Hell on Heels

by Pistol Annies

Overview

Hell on Heels -- the debut from Pistol Annies, the trio of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley -- arrived in the waning days the summer of 2011, just months before the release of Four the Record, Lambert's fourth album. Four the Record garnered the attention and airplay, but Hell on Heels had longer legs, helping to shape the sound and direction of country music in the 2010s. That's a lot of baggage to put on a record as modest as Hell on Heels, but its sense of sisterhood was its strength and ultimately the key to its endurance. Upon its release, only Lambert was a solo star -- Presley had yet to release an album and Monroe's career was off to a shaky start -- but Miranda didn't dominate the trio. Pistol Annies celebrated the common ground shared by three distinct voices, voices that shared a sensibility but were complementary. Lambert's swagger is offset by Monroe's sweetness and Presley lends an underpinning of grit, the three combining to write songs rich in empathy and humor. While Pistol Annies don't kick up a lot of dust on Hell on Heels -- "Takin' Pills" bounces to a snapping twang, "The Hunter's Wife" swings to a Texas two-step -- its controlled quietness feels defiant, drawing attention to the sturdiness of the songs and the flintiness of the performances. At their core, the trio is a songwriter's collective, alternating and collaborating on new songs, but Pistol Annies is also a band, gaining power by how their singing and tunes harmonize. Subsequent albums sharpened the trio's collective and individual voices, but Hell on Heels has its own earthy elegance, a spirit and sound that echoed throughout the 2010s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	05/22/2012
Label:	Rca
UPC:	0886919687613
Rank:	46092

Tracks

1. Hell on Heels
2. Lemon Drop
3. Beige
4. Bad Example
5. Housewife's Prayer
6. Takin' Pills
7. Boys From the South
8. The Hunter's Wife
9. Trailer for Rent
10. Family Feud

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pistol Annies   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Josh Grange   Stell,Guitar,Guitar (Steel)
Stuart Mathis   Guitar
Russ Pahl   Guitar (Steel)
Mike Wrucke   Guitar
Richard Bennett   Guitar
Matt Chamberlain   Drums
Randy Scruggs   Guitar
Michael Webb   Keyboards
Glenn Worf   Bass
Jay Joyce   Guitar
Fred Eltringham   Drums

Technical Credits

Ryan Krieg   Assistant Engineer,Assistant
Brandon Schexnayder   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Angaleena Presley   Composer,Group Member
Nick Kallstrom   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Tiffany Gifford   Stylist
Marco Berardini   Make-Up,Hair Stylist
Blake Shelton   Composer
Chuck Ainlay   Mixing,Editing,Engineer,Producer,Digital Editing
Mike Wrucke   Mixing,Editing,Engineer,Producer,Digital Editing
Richard Dodd   Mastering
Miranda Lambert   Composer,Group Member
Ashley Monroe   Composer,Group Member
Glenn Worf   Producer
Frank Liddell   Producer
Judy Forde-Blair   Liner Notes,Creative Producer
Tracy Baskette-Fleaner   Design,Art Direction
Randee St. Nicholas   Photography
Philip Carreon   Hair Stylist
Tammie Harris Cleek   Imaging,Photo Production
Brittany Hamlin   Production Coordination
Mylah Morales   Make-Up