While all the guys are off rapping or putting on eyeliner for their rock band, women have slowly but surely comandeered the songwriting scene.

Outside of a few alt-country writers and some folks you've never heard of, the best composition in 2007 came from the ladies, a handful of them in particular. One of them is featured at No. 23 in my Top 25 of 2007: "Famous In A Small Town," by Miranda Lambert.

She placed in the Top 5 in the first season of Nashville Star, so Lambert is another reality contestant gone good. While she's best known for her hit, "Kerosene," from a couple of years back, Miranda is getting high praise from critics.

Her 2007 album, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," is tabbed by metacritic.com as the 18th best album of 2007 in any genre. Metacritic tabulates reviews from a wide variety of critics to come up with their list. Heck, they didn't even have to twist my arm. I had already heard the CD.

It has spunk, small-town sophistication. Solid wordplay. Great storytelling. Musicianship. Personality.

Check out these other high praises:

Slant Magazine: Brash, insightful, wry, and, above all else, smart, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend confirms that Miranda Lambert is far more than just the latest in a long line of bad girls: She's a country music legend in the making, and the most vital artist Music Row has produced in a generation.

Stylus Magazine: Miranda Lambert is at a very rarified place right now, turning her songs into vehicles for a persona that transcends background narrative and personal history. This is Jagger, Bowie, Debbie Harry, and early MJ territory.

New York Times: Backed by ragged, loud guitar work and production that is full but not slick, Ms. Lambert sounds like a brash rabble-rouser, an emotionally insightful spark plug.

Village Voice: A conceptual wonder.

Frankly, I don't think "Famous In A Small Town" is worth all the high accolades. There are a couple of other tunes on her album that are, and you can bet I'll at least touch on them throughout the rest of my Top 25 if not rank them.

No, this tune is way more in tune with what Nashville listeners expect in terms of musical structure and lyrics, and it sure is heck isn't as angry and feisty as some of Lambert's other work. However, as a big fan of John Mellencamp, I'd say this tune encompasses small-town America about as good as anything since Mellencamp released "Smalltown" 22 years ago.

It's a gem, and even if Miranda Lambert is but a two-album wonder, she has set a standard for other aspiring Nashville artists to reach.

See others:

No. 25 - Everyday America - Sugarland

No. 24 - Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns