"The Weight Of These Wings" - Miranda Lambert Album Review

Miranda Lambert’s newest album, “The Weight of These Wings”, was released on November 18th, and immediately soared on the charts. The double album currently sits at number one on Billboard Country Albums chart, making it her sixth album to hit the top. This album is very unique to say the least. Lambert’s album is filled with simple, stripped down, mellow instrumentation and deep heartfelt lyrics. Lambert touches on every possible emotion, every possible state of mind, and every possible stage of grief. This album overall shows she has matured in her writing style. Less sassy, more sophisticated.

After her recent divorce, all were waiting in anticipation to hear what Miranda would whip up for this album. We now all get what we expected- emotional devastation, honesty, and vulnerability. The first disc, “The Nerve”, contains songs that range from joyful and light hearted to emptiness and confusion. Songs like her single, “We Should Be Friends”, and vintage, frilly “Pink Sunglasses” direct us to the Miranda we all know and love. This disc also contains the captivating duet with Anderson East, “Pushin’ Time”. This steel-guitar driven song is simple and mellow, yet incredibly meaningful.

The second disc on the album, “The Heart”, begins with a heart wrenching ballad, referencing the Wizard of Oz, “Tin Man”.

“By the way there, Mr. Tin Man/ If you don't mind the scars / You give me your armor /And you can have my heart.”

Lambert truly shows her vulnerable side and opens up her heart to listeners. Another note-able song on the second disc is “Keeper of the Flame”. In this song, Miranda recognizes all the legendary songwriters that have come before her, and emphasizes that it is now her turn to keep that flame alive.

Online news publication, Saving Country Music, describes the overarching theme best:

“There does seem to be an overarching theme to The Weight of These Wings, even if not every song resides within it. Where Miranda Lambert started her career by singing about being a badass and taking no shit from everyone, now she’s singing about how her inability to control her emotions and vices has put her a bit behind the clock, and pensively regarding her prior decisions as potentially a little too reckless. She’s on the precipice of spinsterism, and now is facing down the wisdom that freedom comes with its own costs (savingcountrymusic.com).”

Although this album is unlike most of the music in top 40 country music, I highly encourage giving it a few listens. Through this, you will discover the deep meaning behind the stories Lambert is telling straight from her heart.