think this one could have been tweaked.
"Girls Like Us" is just laborous and plodding. The girls seem to be trying to convince us that they're all good AND bad girls, all rolled into one, but I'm just not buying it. This track is all image over content, sort of like Pink in her earlier days. All in all, it just doesn't work. These three are better than this...A LOT better!
The gals redeem themselves with the gorgeous "I Hope You're The End Of My Story." Unaffected, simple and sincere, this is music from the core. I can almost close my eyes and hear (and see) Ronstadt, Harris and Parton singing this on one of their TRIO albums. An instant classic.
So where do Pistol Annies go from here? The recent cancelling of all their June concert dates could bode badly for the P.A. camp, but I hope that's not the case...the three have something special together.
That said, I think maybe they should concentrate on solo careers for a year or two, then come back together in a more organic, unforced way. ANNIE UP is good, but I don't think it's completely representative of what this group is REALLY capable of. It's like playing with a deck of cards that's missing the Queen of Hearts. Or a pot that's short a chip or six. (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).
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Lets give it up for these girls! Great album, good for the soul, entertaining to say the least. I enjoy this album. Lets just say they are real Pistols! Keep em comming!
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