Miranda Lambert just released her 10th studio album, Crisco, blending disco-inspired sounds with country music while taking listeners on a genre-spanning journey through different eras. The album pairs classic influences with fresh perspectives and the unmistakable storytelling that has become a signature of Lambert’s artistry.
Produced by Lambert alongside Jesse Frasure and recorded in Nashville at Blackbird Studio, the 12-track project arrived October 2 via MCA, marking her first full-length album with the label. The project includes “A Song To Sing” with Chris Stapleton, the title track “Crisco,” “Two Things Can Be True,” and her current Country radio single, “Snakeskin Boots,” featuring Ella Langley and more.
“I’ve always loved every corner of country music,” Lambert shared in a statement. “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.” She added, “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.”
She continued, “I’ve made a lot of records with a lot of heavy subjects over the years. This album feels mostly lighthearted. It’s refreshing to get up on stage and sing something fun. Making this record also unlocked a ‘time to do whatever I want’ feeling. Being able to create freely without putting parameters around my art has been really, really fun. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled that much in the studio.”
Miranda Lambert recently took some time to explain the meaning behind each of the tracks off his new album in her own words below.
TRACK 1: “Snakeskin Boots” featuring Ella Langley
“We wanted this one to feel like Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Bang Bang’ with all the retro Western swagger of the late ‘60s. There was something about those cinematic moments from that era that always inspired us, and we loved the idea of building a song that could just as easily soundtrack a Quentin Tarantino film as it could fill a dance floor at Studio 54.”
TRACK 2: “Crisco”
“‘Crisco’ became the spark that inspired the entire album because it perfectly captures the spirit of what we set out to create: country and disco living together in the same world. To me, that means mixing two things that feel joyful. The song is unapologetically kitschy in the best possible way with a full-on ‘70s disco rhythm section, sweeping strings and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. And it feels like roller skates immediately.”
TRACK 3: “Cowgirl Curtsy”
“This was our sonic nod to Patsy Cline’s “She’s Got You.” Between the lush Opry-style background vocals, the sleepy rhythm section, Paul Franklin’s steel guitar and the classic string arrangement, everything about it was designed to feel like crying on the dance floor. I never really dove into strings in my career before this record, and I just think that it really elevates a performance. It was so special to be in the studio and to watch those strings play live to all these songs we had written. It’s very moving and emotional, honestly.”
TRACK 4: “Two Things Can Be True”
“This almost feels like a sister song to ‘Cowgirl Curtsy.’ It also has a retro kind of Patsy vibe and I love that it’s country through and through. Jesse had started a backing track inspired by Santo & Johnny’s ‘Sleep Walk,’ with dreamy, almost Hawaiian-sounding steel, and we kept coming back to it while writing in Napa until everything finally clicked. Singing in a lower register keeps the song grounded in this warm, intimate heartbreak, and it almost feels like a duet with the steel and strings which made for a really magical tracking session.”
TRACK 5: “Cuttin’ Onions”
“We knew the album needed a little Jerry Reed energy mixed with Merle Haggard’s ‘Ramblin’ Fever.’ The lyric is another great example of a strong, funny female character who’s clearly hurting but refuses to admit it. She’s definitely not crying over him… or at least that’s the story she’s sticking to.”
TRACK 6: “Till The Going’s Gone”
“Harry Nilsson’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’” from Midnight Cowboy was a huge inspiration for this one. Jesse had started the song years earlier but never found the right home for it. Once we began writing Crisco, he presented what he had and suddenly everything made sense. Dann Huff’s Byrds-inspired 12-string guitar, Paul Franklin’s incredible steel work and the way the strings weave through the arrangement make this one of my favorite productions on the record.”
TRACK 7: “To Everything”
“I first played Jesse this song on a bus in California, and he immediately loved it. We used Robert John’s “Sad Eyes” as a sonic reference for the studio band, leaning into those soft yacht rock textures. Charlie Judge’s retro keys set the tone from the opening notes, while the stabs and runs throughout the hook elevate it to something truly special.”
TRACK 8: “Whiskey Business”
This is our tip of the hat to Glen Campbell’s “Southern Nights.” One thing I’ve always loved to do is A&R song choices by a committee of loved ones. This one became an early favorite with what Jesse jokingly calls the ‘Texas Conglomerate’ – my mom, my brother and my best friend April. They all fought hard to make sure this one stayed on the record. It was also the first song we wrote after ‘A Song To Sing’ and ‘“’Crisco,’ and it led to a conversation where I told Jesse, ‘I’m having so much fun writing these kinds of songs and really pushing and exploring – let’s do a whole record.’”’ Everything came together so easily from there.”
TRACK 9: “Right Where We Left It”
“The verse melody immediately puts you in a Dolly Parton frame of mind, but it really came alive once Jimmie Sloas laid down the bass line and Aaron Sterling settled into that deep ‘70s pocket. Those performances gave the song its warmth and effortless groove.”
TRACK 10: “A Song To Sing” with Chris Stapleton
“We wrote this song a few years ago and it really opened up my mind to exploring different sounds. I think it set us on the path to explore more and got me really curious about parts of country music I hadn’t explored yet, which eventually inspired the entire record. We wanted to create a modern nod to “Islands in the Stream” with a little Barry Gibb-inspired country soul. Dave Cobb captured exactly what we were chasing, and the song earning a GRAMMY nod made it an incredible way to begin the Crisco journey.”
TRACK 11: “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song”
“Jesse and I are both huge Jim Croce fans, and we always knew there would be a cover somewhere on this album. It ultimately came down to this song or “Walkin’ Back to Georgia,” and we actually worked up both. In the end, this vocal paired with the warm ‘70s keyboard textures made “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song” feel like it had always belonged in the world of Crisco.”
TRACK 12: “Sunset Marquis”
“The Sunset Marquis is such a staple in Los Angeles. I’ve been staying there for probably 20 years and it’s always kind of a fun game of who you’re going to see, and you end up making really good friends. I’ve gotten to visit with Steven Tyler, Billie Joe Armstrong, Caleb Followill from Kings of Leon and the original Marlboro Man – there’s just constant people in and out of there and it makes for a really fun environment where it feels like you’ve stepped back in time. The same day we wrote “To Everything,” we came back with this love letter to our favorite West Coast hideaway. We wanted it to feel like the place, to be able to close your eyes and picture it and smell the smells and know what Sunset Marquis feels like. It’s kitschy in all the right ways, a little sexy and the perfect way to close the album.”
