Miranda Lambert’s next solo chapter is on its way. The singer announced a 15-song new album, called Palomino, on Thursday morning.
Some of the songs on the track list are familiar. It includes full-band versions of “Geraldene,” “In His Arms” and “Waxahachie,” all songs that appeared in stripped-down acoustic form on Miranda’s 2021 album with Jon Randall and Jack Ingram, The Marfa Tapes.
But the singer’s not leaving behind the rock edge she developed on her last solo album, Wildcard. In fact, one track, “Music City Queen,” is a collaboration with New Wave dance rockers The B-52s.
Travel’s a big theme on the project, says Miranda, a self-described “Highway Vagabond” who — like the rest of the world — found herself unexpectedly grounded when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020.
During her break from the road, she assembled frequent songwriting collaborators like Luke Dick and Natalie Hemby at her Tennessee farm, she says.
“We figured while we have time let’s get out to the country and see what happens,” Miranda explains. “The first one we wrote was ‘Tourist’ and that set us on a path to create something with a bit of a theme. Since we couldn’t travel at the time, we decided to go on a journey through songs. I hope y’all are ready to travel with us wandering spirits and meet some cool characters with great stories.”
Palomino also includes Miranda’s current single, “If I Was a Cowboy,” plus a just-released new song, “Strange.”
Palomino is due out April 29. It’ll be Miranda’s eighth studio album, and comes just weeks after she was named the 2022 ACM Entertainer of the Year.
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