Music

Album review: Miranda Lambert’s ‘Platinum’

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Three and a half stars

Miranda Lambert Platinum

Miranda Lambert had a hand in writing just half of the 16 songs on her fifth album, Platinum, but her personality comes through on almost every one, regardless of who the credited songwriters are. That straight-talking, no-nonsense persona is in full effect whether the songs are loud rockers (“Little Red Wagon”), soulful ballads (“Holding on to You”), twangy country throwbacks (“Old Sh*t”) or some combination thereof. That eclectic mix can make Platinum seem a little inconsistent, but other than the terrible Carrie Underwood duet “Somethin’ Bad,” which sounds like a rejected ’90s Aerosmith single, Lambert succeeds at whatever she aims for. With its regressive nostalgia, middle-of-the-road pop-rocker “Automatic” is a perfect radio single, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t also room for a collaboration with Western swing group The Time Jumpers (Tom T. Hall cover “All That’s Left”) or soul-baring anguish on “Bathroom Sink,” Lambert’s only solo writing credit. Lambert contains multitudes, and Platinum showcases her entire range.

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