Miranda Lambert, "Only Prettier"

We've heard Miranda's softer side with "The House That Built Me," but get ready - Sassy Miranda is back!  "Only Prettier," the fourth single from her album Revolution is a witty and humorous commentary on the culture clash between high-class socialites and down-home country girls.  Miranda just seems to roll her eyes at her stick-thin peers.  She attempts to mask her dislike of them, and puts on a pretense of making peace.  She declares, "We're just like you," but her true feelings come out when she slyly adds "only prettier."  I have to give Miranda credit for wisely avoiding the use of country cliches, which elevates this song far above many similar songs that deal with Southern life and culture.

This is a clever track, but it is weighed down by one glaring problem - cluttered production.  This single is so darn loud that it hurts my ears.  Though it begins with quirky guitar intro, it quickly derails into a mess of headbanging percussion and guitars.  It just goes BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!  It doesn't stop!  The steel guitar licks are still there, but they are nearly drowned out.  It's a crying shame that a great song like this doesn't sound as good as it could have. 

Fortunately, the single is redeemed by the sharp lyrics and infectious vocals.  "Only Prettier" is overall solid material, but that production... whoa, it's going to take some getting used to.

MIRANDA'S SCORE:  6
(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

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