Miranda Lambert‘s Crisco album is out. The 12-track record, Lambert’s 11th, includes collaborations with Ella Langley and Chris Stapleton, “Sunset Marquis,” the traditional-sounding “Two Things Can Be True,” a cover of Jim Croce’s “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song”, and more.
When announcing the record, the Texan said Cricso is her celebration of country music.
“I’ve always loved every corner of country music,” Lambert said. “The heartbreak songs, the honky-tonk songs, the songs that make you think, and the songs that make you dance. Making this record reminded me that those things don’t have to be separated. We followed the songs wherever they wanted to go, trusted our instincts and ended up with something that feels really fun and really honest to who I am.”
Lambert also spoke out about Crisco on social media.
“Crisco is out now,” Lambert writes. “[Producer] Telemitry and I were talking about how country music has an incredible archive of music to pull from and how it’d be fun to dive into a side of it that I haven’t really explored before…the time period when Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Glen Campbell, and of course Kenny & Dolly graced the airwaves. The result of that was Crisco. I hope you have as much fun listening as we had making it. Thanks for going on this country disco journey with me.”
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How Miranda Lambert Got The Album Name, ‘Crisco’
While Lambert has played into the album’s name as an ode to the popular shortening brand, the real meaning is a nod to the music Lambert created on the record, coming 21 years after her debut, Kerosene.
“Country and disco equals Crisco,” Lambert tells The Tennessean. Indeed, Lambert’s Crisco became a somewhat masterful combination of her love of country music, along with a retro, 70s throwback disco sound.
When Lambert began creating what became Crisco, she had no idea that she was writing an entire album, at least at first. But it didn’t take long for the 42-year-old to find her groove, literally.
“I was having so much fun writing in that vein that I was like, ‘Let’s just make it a whole record,” Lambert says
“It’s got a ton of country music influence, but also has a ton of disco influence,” she adds. “We really balanced that out on purpose. It was intentional.”
How Dolly Parton Influenced ‘Crisco’
Crisco started with “A Song To Sing,” Lambert’s collaboration with Stapleton. The song is a bit of a nod to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ iconic “Islands In the Stream” duet. To honor Parton, Lambert wore a pair of her earrings for the video shoot, which took place in a roller skating rink. Meanwhile, Stapleton wore a necklace that belonged to Rogers.
“I was a little bit nervous all day and put two backs on them,” Lambert says. “They weren’t heavy. Dolly was smart. She was like, ‘I don’t need my earlobes weighed down.'”
Miranda Lambert’s Duet With Ella Langley on ‘Crisco’
Lambert is one of the writers on Langley’s record-breaking “Choosin’ Texas” single. So when it came time to create Crisco, Lambert knew she wanted Langley on the record. Crisco starts with “Snakeskin Boots,” which Lambert wrote with Jesse Frasure.
“We wrote ‘Snakeskin Boots’ with Ella in mind,” Lambert says. “She and I are kindred spirits, and when we were working on her album, I realized how many retro influences we share. To me, this song is kind of Thelma and Louise if they didn’t drive off the cliff. It’s two badass women getting away with something, and she’s the perfect partner for that.”
‘Crisco’ Track List
1. Snakeskin Boots (with Ella Langley)
2. Crisco
3. Cowgirl Curtsy
4. Two Things Can Be True
5. Cuttin’ Onions
6. Till The Going’s Gone
7. To Everything
8. Whiskey Business
9. Right Where We Left It
10. A Song To Sing (with Chris Stapleton)
11. I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song
12. Sunset Marquis