Hell on Heels

Hell on Heels is the first studio album by American country girl group Pistol Annies. The group consists of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley. They released their single, "Hell on Heels," in May 2011 and released their debut album on August 23, 2011.[1] Pistol Annies debuted at Number 1 on Billboard’s Country Album Chart with their introductory album, Hell On Heels. With more than 44,000 albums sold in the first week, with little to no promotion, the group landed at Number 5 on the Billboard 200 Chart. As of June 5, 2013, the album has sold 488,000 copies in the United States.[2]

Hell on Heels
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 23, 2011 (2011-08-23)
Recorded2010
GenreCountry
Length30:05
LabelColumbia Nashville
ProducerFrank Liddell
Pistol Annies chronology
Hell on Heels
(2011)
Annie Up
(2013)
Singles from Hell on Heels
  1. "Hell on Heels"
    Released: June 12, 2011

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic84/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [4]
American Songwriter [5]
The A.V. ClubB+[6]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)A[7]
Nash Country Weekly [8]
Rolling Stone [9]
Slant Magazine [10]

Review aggregate site Metacritic gave the album a score of 84/100, based on 9 reviews, earning the summary "Universal acclaim".[3] Karlie Justus of Engine 145 gave the single a "thumbs up", with her review saying, "But beyond its cleverly delivered lyrics and well-framed production, the best part about this initial showcase is the clear intent that seems to drive both the song and the group behind its singers."[11] It received four stars from Matt Bjorke of Roughstock, who thought that it had "sassiness and a spark".[12] Rating it four stars out of five, Jessica Phillips of Country Weekly praised the "sparse production, unabashedly country lyrics and strong rhythm sections".[8] In addition, Rolling Stone listed the album at 29 of the "50 Best Albums of 2011". As of December 2012, the album has sold 430,000 copies without one big radio hit.[13]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Hell on Heels"
  • Presley
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
3:14
2."Lemon Drop"PresleyPresley2:42
3."Beige"
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
Monroe3:23
4."Bad Example"
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
  • Presley
  • Lambert
  • Presley
  • Monroe
2:52
5."Housewife's Prayer"
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
  • Presley
Lambert2:48
6."Takin' Pills"
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
  • Presley
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
  • Presley
3:16
7."Boys From the South"
  • Lambert
  • Monroe
Lambert3:39
8."The Hunter's Wife"PresleyPresley2:34
9."Trailer for Rent"LambertLambert3:01
10."Family Feud"
  • Monroe
  • Presley
  • Lambert
2:36
Total length:30:05

Personnel

Pistol Annies
Additional Musicians

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2011)Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[16]44
Chart (2012)Position
US Billboard 200[17]109
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[18]24

Singles

YearSinglePeak positions
US
[19]
2011"Hell on Heels"55

Certifications

RegionCertification
United States (RIAA)[20]Gold

References