Backwards Beats is the music podcast where two musicians count down Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time—from #500 to #1—with deep dives, honest reviews, and a whole lot of personality.
Each week, Carl and Dan break down one classic album, exploring the songwriting, production, legacy, and cultural context behind the music. Expect:
🎧 Insightful Album Reviews – Go beyond surface-level takes with in-depth musical analysis and historical perspective.
🎤 Real Talk & Wild Takes – We’re not afraid to say when a “classic” doesn’t hold up—and we’ll explain why.
🎸 A Celebration of Music History – From groundbreaking debuts to genre-defining masterpieces, we revisit the records that shaped generations.
Whether you’re a music nerd, vinyl collector, or just discovering these iconic albums for the first time, Backwards Beats delivers sharp commentary, deep appreciation, and plenty of fun along the way.
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now and join the countdown from cult favorites to all-time greats.
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Backwards Beats is the music podcast where two musicians count down Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time—from #500 to #1—with deep dives, honest reviews, and a whole lot of personality.
Each week, Carl and Dan break down one classic album, exploring the songwriting, production, legacy, and cultural context behind the music. Expect:
🎧 Insightful Album Reviews – Go beyond surface-level takes with in-depth musical analysis and historical perspective.
🎤 Real Talk & Wild Takes – We’re not afraid to say when a “classic” doesn’t hold up—and we’ll explain why.
🎸 A Celebration of Music History – From groundbreaking debuts to genre-defining masterpieces, we revisit the records that shaped generations.
Whether you’re a music nerd, vinyl collector, or just discovering these iconic albums for the first time, Backwards Beats delivers sharp commentary, deep appreciation, and plenty of fun along the way.
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now and join the countdown from cult favorites to all-time greats.
The Weight Of These Wings - Miranda Lambert (#480)
Backwards Beats Podcast
1 hour 45 minutes 11 seconds
4 months ago
The Weight Of These Wings - Miranda Lambert (#480)
In episode 1, season 2 of Backwards Beats, Dan and Carl dive deep into Miranda Lambert’s emotionally charged double album The Weight of These Wings (2016). Released in the wake of her public divorce from Blake Shelton, this sprawling 24-track project is divided into two thematic discs: The Nerve and The Heart. The hosts explore the album’s sonic risks, lyrical introspection, and Lambert’s evolving artistic voice, praising her fearless honesty while critiquing the occasionally muddy production.
🎧 We also just launched our Patreon — it’s totally free right now, and we’ll be using it as a home for behind-the-scenes content and extra goodies. All content is free! We’re looking to build our community here. Come join the community as our first members only content will be dropping on Thursday.
Key Points
🎤 Background & Legacy: Lambert, a Texas native and outlaw-country heir, delivered this album as a post-breakup catharsis, citing it as a “seven stages of grief” journey. The lead single “Vice” went double platinum.
🧠 Disc One – The Nerve:
A stylistic mash-up of country, rock, and experimental pop textures.
High points include “We Should Be Friends” (tight structure, clever writing) and “Vice” (dark, layered, and emotionally raw).
Production is a recurring sore spot—particularly the bottom-heavy mix and gratuitous overdrive on vocals.
Carl and Dan agree Lambert’s performance is consistently strong, but some arrangements suffer from over-ambition.
❤️ Disc Two – The Heart:
A pivot to more traditional country storytelling with refined arrangements.
The production is notably improved, allowing the songwriting to shine.
🥁 Musicianship:
Frequent praise for drummer Matt Chamberlain’s tasteful Tom fills, when not buried in the mix.
Rich instrumentation throughout, though sometimes overcrowded or poorly balanced.
🧠 Final Thoughts:
Lambert proves she’s a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter with wide emotional range.
While The Weight of These Wings could’ve benefitted from tighter editing, it remains a bold and personal work deserving of its place on the list.
Music Referenced
Platinum by Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
Dear John by Taylor Swift
Battle Studies by John Mayer
Continuum by John Mayer
Paper Doll by John Mayer
Love on the Weekend by John Mayer
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer
The Beatles
Sonny & Cher
Reba McIntire
Anderson East
Tammy Wynette
Dolly Parton
Sheryl Crow
Edie Brickell
Devil's Haircut by Beck
Garbage
In Bloom by Nirvana
Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
Lucille by Kenny Rogers
Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson
Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin
Nick of Time by Bonnie Raitt
Melissa Etheridge
The Pixies
You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette
Courtney Love
Robert Randolph
Guy Clark
Jerry Jeff Walker
Backwards Beats Podcast
Backwards Beats is the music podcast where two musicians count down Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time—from #500 to #1—with deep dives, honest reviews, and a whole lot of personality.
Each week, Carl and Dan break down one classic album, exploring the songwriting, production, legacy, and cultural context behind the music. Expect:
🎧 Insightful Album Reviews – Go beyond surface-level takes with in-depth musical analysis and historical perspective.
🎤 Real Talk & Wild Takes – We’re not afraid to say when a “classic” doesn’t hold up—and we’ll explain why.
🎸 A Celebration of Music History – From groundbreaking debuts to genre-defining masterpieces, we revisit the records that shaped generations.
Whether you’re a music nerd, vinyl collector, or just discovering these iconic albums for the first time, Backwards Beats delivers sharp commentary, deep appreciation, and plenty of fun along the way.
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now and join the countdown from cult favorites to all-time greats.
