She may emphasize her ties to the past but she's intent on expanding the tradition, turning country music into a bolder, more inclusive place, and that desire is what makes Wrangled such a compelling album.
Angaleena Presley may be the feistiest woman in country music since Dolly Parton ... though Wrangled suggests she’s less prepared to toe the Nashville line.
Wrangled is a rootsy collection of interpersonal dramas and vivid field reports from Presley’s American underclass.
Presley’s righteous fury and mordant wit burn even brighter on ... Wrangled.
Taken as a whole, Wrangled feels like an antidote to some of the more testosterone-driven material that’s come out of Nashville in recent years.
A few years ago, between the Pistol Annies and her debut solo album, Angaleena Presley delivered a one-two punch of working class solidarity and Southern religious devotion. This is what makes her long awaited followup such a disappointment. Wrangled lacks ambition.
Nicely done and subtly written country/Americana album. I was worried after reading the Exclaim review that I'd have heard this all before, but while Angaleena's themes are similar to those of her debut, it's a testament to her songwriting -- which is among the best in the genre -- that she makes the words and melodies sound so fresh.
#3 | / | American Songwriter |
/ | AllMusic | |
/ | Slate |