Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Each Sunday, Pitchfork takes an in-depth look at a significant album from the past, and any record not in our archives is eligible. Today, we revisit the stellar rise of Miranda Lambert with her second album, one that laid the groundwork for an artist destined for country superstardom.

Lambert is a country music legend in the making, and the most vital artist Music Row has produced in a generation.

She may not be anyone's idea of a newcomer outside of Nashville, but Miranda Lambert is a fine performer and a talented songwriter with an innate sense of pop.