Album Review: Annie Up by Pistol Annies

The first Pistol Annies album was a fun and enjoyable album, but it felt thrown together in a studio. Three people coming together independent of each other to make an album. This latest album sounds like an album from a band. The sound, the tone of the songs, the performances are fully flushed out and so overnight you are looking at probably the best band in country music today.

Again the women take turns in the lead, or sing as a group. Once again they are all contributing as songwriters. But this time they come across as a single entity Pistol Annies instead of three individuals working together. It's quite a change and makes for a pretty good album.

There isn't a weak track here and the album flows together from start to finish with a cohesive sound. There are plenty of songs here that will catch your ear and I could see this being an album I come back to over time.

Unless these women sit down and decide to produce some country concept album it's hard to believe they will get any better than this. It's also hard to imagine they will be able to continue as a group long term because of their individual obligations. If they are touring around I would say go catch their act as it is unlikely they will get any better than what they are right now.

I often complain about the Nashville touch on albums and it is completely missing from this one. If I understand it properly this album was produced by the Pistol Annies. All the songs were written by the Pistol Annies. They essentially got in the studio with their backing band and recorded this live. It shows their talent and makes for something that feels refreshing. When I reviewed their last album I said it made me think longingly of Freakwater or Loretta Lynn. I'm happy to hold this album up on the same level as Freakwater or Loretta Lynn.

It may not be fair, but you have to give real credit here to Miranda Lambert. She does not need the Pistol Annies to be successful, but she obviously is enjoying it. Anytime a big time artist like Lambert is willing to push herself into areas that grows her as an artist and pushes her own ego back a bit I'm impressed and it should be noted.

Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.